write a response to this discussion question ( at least 10 sentences)

6. What is the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978? How do
you believe supervisors should treat pregnant employees? (Chapter 4 pgs
132-133)

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act was passed after the decision made by
the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of General Electric Company v.
Gilbert. This act stated that discrimination due to the state of being
pregnant was not an act of sexual discrimination under the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act was later amended in 1978.
In this amended version, the act prohibits unfavorable treatment of an
applicant or employee regarding “hiring, firing, pay, job assignment,
promotions, layoffs, training, fringe benefits, and any other terms or
conditions of employment.” The Pregnancy Discrimination Act protects all
applicants and employees in the Department of Labor against pregnancy
discrimination. However, this act does not require the employer to
protect pregnant or potentially pregnant employees from potentially
dangerous working conditions.

The federal statute considers pregnancy as a temporary disability.
Thus, pregnant employees should be treated under the same jurisdiction
as employees with a disability. In this case, a pregnant employee should
not be treated in a manner that violates disability standards because
it would have violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Under the
Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978), an employer must allow a pregnant
employee to continue her employment duties and responsibilities for as
long as she is able to carry them out. This also means that an employer
must grant the employee a leave of absence to take care of the newborn
after childbirth. Along with granting a leave of absence, the employer
must guarantee the employee still has her job after her leave of absence
is over and she is ready to return to work.

According to the text, many states have laws that require employers to
provide a reasonable working accommodation upon request by a pregnant
employee. Some of the state laws declare that employers are required to
modify or provide different seating for pregnant employees, which would
help them perform their tasks like the other employees. These laws also
require employers to revise the frequency, or duration, of their break
schedules in favor of their pregnant employees. These accommodations are
meant to adapt the needs of employees and facilitate their work
performance at the same time. This act also prevents the employer from
dismissing any pregnant employee or transferring any employee due to
their pregnancy condition. Unless the employer accommodating other
classes of employees, there should be no new creation of job positions
or promotion of unqualified employees to perform the job.

After
reading about the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, I feel that all
employers should treat their pregnant employees as the act states. I
work at an obstetrics and gynecology office and I know that pregnancy
can be very taxing on women. Pregnancy and childbirth should be
considered as a short-term disability, as the act states, because of the
difficulty of carrying and bearing a child. Childbirth has at least a
four week recovery time and at least six weeks if you must have a
cesarean section. That time is also spent bonding with and taking care
of your very dependant new born baby. Women must also take this time to
figure out and adjust to their new routine of sleepless nights and
overwhelming extra duties to care for their child. I agree whole
heartedly with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.