Peggy Young leaving the U.S. Supreme Court with 150 pages of your messages of support! (via AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
What Happens When Thousands Support a Brave Mom...
December 9, 2014
This holiday season, MomsRising is thankful for YOU! Your overwhelming action to #StandWithPeggy created an inspiring swell of support for her at the U.S. Supreme Court. The freezing cold weather last Wednesday - the day her pregnancy discrimination case was heard at the Supreme Court - was no match for the power of your gratitude and support for Peggy's bravery.
When Peggy, a UPS driver for 10 years, found out she was pregnant, her doctor recommended that she avoid lifting more than 20 pounds. But UPS refused her request for “light duty” — even though the company provided accommodations to people with disabilities, on-the-job injuries, and even to people who had lost their drivers’ licenses as a result of DUI convictions. Instead, she was pushed onto unpaid leave for the duration of her pregnancy and lost her UPS-provided health benefits when she needed them most.
This Supreme Court case (Young v. UPS) is a very important one, not just for Peggy, but for women across the country who need reasonable pregnancy accommodations. That's why as Peggy Young bravely took her stand against pregnancy discrimination all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, you signed our 150 page thank-you card to Peggy to make sure she knows we all have her back.
I personally delivered all 30,000+ signatures and messages of support to Peggy on the steps of the Supreme Court, along with a bouquet of flowers and a MomsRising t-shirt. It was a touching human moment when politics fell aside and the support of thousands of moms, dads, women, and men rose up to support Peggy in her journey for justice.
Peggy receives her flowers, MomsRising t-shirt, and 150 page thank-you card with thousands of messages of support!
All smiles after receiving your support!
She was surprised, touched, and extremely grateful to have the support and encouragement of thousands of MomsRising members like you from across the nation.
Peggy extended her deep appreciation for your support on this historic day in her life and for pregnant workers' rights. MomsRising joins her in thanking you for your inspiring action to #StandWithPeggy.
Peggy leaving the U.S. Supreme Court knowing 30,000 MomsRising members & volunteers have her back (via NBC News)
(Via Stephen Crowley/The New York Times)
While Peggy’s case was heard inside the Supreme Court, MomsRising members, volunteers, and staff rallied outside so the Supreme Court Justices and millions across the country would see the widespread, powerful support for Peggy and the rights of pregnant workers across the nation.
Michelle Whittaker, a MomsRising volunteer from Washington, D.C., spoke at the rally to represent the voices of the 1 million+ other MomsRising members who #StandWithPeggy but couldn’t be at the rally themselves. Michelle also shared the pregnancy discrimination stories of MomsRising members, including Amanda:
"We also stand here today for Amanda from Iowa who twice experienced pregnancy discrimination. The first incident occurred while she was working at a dollar store. Her manager informed her that if she had any restrictions due to her pregnancy she would be removed from the schedule. Sadly, Amanda had a miscarriage. During her next pregnancy she worked as a temp at a warehouse. Her doctor recommended she be placed on desk duty, but her employer refused to make that accommodation and forced her to take unpaid leave, leaving her with no way to pay her bills. This denial came despite the fact that Amanda’s employer previously provided reasonable accommodations for her while she recovered from a surgery, yet they could not provide the same light duty during her pregnancy."
Michelle standing in solidarity with Peggy and representing the voices of 1 million+ MomsRising members.
No mother should ever have to choose between her job and the health of her pregnancy, but too many women still face this impossible choice today. Women of color and immigrant women, who are overrepresented in physically demanding jobs, are especially impacted by employers refusing to accommodate pregnant workers with medical needs.
As you can imagine, this discrimination has dire consequences for a family’s economic security because it leaves pregnant workers without a paycheck at the moment they need it most.
Your overwhelming support of Peggy and pregnant workers across the United States is inspiring and critical to ending pregnancy discrimination.
Thank you. Together, we’re a powerful force for women and families.
PS - Click to see more photos of Peggy Young at the U.S. Supreme Court and MomsRising at the Stand With Pregnant Workers Rally!
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