Katko introduces bipartisan bill to protect pregnant workers’ rights

U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) is the lead original cosponsor of bipartisan legislation to prevent workplace discrimination against pregnant employees.

“Under current law, women are not guaranteed reasonable accommodations to remain healthy and in the workforce during pregnancy,” Rep. Katko said on Tuesday. “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.”

Rep. Katko on May 14 introduced the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, H.R. 2694, to 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.

H.R. 2694, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), is modeled on the Americans with Disabilities Act and would require that employers make reasonable accommodations — such as a minor job modification, for instance — to permit pregnant workers to continue working, according to a summary provided by Rep. Katko.

Rep. Katko’s office cited a recent report by A Better Balance that found more than two-thirds of women workers who needed employers to provide them with necessary accommodations while pregnant lost their court cases.

If enacted, H.R. 2694 also would prohibit employers from denying them employment opportunities based on their need for such reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, according to the summary.

H.R. 2694 has garnered support from numerous organizations, including the American Association of University Women, the American Civil Liberties Union, Equal Rights Advocates, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, March of Dimes, the National Women’s Law Center, and Physicians for Reproductive Health, among many others.