April 22, 2024
Attention! New laws protect workers who are pregnant
If you are a pregnant worker, you have special rights in the workplace regardless of your immigration status:
In January 2023, the United States Congress passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The PWFA aims to provide temporary and reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers and pregnant job applicants.
Beginning June 27, 2023, employers with fifteen or more workers will have to provide employees and job applicants reasonable accommodations for any condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Reasonable accommodations in the workplace could include:
· Assigning work that does not involve heavy lifting,
· Granting time to sit or drink water,
· Providing accessible parking,
· Receiving appropriately sized uniforms and safety apparel, and
· Allowing additional bathroom, food, and rest breaks.
Under the PWFA, employers will soon be prohibited from discriminating against a job candidate or employee because they need pregnancy-related accommodations. Previously, employers were only required to comply with the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which protected employees from employment discrimination based on pregnancy but did not require employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.
If you think your employer isn’t providing reasonable accommodations for pregnancy or birth related conditions, you can file a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on or after June 27, 2023. A complaint may be filed online, by mail or in person at the nearest EEOC office. You find the closest EEOC office online or by calling 1-800-669-4000.
If you have any questions about your labor rights, contact Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc (CDM) from México at: 800 590 1773, from the United States at: 1 855 234 9699.
Imágen: Flickr/Click Estudio Fotográfico 2015/Vía Flickr.com
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