Pregnant workers across the nation would be protected from workplace discrimination under a bipartisan bill introduced on Feb. 15 by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY).
“Simply put, no mother or mother-to-be in this country should have to choose between being a parent and keeping their job,” the congressman said last week.
Rep. Katko is the lead original cosponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, H.R. 1065, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and 214 other cosponsors. If enacted, the bill would eliminate discrimination and promote women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, according to the congressional record bill summary.
“Unfortunately, current federal law lacks adequate protections to ensure pregnant workers are able to remain healthy in the workplace,” said Rep. Katko. “This bipartisan effort puts in place a uniform, fair and familiar framework for employers and will enable women to keep working safely and provide for their families throughout pregnancy.”
H.R. 1065 would require that private-sector employers with more than 15 employees and public-sector employers must make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, who cannot be denied employment opportunities, retaliated against for requesting a reasonable accommodation, or forced to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation is available, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Katko’s office.
Additionally, workers denied a reasonable accommodation under the bill would have the same rights and remedies as those established under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including for lost pay, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorneys’ fees, the summary states.
Reps. Katko and Nadler in May 2019 introduced the original bill, H.R. 2694, which the U.S. House of Representatives passed in September 2020 on a 329-73 vote. However, once received in the U.S. Senate, the measure expired before action could be taken. At the time, the bill was supported by more than 200 worker advocacy, civil rights and business groups.
The reintroduced legislation has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee; the U.S. House Administration Committee; the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee; and the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.