On the recordSeptember 17, 2020
As a former lawyer who worked long hours during two pregnancies, it is outrageous to me that, in 2020, 100 years after women finally secured the power to vote, current law does not explicitly guarantee every pregnant worker the right to a reasonable accommodation at work. I had the luxury of a desk and chair and an office door that closed-- not all workers do. Currently, in order to get an accommodation, a pregnant worker must show that other nonpregnant employees are similarly accommodated. It is beyond absurd. Because the challenges of pregnancy are so unique, it is often difficult to find comparable nonpregnant workers who received similar accommodations. Fatigue, vomiting, back pain, and frequent urination are more than just nuisances; these are symptoms that can make it impossible to work without accommodation. And that is without mentioning the more serious conditions related to pregnancy. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act secures for women basic rights to earn a living without jeopardizing their health or the baby's. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico). The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
