A bipartisan lawmaker group is trying to boost women’s economic security and health in Texas and other parts of the United States. The group is doing this by reintroducing an act known as HR 2694, which promotes fairness for pregnant workers. Specifically, the lawmakers are trying to prevent discrimination by making sure that employers provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers who may not be able to perform all of a job’s functions.
The purpose of HR 2694 is to close the loopholes that reportedly exist in the 1978 act, targeting pregnancy discrimination. With the new legislation, employers would not be allowed to deny a woman employment opportunities simply because she needed reasonable accommodations due to being pregnant. These accommodations may include extra bathroom breaks, chairs or bottles of water.
Proponents of the new legislation claim that it is long overdue. The reason for this is that women constitute nearly 50% of the workforce but continue to experience workplace obstacles that legislation proponents consider to be unnecessary and unjust. The new law is apparently modeled after the act, targeting Americans who have disabilities.
Unfortunately, sometimes, employers allow pregnancy discrimination to occur in the workplace even though this is illegal, according to federal law. Fortunately, employees in Texas who experience this form of discrimination have the right to seek justice through the civil court system with an employment law attorney’s help. If they are successful in their claims, they may receive compensation for their related losses, including emotional suffering as well as lost wages and benefits.