Pregnancy Discrimination: What Counts and What to Document

Federal law protects pregnant workers through two statutes, each with a different mechanism. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits unequal treatment. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires accommodation. Together they cover the full arc from job application through the postpartum return. Most workers never need to file a formal complaint. But the ones who do nearly always wish they had understood the protections and the documentation practice months earlier. This guide explains what both laws require, what patterns constitute discrimination, how contemporaneous documentation works, and how the EEOC charge process operates. Understanding the system early makes every later option stronger.