Parental Status Discrimination

Despite the passage of many different laws and regulations, discrimination still exists in workplaces across the country. This terrible and illegal practice can come in many forms. While most people are aware of major forms of discrimination, such as discrimination based on race, religion, or gender, people are less aware of the dangers of parental status discrimination.

Parental status discrimination means treating employees differently solely because of their parental status: because they do or do not have children. One definition that applies to federal employees includes the following forms of parental status:

• a biological parent
• an adoptive parent
• a foster parent
• a stepparent
• a custodian of a legal ward
• in loco parentis (in the place of a parent)
• actively seeking legal custody or adoption

Parental status discrimination can be accompanied by other forms of discrimination, such as marital status or sex discrimination. Examples of marital status discrimination include:

• different treatment: you are not promoted because the company thinks you'll be reluctant to travel or work long hours because of your children, you are harassed because you are a single mother with children, or, as a single employee, you are forced to work longer hours to cover for employees with children.
• benefits: your company pays health insurance benefits for the children of married employees, but not for the children of single employees or domestic partners.

Contact Us

If you believe that you have been the victim of parental status discrimination, or any other form of employment discrimination, you deserve strong legal representation that can help you achieve compensation from your current or former employer. For the assistance you need, contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Group today at 713-482-6910.