A recent case involving pregnancy discrimination arose when a former Netflix advisor was fired from her job, simply because she became pregnant – and because her boss knew that she would be taking maternity leave in the near future. The complaint that was filed in the court system alleged unlawful retaliation on the part of her employer and makes a claim for money damages.
California has laws and regulations in place to help prevent against unlawful harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Businesses need to be aware of these laws and ensure that they comply at all times.
Starting a new business can be complex, and many questions might arise throughout the process. Attorney Claire Kalia of Kalia Law, P.C. can assist you with each and every aspect of setting up your business and can ensure that you timely comply with all of the applicable laws and regulations that are on the books. Feel free to give us a call today at (650) 701-7617, or contact us online for more information.
Netflix Discrimination Case
In the pregnancy discrimination case referenced above, the complainant, Tania Zarak, assisted with developing international content for Netflix to be used as part of the business’ streaming service. According to her lawsuit, upon telling her boss that she was pregnant, she was removed from several lucrative projects. Specifically, Ms. Zarak alleged that upon learning of the pregnancy, her boss took her off an important email list for a show she had been working on for months and that he excluded her from important meetings relating to the show. Ms. Zarak’s boss later claimed that he was not aware of her involvement with the show in question.
The civil complaint also indicated that Ms. Zarak’s boss made inappropriate comments, such as “you don’t look happy,” in an attempt to cause emotional abuse and create an atmosphere of negativity. Her boss later claimed that she was “saying things about him,” and he became “visibly agitated” when she told him about her anticipated delivery date. The boss also pressured Ms. Zarak to quit. When he finally fired Ms. Zarak, he gave no explanation for the firing. Finally, Ms. Zarak claimed that Netflix was deceptive in its hiring practices, given that the company frequently touted its maternity leave policy but discouraged its employees from using it. Netflix claimed that it had investigated Ms. Zarak’s allegations and had determined that they did not have any basis in fact or law.
Pregnancy Discrimination Law in California
In California, pregnancy discrimination is a type of gender discrimination. Consequently, it is illegal to discriminate against a pregnant individual in the employment context. In addition to being illegal under state law, pregnancy discrimination also violates federal law.
Call a California Business Lawyer Today
Having
protocols in place to prevent against workplace harassment and discrimination
is essential for any business. Attorney Claire
Kalia of Kalia Law, P.C. can answer all of your questions and ensure that your
business complies with the law. To schedule a free consultation or case
evaluation with a California business attorney, please call us today at (650)
701-7617, or contact
us online.
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