Which action illustrates disparate treatment against a pregnant employee?

• A. Termination of a pregnant employee due to pregnancy
• B. Termination for poor performance with documented records
• C. Demotion due to restructure
• D. Age-based layoff

Answer: (A)

Disparate treatment happens when an employer treats someone differently because of a protected characteristic. Pregnancy is a protected status, so terminating a pregnant employee specifically because she is pregnant shows bias against that characteristic rather than a job-related reason. That direct link between the reason for the action and the pregnancy makes it unlawful discrimination.

The other scenarios hinge on factors that could be legitimate—like ending employment for documented performance issues or a demotion tied to a restructuring for business reasons. They don’t demonstrate treatment grounded in pregnancy itself. An action based on age, while also discriminatory, targets a different protected characteristic and isn’t about pregnancy.