A Reddit post from a woman laid off at eight months pregnant has drawn widespread attention, with users offering legal advice, empathy and personal stories of similar experiences. The anonymous user shared that she had recently been let go from her job despite already facing a difficult pregnancy and mental health challenges.
What the Redittor said?
In her emotional post, the woman wrote, “Laid off at 8 months pregnant. Got the news yesterday… This doesn’t make it easier. Luckily we aren’t hurting for money, as my husband has a good job and I will be able to hop onto his insurance. But I’m so sad.” She added that her pregnancy might have played a role in the decision, though she admitted she didn’t feel up to the challenge of legally contesting it.
“I am not able to get over it and move on easily… I’m probably looking at a huge gap with my current state of health,” she added. Her story resonated with several Reddit users, many of whom offered support and advice.
Reactions from the Reddit community
One user pointed out that firing or laying off an employee due to pregnancy is illegal. “Firing for pregnancy is against the law. I literally just watched that in sexual harassment training that is mandatory today,” they wrote. “If you think it’s a factor, you might have a case.”
Another commenter recounted a harrowing experience their ex-wife faced in 2018, just before giving birth. According to him, her manager tried to push her out by placing her on a performance improvement plan filled with vague and baseless accusations. “She managed to scrape by… and was able to take maternity leave for 50% pay,” they said. “When she returned, she was fired on her first day back.”
One Redditor summarised it bluntly, “Pregnancy discrimination is real, and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.”