Should pregnant women receive special treatment at work?

1. 76

   VVanNessposted 10 years ago

   Should pregnant women receive special treatment at work?
   
   Pregnant women have a lot on their minds. One thing they shouldn’t have to worry about? Whether they’ll be fired from their jobs. But when some women ask for adjustments so they can continue safely working — like avoiding heavy lifting, staying off ladders, or even drinking water — their bosses deny their requests. As a result, some women who want or need to continue working throughout their pregnancies have been fired, forced to quit, or forced onto unpaid leave.

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2. 60

   jravity1posted 10 years ago

   no...not for a bad reason either. If someone in a work situation is treated differently, despite any thing about that person, everyone else will ask for the same things. Its not nice, but that is how it works.  For example... say you get pregnant, and still want to work, but have to lift boxes, and decide you can't lift heavy boxes. All of a sudden all this extra work gets dumped on some else. Do you think thats fair. No its not. This question is almost like saying, Should women receive special treatment at work.

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   1. 76

      VVanNessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You say that but those labeled disabled or injured at work get special treatment. Why should pregnant women be different? The things they're asking are just for their health. Do they have to get a doctor's note like the others?

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      Susana Sposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I wouldn't want to be your wife jravity!

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3. 91

   Susana Sposted 10 years ago

   You obviously live in a different country to me VVanNess! In the UK it is illegal for an employer to treat a pregnant woman in the ways you describe. They'd be getting sued at a tribunal in no time!
   
   So yes, pregnant women do need special treatment at work and it should be ingrained both culturally and legally in society.
   
   There are a myriad of serious, often very painful and definitely life changing physical problems that pregnancy can cause such as gestation diabetes, hypertension, symphysis pubis dysfunction, varicose veins and hyperemesis gravidarum (and these are just a few of the very nasty things that pregnancy can bring!). Women should not be punished by society or their employers for having to cope with these types of problems in pregnancy - they should be cared for.

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   1. 76

      VVanNessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Least of all that this is a normal process of life. Men aren't punished for starting families. Neither should be women just because they are the ones carrying them. Thank you for your comment.

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   kentuckywriter267posted 10 years ago

   Yes, I agree for the reason that Susan S. is speaking of. If that was my wife at work and was put in a position to either put our child at risk or walk of the job, She had better come home and let me deal with the rest of it.....

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   1. 76

      VVanNessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Here, here!

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