Final answer:
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 prohibits unfair treatment against women in employment based on childbirth or related conditions. It ensures that women are protected from being fired, demoted, or subjected to any adverse employment actions due to their pregnancy or related conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 bars unfair treatment against women in employment based on childbirth or related conditions. This law prohibits discrimination against women in the workplace who are planning to get pregnant or who are returning to work after pregnancy. It ensures that women are protected from being fired, demoted, or subjected to any adverse employment actions due to their pregnancy or related conditions.
This act is an amendment to the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on sex. By including protection against pregnancy discrimination, the act recognizes that pregnancy is a natural and essential part of life and should not be a basis for unequal treatment in the workplace.
For example, if an employer denies a woman a promotion solely because she is planning to have a child, that would be a violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Similarly, if an employer refuses to hire a woman because she recently gave birth and assumes that she will not be able to perform her job effectively, that would also be considered discriminatory.