Tell the House: Stop pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 2694)

The petition to the House of Representatives reads: "Stop pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 2694)." Add your name:

Even though it's illegal for employers to discriminate against pregnant workers, they still do it all the time.1 The current laws make it difficult for workers to identify and prove pregnancy discrimination. That's why many employers, from law firms and tech companies to fast-food chains and retailers, continue to get away with mistreating and even firing pregnant employees. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would change that by strengthening protections for pregnant workers. House Democrats re-introduced this bill a few months ago, but with several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates publicly backing the bill now, there is renewed energy to push it forward.2 Add your name to help keep the momentum going. Tell the House: Pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Click here to sign the petition. Being fired after an employer finds out you're pregnant is most common in lower-wage jobs. In fact, workers named employers in the retail, accommodation, food service and administrative services industries in the majority of pregnancy discrimination complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.3 And that's not all. Low-wage pregnant workers also face dangerous health risks. One-fifth of pregnant workers hold low-wage jobs that require long periods of standing and continuous repetitive motion, which can trigger health consequences in pregnancy.4 Despite this, many employers, like Walmart, still refuse to give adequate accommodations such as a lighter workload or schedule adjustments to pregnant workers.5 That needs to stop now. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would provide clearer guidance to employers and strengthen protections for workers. It would:6 Clarify that employers must make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers and workers who just gave birth. Require that employers work with employees to determine appropriate reasonable accommodations, similar to requirements set in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Protect pregnant workers from retaliation, coercion, intimidation, threats or interference by employers if they request or use an accommodation. Provide protections for both pregnant job applicants and employees. Twenty-seven states have already passed similar legislation with support from both Democrats and Republicans. It's past time for Congress to follow their lead. Tell Congress: Pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/pregnant-workers-rights?t=9&akid=34754%2E3130208%2EMITlxX - Nicole Regalado, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Bryce Covert, "The American Workplace Still Won’t Accommodate Pregnant Workers," The Nation, Aug. 12, 2019. Anna North, "Elizabeth Warren says she lost her job when she got pregnant. Thousands of women every year say the same." Vox, Oct. 9, 2019. Covert, "The American Workplace Still Won’t Accommodate Pregnant Workers." Ibid. Vanessa Romo, Federal Commission Sues Walmart For Alleged Discrimination Against Pregnant Employees," NPR, Sept. 21, 2018. Nation Partnership for Women & Families, "The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act," May 2019.