Pregnant Worker Accommodation Bill Could Move in the House

Legislation sponsored by a Democrat that would require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers is finding some support across the aisle, but many Republicans are still reluctant to get behind the measure.

The lack of protections in current law is hurting women workers and especially low paid women of color, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici(D-Ore.), chairwoman of the subcommittee, said in her opening statement. Although 27 states, Washington, D.C., and four cities require employers with more than 15 employees to provide accommodations for pregnant workers on the job, she said a federal benchmark is needed to fill the gap.

"Unfortunately, our current laws are inadequate, and many pregnant workers are placed on unpaid leave or forced out of work when they only need a simple accommodation to stay on the job during their pregnancy," Bonamici said.