Pregnancy in the workplace: The role of stigmas, discrimination, and identity management

This chapter develops a conceptual model of pregnancy in the workplace and examines multi-level factors that can lead to stigmas and discrimination against pregnant employees. The authors argue that covering demands, stigmatized identities, and perceptions of discrimination will lead pregnant employees to engage in concealing and covering behaviors at work. Societal factors which include cultural norms and stereotypes affect the organizational culture and the covering demands put upon those who do not fit the prototypical employee. When employees engage in concealing and covering behaviors, these identity management strategies can deplete self-regulatory resources and lead to feelings of inauthenticitywhich affect personal and work outcomes.