PROTECTING THE PREGNANT

Dear Friend,

In my 20 years as a Congressman, I have proudly fought to protect and expand civil rights for women, and I have vigorously pushed back against unyielding attacks by extremists to halt or roll back progress. The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has made it clear that it is not working for the interests of American women and families, and so we must counter with equal force.

Today, I am proud to have introduced the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) in order to protect pregnant workers from discrimination in the workplace and ensure that they receive minor workplace adjustments that will prevent them from being forced into unpaid leave or losing their jobs.

As we all know, women are a major part of the American workforce, and many pregnant workers are shouldering - or sharing - responsibility for the economic welfare of their families. As mentioned in this morning's New York Times article, in this difficult economy, many women are working later and later into their pregnancies and are increasingly vulnerable if threatened with the loss of their jobs.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reported that pregnancy discrimination has become more frequent in the U.S. over the past decade.  I'm now hearing more and more horror stories about women across the country being terminated after asking for modest workplace accommodations.  One woman was fired for requesting to carry around a water bottle at her job at Walmart.  Another was forced into unpaid leave for the duration of her pregnancy after her doctor advised her against lifting heavy objects.  PWFA will clarify the law and end these unacceptable practices by employers.

As we all express our love and respect for our mothers this coming Sunday, please join me, my fellow bill co-sponsors, and a broad coalition of organizations, unions, and business associations in standing up for pregnant workers everywhere. Together, we can put a stop to discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace.

To get more involved and keep updated about this fight, please visit my website at http://www.jerrynadler.com

Best wishes,