Pregnancy discrimination is sex discrimination. Under the Human Rights Act it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee or a job applicant because she is pregnant or because it is assumed she may become pregnant at some future time.
Pregnancy discrimination can be direct or indirect.
Direct discrimination occurs when you are treated less favourably than another person because of your pregnancy. For example, if you are not given the same training opportunities or opportunities for promotion as other workers because you are pregnant, you have been directly discriminated against. If you are not employed or have your employment terminated because of your pregnancy, you have also been directly discriminated against. Indirect discrimination occurs when a condition, requirement or workplace practice that is imposed on everyone, disadvantages you because you are pregnant. For example, if everyone in the workplace is expected to do a small number of heavy lifting jobs occasionally and you are unable to because of your pregnancy, a continued requirement of you to do the lifting would indirectly discriminate against you.