Community› The Bump Message Boards› Working Moms
Working Moms
New Discussion

Pregnancy discrimination?

lindseynyfarmerlindseynyfarmer member
in Working Moms
I work as a part time senior teller at a bank. I open in the mornings and there is another girl who comes in after me who closes at night. Recently our coworker left on maternity leave and decided to not come back. I figured they would post position but for a part time teller to replace her but to my surprise they gave the other senior teller the position without even posting it. In fact, all I got was an email telling me she was promoted! I honestly feel like I wasn't offered the position because I am weeks away from delivery. How should I handle this? Is there anything I can do?
Report Reply to Post

Re: Pregnancy discrimination?

  • coolwhipz1coolwhipz1 member

    Was anything said to you that makes you think it was because you are pregnant? I mean it sucks but I don't think they needed to post the job, they may have thought she was better qualified. I really wouldn't say anything because you don't know the circumstances or reasons behind her promotion and I don't think its your place to ask either. It possible your co-worker had been gunning for a promotion before the job came up and they went to her because she made it known she was interested?

    It sucks but I don't get the feeling (from what you posted) your pregnancy had anything to do with it.

    <a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Getting Pregnant"><img src="http://global.thebump.com/tickers/tt1d6b60" alt=" Pregnancy Ticker" border="0"  /></a>



    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Avion22Avion22 member
    I agree that there might be another reason she was promoted over you.  If you are interested in opportunities like this, then make it known.  I would say something to my supervisor like, "Mr. Stevens, if any more new positions open up that I am qualified for, I would really like to be considered for them.  Please let me know what I can do to make myself more competitive for promotion."   And see where the conversation goes from there.   Maybe this other person was more qualified, or had been with the company longer, or had actively voiced interest in promotion opportunities.  Yes, it would have been nice for them to mention it to you and offer you the chance to compete for the position, but there may be more to the story that you don't know about.  
    imageDSC_9275  image



    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    Any place I have worked, open positions where a groomed, qualified internal candidate is ready for the position, are not posted.  It's not a free for all where everyone who is interested can apply.  If there's a manager position open, for example, the head of that team would promote the person with the best reviews and experience that lends itself well to management.
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

    image
    Report Reply
  • jesuisfatigueejesuisfatiguee member

    You said you are part-time. Is the other senior teller full time, or otherwise does she work more hours? That is another possibility, though PPs have offered a lot of good reasons.

    I wouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that you are being discriminated against due to your pregnancy.




    image
    image

    Report Reply
  • lindseynyfarmerlindseynyfarmer member
    The reason I was saying I thought it was pregnancy discrimination was because we recently had a teller quit while she was on maternity leave. After talking to my boss this morning she did say that they were afraid I wouldn't be returning to my job and that it did play a role. I recorded the conversation.
    Report Reply
  • FemShepFemShep member
    cjcouple said:
    PrivacyWanted said:
    Did your boss know you were recording the conversation?  If not, you should be aware that in many states that's illegal.
    Not giving you a promotion because they fear you may not return because another teller didn't after maternity leave isn't discrimination.  It's unfair to lump you with her to be sure, but it's not discrimination.  They can't deny you the promotion because you're pregnant, or because you're taking a leave, but they can if they  have legitimate reasons to believe you are not coming back, or you've given any indication you are not 100% coming back. 


    Actually it is.  One of the reasons she was not given the opportunity to interview for it was because she is pregnant. They cannot use her pregnancy as a factor at all. Especially based on another employees actions. That is discrimination/illegal.  

    Nope. If they didn't hold interviews for the position, and instead offered it to another employee, OP did not experience discrimination. She was treated like everyone else (not given a chance to interview), and what happened was not unusual. When a person is promoted, very few workplaces will interview everyone who may be conceivably interested in the position. Instead, the manager uses their best judgement to promote accordingly.

    What happened sucks, but there's no indication that OP was discriminated against since she was given the same "opportunity" for the position as other tellers.
    Report Reply
  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    PrivacyWanted said:
    CJ I disagree.  There were no interviews.  They gave the other person the job without posting it.  Based on what she's said here, I just don't see the discrimination.  And if she were to push the issue, I think she'd have a really hard time proving her case.   Her boss only needs a legitimate reason why she felt she wasn't coming back, like "She's seemed disinterested the past few weeks." Or "She wasn't giving clear dates on when she would return from leave".
    Pregnancy discrimination is extremely difficult to prove.  Extremely.

    And side note, I find it suspect that there's 2 posts in a short period of time asking "do you think it's discrimination".  And both posters have no/extremely little post count.  
    When this first got posted I actually went back and checked to see if it WAS the same poster who...forgot?...that she had already asked and it wasn't.  But the other poster claims to be in banking as well...
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

    image
    Report Reply
  • lindseynyfarmerlindseynyfarmer member
    I never said anything about pregnancy fatigue! I've never even called in within the past almost 4 years I've worked there.
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"