A Better Balance Applauds House Committee’s Bipartisan Approval of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Today, the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act reached a historic milestone with bipartisan approval by the House Committee on Education and Labor. This news comes on the heels of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's official endorsement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act yesterday. The bill will likely now proceed to the House floor for a vote.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Endorses Pregnant Workers Fairness Act As A Pro-Business, Pro-Economy Bill
Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its support for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, recognizing that this commonsense legislation is a win-win for the health and economic security of families as well as businesses. We joined with our partners and the U.S. Chamber in a joint letter announcing their endorsement, calling the PWFA “a balanced approach to ensuring that pregnant employees have the maximum opportunity to stay in the workplace, which is critical to the economic security of America’s women and families.” The letter states that the PWFA will remedy extensive confusion, providing businesses with clarity regarding their obligations to accommodate pregnant workers.
As the PWFA Heads into Markup on 1/14, Tell Your Representative to Co-Sponsor the Bill!
Now is a critical moment to show your support for pregnant workers. We’ll be in D.C. on Tuesday as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act heads into a crucial next phase—with the committee debating the bill and deciding whether to report it to a floor vote. Will you get in touch with your Representative today and ask that they sign on to co-sponsor the PWFA?
41 Years After the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, It’s Time to Strengthen Protections for Pregnant Workers
It’s clear that our current federal framework isn’t working to ensure equality and justice for working women and families. Forty-one years later, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would fulfill the promise of the PDA, helping end pregnancy discrimination once and for all. It’s time for Congress to take action.
Court Grants Preliminary Approval to $14 Million Settlement Agreement with Pregnant Workers from 2013-2014
Pregnant workers represented by co-counsel A Better Balance, Mehri & Skalet, PLLC and the National Women’s Law Center announced that on November 14, 2019 the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois granted preliminary approval to a settlement in the amount of $14 million in the matter of Borders v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 3:17-cv-0506 (S.D. Ill.). The settlement will pay for claims by pregnant workers at Walmart that they had requested but were denied workplace accommodations between March 19, 2013 and March 5, 2014.
Calling for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act on Capitol Hill
When Natasha Jackson asked her employer for a modest pregnancy accommodation to stay healthy and working, her employer instead forced her off the job as the highest ranking account executive at a Rent-A-Center. They pushed her onto unpaid leave and ultimately terminated her. Without steady income, she and her husband had to abandon their plan to buy a house and were left unable to support their growing family. But now, Natasha is advocating for change: this week, she headed to Capitol Hill to call on Congress to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, so women across the country no longer must face the impossible choice between their health and their economic security like she did. “I am asking you to stand up for women like me so we can have an equal opportunity to support our families while protecting our health,” Natasha said.
The Case for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, In Stories
We speak with pregnant workers every day who face an impossible choice. What do I do if my doctor advises that I request a simple accommodation to maintain a healthy pregnancy, like a stool to sit on or assistance with heavy lifting, but my employer won’t provide them? Do I keep earning my paycheck when I need it most, or follow my doctor’s orders? The women featured here faced such a choice.