Final answer:
Yes, the Employment Act aims to protect female employees from discrimination based on pregnancy, ensuring maternity benefits even for unmarried women. The U.S. has the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act that support these rights, providing frameworks for unpaid leave associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, the Employment Act (EA) is designed to prohibit discrimination against women in the workplace, including discrimination based on pregnancy or maternity. This ensures that female employees, whether married or unmarried, are protected during pregnancy and upon their return to work after giving birth. There have been significant strides toward protecting the employment rights of pregnant employees since the early to mid-20th century. In the United States, it took until 1978 for the federal government to pass the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which was a key piece of legislation that ensured women could not be fired for pregnancy and could take unpaid leave. Numerous state laws also provided time off for pregnancy and post-childbirth, some extending benefits within companies with policies such as extended breaks and additional sick leave. Furthermore, the Family and Medical Leave Act , allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for family reasons, including birth or family illness, which provides a framework for maternity benefits.