Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted for the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, legislation requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers without retaliation. The legislation passed the House 315 to 101.

“Even though Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act 40 years ago, an overwhelming majority of workers say they still witness pregnancy discrimination on the job,” said Pingree, who is an original cosponsor of the bill. “The Pregnant Worker Fairness Act will ensure women will not be forced off the job because they needed their employers to make small adjustments to protect their health.  As a mom and grandmother, I am proud to vote for this bipartisan bill which will balance the needs of pregnant workers and help employers retain valued employees.”

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.

###