Examples of employment discrimination include: An employer firing or demoting someone based on age, pregnancy, or disability. Pregnancy discrimination in the workplace is illegal in Philadelphia.Employers are not permitted to discriminate against employees who are pregnant. Pregnancy discrimination is against the law. The EEOC enforces three federal laws that protect job applicants and employees who are pregnant. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is a law that requires qualifying employers to accommodate workers who have limitations arising from pregnancy. Our comprehensive guide to pregnancy discrimination discusses what constitutes discrimination, the legal protections, and the steps to take. For example, it would be illegal for an employer to engage in pregnancy hiring discrimination—to refusing to hire someone because she is pregnant. Pregnancy discrimination protects pregnant employees from employment discrimination, and is considered to be a form of sex discrimination. Discrimination occurs when an employee is treated adversely in the workplace due to a protected characteristic.