Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I had a high-risk pregnancy, complicated by both advanced maternal age and 24 years of type 1 diabetes. I worked until 2 days before my C-section, and I am so grateful that my employer allowed for minor accommodations which allowed me to continue to work.

Women are half of our workforce, and 75 percent of those women will become pregnant at some point. Supporting women during their pregnancies is just as important as prenatal care, immunizations, affordable childcare, and public education. We can do that by passing this bill, as well as supporting programs like WIC that help new and expectant parents to provide the proper nutrition and developmental supports to their babies.

We all benefit from healthy pregnancy outcomes.

It costs us all when a baby is born prematurely and requires months in intensive care.

It costs us all when a fetus is exposed to toxins in utero because we couldn't protect the mother from an unhealthy environment and that child then suffers a lifetime of damage that will require public support.

It costs us all when half of our workforce may lose or leave their jobs because pregnant women and mothers are not welcomed or supported in the workplace.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from over 40 public health organizations, clinicians, and maternal health providers who support this bill. September 14, 2020. Re Support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Dear Representative: The undersigned public health professionals, health care clinicians, and maternal health organizations dedicated to the health and well-being of mothers, infants, and families enthusiastically support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 2694). Modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act, the bill would require employers to provide reasonable, temporary workplace accommodations to pregnant workers as long as the accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the employer. This bill is critically important because no one should have to choose between having a healthy pregnancy and a paycheck.

Three-quarters of women will be pregnant and employed at some point in their lives. Most pregnant workers can expect a routine pregnancy and healthy birth. However, health care professionals have consistently recommended that some pregnant individuals make adjustments in their work activities to sustain a healthy pregnancy and prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth or miscarriage. These medically necessary workplace accommodations can include allowing additional bathroom breaks, opportunities to stay hydrated, lifting restrictions, or access to a chair or stool to decrease time spent standing.

Unfortunately, too many pregnant workers, particularly pregnant people of color, face barriers to incorporating even these small changes to their workdays. Workplace accommodations help safeguard a healthy pregnancy or prevent harm to a higher-risk pregnancy. Across the country, pregnant workers continue to be denied simple, no-cost or low-cost, temporary adjustments in their work settings or activities and instead risk being fired or forced to take unpaid leave to preserve the health of their pregnancy. Low-wage pregnant workers in physically demanding jobs, which are disproportionately occupied by people of color, feel the impact most acutely. This impossible choice forces many pregnant workers to continue working without accommodations, putting women and their pregnancies at risk of long-lasting and severe health consequences.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a measured approach to a serious problem. As public health professionals, health care clinicians, and maternal health organizations, we understand the importance of reasonable workplace accommodations to ensure that pregnant persons can continue to provide for their families and have safe and healthy pregnancies. We collectively urge swift passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Sincerely,

1,000 Days; American College of Nurse-Midwives; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs; Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; Black Mamas Matter Alliance; California Breastfeeding Coalition; California WIC Association; Center for Reproductive Rights; Children's HealthWatch.

Families USA; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia; HealthyWomen; Human Rights Watch; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda; Majaica, LLC; March for Moms; March of Dimes; National Black Nurses Association; National Birth Equity Collaborative; National Institute for Reproductive Health.

National Network of Abortion Funds; National WIC Association; National Women's Health Network; Nutrition First--WIC Association of Washington State; Pennsylvania WIC Association; Perinatal Health Equity Foundation; Physicians for Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need; Shriver Center on Poverty Law.

SisterReach; Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine; Tara Hansen Foundation; The Afiya Center; URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity; U.S. Breastfeeding Committee; WIC Association of NYS, Inc.; Wisconsin WIC Association; YWCA of Greater Atlanta; ZERO TO THREE.

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Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act simply ensures that reasonable accommodations are made to help pregnant women work safely, and, in turn, the economy is stronger, family outcomes are better, and children can start life strong and healthy. Everyone wins.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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