Underwood, Speier Lead Members of Congress; Call for Senate Passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

WASHINGTON – Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) led more than 100 Members of Congress in a letter calling for Senate passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 2694). The letter urges Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act without delay.  

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, cosponsored by Underwood, guarantees basic protections for pregnant workers by establishing a clear right to reasonable accommodations. The House passed the legislation with broad, bipartisan support in May 2021, and the legislation advanced out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in August 2021 with a bipartisan vote.  

“Women should be able to pursue their careers and grow their families without risking their health,” said Underwood. “Despite the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, pregnant workers continue to face discrimination in the workplace. I voted to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to address this injustice. My colleagues and I are calling on the Senate to immediately pass this legislation to support the health and economic well-being of working women.” 

Despite the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, pregnant workers continue to face discrimination, which can include being forced out of their jobs and denied reasonable accommodations from their employers. At a time when there are still 817,000 fewer women in the labor force than before the pandemic, it’s more important than ever that Congress explicitly guarantee the right to reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers by enacting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. 

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has broad support from over 250 worker advocates, civil rights groups, health and religious organizations, and business associations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Full text of the letter can be found here. 

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