Sweden adopted a new anti-discrimination legislation 2009, DiskL, which aim to prevent direct and indirect discrimination in matters of employment and occupation. According to directives and practices from EU, pregnant workers are entitled a special protection from discrimination during employment situations. The purpose of this essay is to study the legal protection for pregnant workers in employment situations and also analyze whether male workers have similar protection when they plan parental leave. Both regulations from the EU-law and the Swedish law are presented and discussed. This because Swedish discrimination legislation is largely influenced by the EU-law. The study confirms that pregnant workers have a strong legal protection against discrimination through directives from the EU and DiskL. Employers must include this protection in employment situations. If hiring a pregnant worker implicates costs for employers, it is still not an accepted reason not to follow the regulation. The protection for a pregnant worker is always considered more important than an employer's financial loss, independent if the employment is fixed-term or permanent. The study also shows that male workers are protected against unfair treatment in employment situations according to 16 § föräldraledighetslagen. However, the protection of male workers is not as strong as the protection from discrimination of pregnant workers in employment situations.

Pregnant workers are considered at risk in the labor market and therefore need extra protection from employment discrimination . The purpose of this essay is to investigate what protection of pregnant workers against discrimination in employment situations and  if  there  is  no  corresponding  protection  for  female  workers  claim  the  right  to parental leave. The essay describes the national and EU rules on applications and practice, showing how pregnant women and workers on parental leave are treated in the labor market. Through Sweden's accession to the EU , we must apply the requirements nationally EU imposes on its member countries. The essay shows that pregnant employees have a strong legal protection from discrimination in employment , from both DL and by EU directives . Employers who deny workers employment because of pregnancy is guilty of direct discrimination on grounds of sex, because it is only women who may become pregnant. It is not important whether it is a temporary or permanent position . Employers must never deviate from the protection of pregnant workers in employment situations.  Furthermore, states the essay that male workers are protected from unfair treatment in relation to parental leave by 16 § föräldraledighetslagen. Male workers are not as strongly   protected   as   an   employer   is   allowed   to   derogate   from   disadvantaged prohibition in certain situations. / Gravida arbetstagare anses vara en riskgrupp på arbetsmarknaden och behöver därförextra skydd mot diskriminering i arbetslivet. Syftet med denna uppsats är att utreda vilket skydd gravida arbetstagare har mot diskriminering i anställningssituationer samt om det finns något motsvarande skydd för manliga arbetstagare gällande rätten tillföräldraledighet.Uppsatsen redovisar nationella och EU-­‐rättsliga bestämmelser på området samt praxis som visar hur gravida och föräldralediga arbetstagare behandlas på arbetsmarknaden. Genom Sveriges anslutning till EU måste vi nationellt tillämpa de krav EU ställer på sinamedlemsländer.Uppsatsen visar att gravida arbetstagare har ett starkt rättsligt skydd från diskriminering i arbetslivet, både från DL samt genom direktiv från EU. Arbetsgivare som nekar arbetstagare anställning på grund graviditet gör sig skyldig till direkt diskriminering på grund av kön, eftersom det endast är kvinnor som kan bli gravida. Det är inte av betydelse om det gäller en tidsbegränsad -­‐eller tillsvidareanställning. Arbetsgivare får aldrig frångå skyddet gravida arbetstagare har i anställningssituationer. Vidare fastslår uppsatsen att manliga arbetstagare skyddas mot missgynnande i samband med föräldraledighet genom 16 § föräldraledighetslagen. Manliga arbetstagare är dock inte lika starkt skyddad eftersom arbetsgivare tillåts att göra undantag frånmissgynnandeförbudet i vissa situationer.