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Statement

Moms Cheer U.S. House Passage of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Which Will Make Our Workplaces More Fair and Our Country More Healthy

September 17, 2020
Workplace Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement from leaders of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on passage of the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in the U.S. House of Representatives today:

“In passing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act this afternoon with bipartisan support, the U.S. House of Representatives took an essential step to make our workplaces more fair and to dismantle the shameful discrimination and racism that contribute to this country’s Black maternal health crisis. No one should have to choose between a paycheck and having a healthy pregnancy, yet in the United States today, too many people do -- including many essential workers who are doing heroic work in the pandemic and urgently need these protections. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will help by requiring employers to provide reasonable, temporary accommodations to pregnant workers if the accommodation does not create undue hardship for the employer. It will help pregnant workers – and especially pregnant workers of color – who too often are denied simple accommodations that support healthy pregnancies, such as being allowed additional bathroom breaks, to carry a water bottle, or to have access to a chair or stool.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO, MomsRising

“The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a balanced approach to the pervasive problem of discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, which is too often compounded by structural racism. America’s moms commend every representative who voted to pass this bill today. It is a reasonable, badly needed bill that should have become law long ago. It is needed more than ever during the pandemic, which has made it even more clear that we need stronger federal laws to protect workers. The nation’s moms urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to the U.S. Senate floor immediately, so we can finally help root out the pregnancy discrimination that harms so many moms and families. Workers, families, businesses, our economy and our country will be much better off when this bill is signed into law. There is absolutely no excuse for delay!”

-Statement of Sara Alcid, senior campaign director for workplace justice, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.