Pregnancy discrimination is illegal in every state in the union, yet it is thriving in workplaces all across the country.

 Many companies treat pregnancy as an inconvenience that costs them time and money. Too often, employers fire women when they become pregnant, or deceive them into resigning by misrepresenting the law, refuse to accommodate their pregnancy-related needs, deny them leave or benefits, or just give them a hard time.

 A woman’s ability to maintain employment before, during, and after pregnancy is not a luxury. It is a right. And, in these recessional times, it’s a necessity for most two-income families.

Women’s Rights in the Workplace: A Guide to Pregnancy Discrimination is a practical guidebook for working women interested in workplace rights regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Presented by one of the nation's foremost experts on pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment, it is a clear and concise guide to which any working woman of childbearing age can turn for answers to frequently asked questions about the facts, legal issues, and applicable laws surrounding her rights as a pregnant woman actively employed in the US workforce.

Written with the layperson in mind, the guide is not weighed down by legalese. It defines pregnancy discrimination in accessible terms and discusses, among other topics, understanding pregnancy as a protected status, ways to inform your employer that you are pregnant, applying for maternity leave, and post-partum issues such as expressing breast milk at work.

Women’s Rights in the Workplace: A Guide to Pregnancy Discrimination is the first installment in a series of guides designed to arm women with information to help them navigate a system that is too often stacked against them.

Author Jack Tuckner is a founding partner of Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock & Sipser, LLP, a Women’s Rights in the Workplace law firm that advocates for employees in matters of workplace inequality.