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New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Lawyers

Pregnancy Discrimination Attorneys in Moorestown, NJ, Fighting for Parents Facing Retaliation at Work

You told your employer you were pregnant, and something changed. Maybe a request for a simple accommodation, like sitting during your shift or extra water breaks, was met with resistance instead of understanding. Maybe you returned from maternity leave only to be pushed out days later with a vague explanation that didn't match your track record. Our New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act lawyers at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered are here to provide employment litigation guidance you can count on, holding employers accountable for discriminatory conduct.

We understand how disorienting it feels to be penalized for something as fundamental as growing your family. Our legal team has seen firsthand how these situations unfold, and we know that the stakes go beyond a single paycheck. Your job security, your ability to support your family, and your sense of trust in your workplace are all affected when an employer fails to follow the law.

You don't have to sort through this alone, balancing these worries alongside the demands of parenthood. Our firm offers free, confidential consultations, so there’s nothing standing in the way of exploring your options. To discuss your situation with our pregnancy discrimination attorneys in Moorestown, NJ, call or fill out our online contact form today.

Your Employer’s Obligations Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations for your known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would cause the employer significant difficulty or expense. The law applies to employers with 15 or more employees. This obligation applies whether you're currently pregnant, recovering from childbirth, or managing a related condition like postpartum depression or the effects of fertility treatment.

Your employer cannot deny you a job opportunity because providing an accommodation seems inconvenient. Your employer also cannot force you to accept an accommodation you didn't ask for or push you onto unpaid leave when a reasonable accommodation would let you keep working.

The law also protects you from retaliation if you request an accommodation or raise concerns about how you've been treated.

These protections matter, but unfortunately, employers sometimes violate the law. Our firm stands up for pregnant women, stepping in to fight discrimination in the workplace.

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Reasonable Accommodations Can Look Different for Every Pregnancy, and Your Employer May Be Required to Provide Them

No two pregnancies come with the same needs. The law reflects that reality by covering a wide range of possible accommodations.

Depending on your job and your specific situation, a reasonable accommodation might include:

  • Additional breaks to drink water, eat, or use the restroom
  • A stool or chair for a role that normally requires standing
  • Time off for prenatal appointments or recovery from childbirth
  • Temporary relief from lifting, strenuous activity, or hazardous exposure
  • A temporary transfer to a less physically demanding role
  • Remote work or a modified schedule, where feasible for your position

Some of these accommodations, like carrying water or taking extra restroom breaks, are considered so minor that your employer generally cannot deny them without a truly exceptional reason. Others require more of a conversation between you and your employer to figure out what works.

Even in more challenging circumstances, the law expects that conversation to happen in good faith. When it doesn’t, and the employer discriminates against the pregnant worker, legal recourse may be available. Our New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act lawyers can evaluate your unique situation and help you determine whether you may have grounds to pursue legal action.

In some cases, an employer may deny requested accommodations for valid reasons. But when the employer doesn’t have such a reason, or when its response to a pregnancy-related request goes beyond a simple denial, you may be dealing with something more serious: discrimination.

You may have a claim that extends beyond a single denied accommodation if your employer:

  • Refuses to engage with your request at all
  • Retaliates against you for asking
  • Uses your pregnancy or leave as a pretext for termination

It may seem like your employer holds all the power in this situation, but that’s not true. Federal law provides meaningful protections, and our New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act lawyers help employees pursue accountability when employers violate the law.

Our attorneys recently secured a $350,000 settlement for a client who was terminated just ten days after returning from maternity leave. Her employer offered only a vague explanation about "not meeting expectations," despite no documented performance concerns before her leave. Through discovery and depositions of the employer's leadership, our attorneys exposed the pretextual nature of the termination and secured meaningful compensation for our client. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and our attorneys pursue the resolution that the facts, evidence, and law support in each individual case.

If your situation involves suspicious timing, a vague or shifting explanation, or a sudden shift in how you're treated, it's worth having our pregnancy discrimination attorneys in Moorestown, NJ, examine what really happened.

New Jersey's State-Level Protections Add Another Layer to Your Pregnancy Discrimination Case

While the federal PWFA provides a strong foundation, New Jersey workers often have protection under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) as well. New Jersey's own pregnancy accommodation requirements have been part of NJLAD since 2014, years before the federal law existed.

This matters because NJLAD applies to employers of virtually any size, not just those with 15 or more employees. Its accommodation requirements cover related needs, like breastfeeding and lactation, as well.

In practice, many pregnancy discrimination claims in New Jersey involve both PWFA and NJLAD together. Our attorneys have a track record of handling matters that involve violations of both the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and state-level protections that exist under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. As experienced New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act lawyers, we look at both layers of protection to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.

Support Built Around Your Pregnancy, Your Job, and Your Family

When you bring your situation to Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, you gain a legal team that treats your case with the urgency it deserves. Pregnancy-related workplace issues often unfold on a timeline you don't control, whether that's an approaching due date, a return-to-work deadline, or a termination that just happened. We move quickly to understand what you're facing and what needs to happen next.

Your case moves forward on two tracks at once. On one side, we handle the legal work: reviewing your accommodation requests, examining how your employer responded, and building the record needed to support your claim. On the other track, we take on direct communication with your employer and their legal team, so those conversations don't fall on you while you're also managing your health, your recovery, and your family.

Whether your goal is to secure the accommodation you need to keep working, hold your employer accountable for retaliation, or pursue compensation after a wrongful termination, we build our approach around what matters most to you.

For many families, having a baby also means significant expenses. These costs can be stressful enough without also having to come up with the money to pay for legal fees.

At Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, we believe that costs shouldn't stand in the way of holding your employer accountable. Both the PWFA and NJLAD have provisions that may allow a successful claim to include recovery of attorney's fees and costs from your employer. This can significantly offset the financial burden of pursuing your case.

Our attorneys will walk you through how fees work for your specific situation during your free consultation, so you understand the costs involved before moving forward.

Why Choose Attorneys Hartman, Chartered as Your New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Lawyers?

Deciding which pregnancy discrimination attorneys in Moorestown, NJ, to trust with your case can affect not only the outcome of your claim but also the support you have throughout the legal process. Here's what sets Attorneys Hartman, Chartered apart:

Real Results for Parents Facing Retaliation at Work

Our attorneys have secured meaningful settlements for clients terminated shortly after returning from maternity leave, including a $350,000 result built on exposing an employer’s pretextual reasoning through discovery. While prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome, our attorneys draw on the same experience, knowledge, and dedication when approaching each case.

Support From an Advocate Who Understands What You're Carrying

Facing discrimination while pregnant, or worrying about your job while caring for a new child, comes with a kind of stress that goes beyond the legal questions involved. We bring compassionate support to every step of the process, recognizing that you're navigating one of the most demanding periods of your life while also fighting for your rights.

A Team That Sees the Full Picture, Not Just One Law

Pregnancy-related workplace issues often overlap with family leave protections, retaliation claims, and broader discrimination law. Treating these issues separately rather than in coordination can leave gaps in your case. We look at your situation comprehensively, so nothing about your employer's conduct goes unaddressed.

Direct Access to the Attorneys Handling Your Case

When you call with a question or a new development, you should be able to reach the attorney who actually knows your situation, not a rotating call center that keeps you relaying messages back and forth. We make ourselves accessible throughout your case, so you can stay informed about what is happening and receive timely answers to questions that affect your job or your family.

Contact Attorneys Hartman, Chartered Today for a Free Consultation With Our New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Lawyers

You shouldn't have to choose between your health, your family, and your job. Contact Attorneys Hartman, Chartered today at 856-393-6073 or through our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. We'll listen to what happened, explain your options under both federal and New Jersey law, and help you decide on the next step that's right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Filing Pregnancy Discrimination Claims in New Jersey

Meet Your Team

Katherine D. HartmanKatherine D. Hartman
Katherine D. Hartman SignatureKatherine D. Hartman Signature
Michael C. MormandoMichael C. Mormando
Michael C. MormandoMichael C. Mormando

Katherine D. Hartman, Esquire

Katherine D. Hartman is the Managing Partner in the Moorestown, New Jersey law office of Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, which has been named one of America’s Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report. She concentrates her practice in employment discrimination, criminal defense, police disciplinary matters, and other employment law issues. Katie has been practicing law for over thirty years. She was admitted to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bars in 1991, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in November of 1993, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in November of 2002, and the Supreme Court of the United States in October of 2002.

Katie has been awarded the highest (AV) rating for professional ability and high ethical standards, by Martindale Hubbell. Additionally, Katie has consistently been voted a Super Lawyer by New Jersey Magazine. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. She was named one of the Top Forty Lawyers under Forty by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2002.

Michael C. Mormando, Esquire

Michael C. Mormando has been practicing law for over twenty years, and is a Partner at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered. Mike is an active member in the Burlington County Bar Association, he is a former Chair of the Bar Associations’ Criminal Practice Committee, and he formerly served as a member of the Supreme Court of New Jersey District Ethics Committee for Burlington County, District III-B. Mike also served two years as Councilman for Ward 3 in Delran Township, having been elected to the post in the November 2018 general election, and he currently serves as the Chair of the Delran Township Zoning Board.

Mike’s areas of practice include criminal defense, DUI defense, traffic violation defense, employment law, discrimination and whistleblower cases, unemployment compensation appeals, labor representation for collective bargaining units, employment contract review and negotiations, and defense in police disciplinary matters. Mike is approved by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) as a lawyer who can represent law enforcement officers who face disciplinary or criminal charges. Mike also represents small business owners concerning employment issues.