Reps. Maloney, Nadler Introduce Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

May 9, 2012 — Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday introduced a bill aimed at better protecting pregnant women from workplace discrimination, NY1 reports.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would require that employers make accommodations for pregnant workers, such as reducing physically strenuous tasks, and bar employers from forcing a pregnant woman to take leave (NY1, 5/8).

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would require that employers make accommodations for pregnant workers, such as reducing physically strenuous tasks, and bar employers from forcing a pregnant woman to take leave (NY1, 5/8).

Maloney and Nadler said the bill would protect pregnant women from being unnecessarily forced out of jobs or denied reasonable adjustments that would allow them to keep working. For example, they said some employers deny women simple job modifications such as carrying a water bottle or using a stool when working at a cash register. In several cases, women have been fired for making such requests.

The bill has 63 co-sponsors and support from numerous advocacy groups (Freedlander, "Politicker," New York Observer, 5/8). The bill has not received any Republican support (NY1, 5/8).

"When American families are struggling to make ends meet, we must do everything we can to keep people in their jobs. This is especially true for pregnant women who are about to have another mouth to feed," Nadler said. He added, "Ensuring that a woman who needs minor and reasonable job adjustments to maintain a healthy pregnancy gets that accommodation should be central to our society's support for strong and stable families" (New York Observer, 5/8).