Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today joined her colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.R. 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The legislation, which would bar employers from denying accommodations to pregnant workers and would protect said workers from retaliation, passed the House 329 to 73. Pingree is a cosponsor of the legislation.

“As someone who became a mom before the Pregnancy Discrimination Act became law, back when women could be let go from their jobs just for being pregnant, I know just how important federal protections are for pregnant people. Yet 40 years after the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, 62 percent of workers have witnessed pregnancy discrimination on the job,” said Pingree. “88 percent of first-time mothers worked during their last trimester. Many pregnant workers are retaliated against for needing minor accommodations to ensure a healthy pregnancy. We need federal policy that protects pregnant workers, and that’s why I am a proud cosponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.”

Though there are laws that provide some protections for pregnant workers, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would be the first legislation to explicitly and affirmatively guarantee all pregnancy workers the right to a reasonable accommodation so they can continue working without jeopardizing their pregnancy. While many states have adopted laws requiring reasonable accommodation, a patchwork of state and local laws leave many pregnant workers with no protections at all. As of September of 2020, only 30 states, the District of Columbia, and four cities required employers to provide accommodations to pregnant workers. 

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would establish that:

-Private sector employers with more than 15 employees as well as public sector employers must make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers (employees and job applicants with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions).

-Pregnant workers cannot be denied employment opportunities, retaliated against for requesting a reasonable accommodation, or forced take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation is available.

-Workers denied a reasonable accommodation under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will have the same rights and remedies as those established under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These include lost pay, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorneys’ fees.

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