A female advocacy group released a report discussing the concerns about employers treating pregnant employees disappointingly even if there is a law against it.
The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and A Better Balance (ABB) released their report titled It Shouldn't Be a Heavy Lift: Fair Treatment for Pregnant Workers, detailing the incidents of pregnant women not receiving any special accommodations in the workplace in accordance to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The law was passed 35 years ago but was not helpful to pregnant women. The report showed that women were still offered lower wages than men of the same job and it also detailed how employers refused to provide the basic accommodations equivalent to those with disabilities and injuries.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act covers discrimination "on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions." Those with more than 14 employees are required to comply and needs to provide disability and sick leave to those who lost their babies due to unwanted abortion.
One of the incidents on the report mentioned about an employer not allowing a pregnant employee to sit during work hours. Others were even given options whether to quit the job or go on an unpaid leave. This is a serious concern because 75 percent of the women will be pregnant at some point of their lives and it is unfair for them to be given only two options: risk their health and the baby, or lose their job.
NWLC Vice President and General Counsel Emily Martin said in the report "Women make up almost half of the labor force but all too often, they are forced to make an impossible choice: risk their own health and pregnancy to keep a job or lose their income at the moment they can least afford it."
"Pregnant workers are ready, willing and able to continue working but they are often forced out by employers who refuse to make minor accommodations. These women and their families pay a steep price when they're pushed out of jobs."
NWLC prepared recommendations to address these concerns such as the government putting up an agency dedicated to pregnant women so they can complain anytime they experience workplace discrimination and amending the law to further protect pregnant women.
