The federal US government has multiple laws in place to protect would-be mothers during pregnancy and associated unemployment. If you’re pregnant, and if you’re a working woman, you can speak to an attorney to learn more about the resources that can assist you, including Pregnancy Discrimination Act and Family & Medical Leave Act. The second one, for instance, allows both parents to take unpaid leaves from work without any repercussions. The first one, on the other hand, makes it an illegal act to fire employees on the grounds of pregnancy. Both acts are in place to ensure expecting families remain safe from illegal workplace discrimination.
- Eligibility: Of course, not all workplaces are going to honor the laws, which is why many women don’t receive Unemployment benefits when pregnant. Sometimes, people even lose their jobs without any fault of their own. If you face such a situation, you’ll want to know whether you’re eligible for the benefits of unemployment. Every lawyer you speak to will say that you’re perfectly eligible. It won’t matter whether your company shuts you out or lays you off. The government entitles you to receive a specific portion of your monthly income from it.
- The minimum requirements: Now, there are a few requirements enforced by the government that you have to fulfill if you want to enjoy the benefits of unemployment. You have to meet them if you’re going to apply for unemployment, whether you’re pregnant or not.
- You need to be someone who worked for an organization that paid the benefits of unemployment.
- You need to be someone who got laid off or fired despite making no mistake.
- You need to be able to do things matching your skill level.
- You earned enough during your employment to qualify for the benefits.
- Ability to work: The ultimate requirement of qualifying for unemployment benefits is the ability to work. You need to be able to do what you’re good at. It’s precisely where folks tend to get confused, especially during pregnancy and associated maternity leave. You should contact an attorney specializing in pregnancy discrimination cases to learn more about your qualification requirements.
- Inability: It goes without saying that the inability to perform the tasks associated with a job just like the previous one will prevent you from being eligible. It can happen to expecting mothers who have been asked by their doctor to remain in bed for a specific amount of time. If that happens, you should consider filing for disability insurance as unemployment benefits won’t do you any good. Once you’re fit enough to return to your duties, you’ll be eligible for the benefits.
- Getting fired for pregnancy: Solicitors handling pregnancy discrimination cases often encounter clients wanting to know whether they’ll get fired for being pregnant. No organization can fire someone on pregnancy grounds because it’s illegal. You should go through the Pregnancy Discrimination Act 1978 to learn more about it. You should also know that an employer can’t deny you employment on pregnancy grounds.
- The method: Filing for Unemployment benefits when pregnant isn’t a challenging task. In almost every state, you can use the internet to sign up for it. Unemployment offices won’t even ask pregnant women to do it. Then again, they have the right to do so if you’re fit enough to fulfill your duties. Just remember that for unemployment firms, you need to be physically capable to do the same thing you used to do for your previous employer.
- Ineligibility: As already mentioned earlier, not everyone is eligible for the benefits of unemployment. The following situations will lead to your disqualification.
- Self-employed people – Self-employed individuals aren’t eligible for these benefits.
- Inadequate income – The sum of money you earn per week against unemployment benefits will differ from person to person based on earnings over a specific span of time. It mostly includes the earnings of the last year. Most states require you to work for at least one year for an employer before filing for these benefits.
- No justifiable cause – If you choose to stop working for an employer without a reasonable cause, you won’t be eligible for the benefits. For instance, you can’t just discontinue working for an employer because of a dispute with laborers.
- Appropriate firing – If your employer has a valid reason to fire you, such as inappropriate behavior, misconduct, or something similar, you’ll become ineligible for benefits.
- Incorrect information – Every employee has to provide precise info while filing the papers of unemployment benefits. Even one piece of misinformation will steal your eligibility.
Final considerations
If something comes up with the Unemployment benefits when pregnant, you can rely on an attorney specializing in pregnancy discrimination problems. Every state follows an entirely different procedure for managing appeals. That’s why you should discuss the matter with your attorney for in-depth information.