Q: Would my boss be pretextually firing me?
I'm 5 months pregnant and work at a preschool. Last week I had a doctor's appointment and my boss asked me how it went. I told her there were some complications and I may require more frequent doctor appointments at a high risk doctor 2 hours away. The next day she sent me a text message about 3 small mistakes I had made recently. She has clearly been monitoring me and watching me on the cameras as well. I have never been reprimanded for anything before, and the mistakes I have made are common among my coworkers and no one ever gets in trouble. We have a pretty relaxed atmosphere usually. I am worried she is trying to make a trail and a background for grounds to fire me legally.
A: If your boss fires you, demotes you in either pay or job responsibilities, or refuses to allow you to return to work following a medical leave, then you may have a claim for pregnancy discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The close time proximity between notifying your boss of your need for doctor visits related to your pregnancy and the increased scrutiny over your work performance can help establish that your boss is taking these actions against you due to your pregnancy and need for medical care.
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