Press Releases

(Washington, D.C.) Today, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is expected to be re-introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.  Sponsored by Senators Robert Casey (D-PA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Susan Davis (D-CA), and Marcia Fudge (D-OH), this bill would require employers to make reasonable accommodations to employees who have limitations stemming from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer.  This means that an employer might be required to modify a no-food-or-drink policy, provide a stool, temporarily reassign heavy lifting duties to other employees or give an available light-duty position to pregnant employees in order to accommodate pregnancy-related limitations.  Despite the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, employers routinely deny requests for temporary work adjustments by pregnant workers —leaving many without a salary and health insurance because they are fired, forced to quit, or pushed onto unpaid leave.

(Washington, D. C.)  This afternoon, the National Women’s Law Center, along with children and members of the Strong Start for Children campaign, will deliver 30,000 letters and colorful pieces of art—created by children, parents and teachers from across the country—to the White House to thank President Obama for his commitment to early learning.

(Washington, DC)  Today, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) announced its support for the Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Access to Education Act, which was just introduced in the Senate by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and in the House by Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO). This bill will target the educational and related needs of pregnant and parenting teens to improve the graduation rates and chances of success for those students and their children.

(Washington, D.C.)  Adult women’s unemployment rate declined to 6.7 percent in April, the lowest rate since January 2009, according to new analysis by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) of data released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  This decline occurred in a month of slow growth where the economy added 165,000 jobs, 71 percent of which were women’s jobs.  All of April’s gains were in the private sector – women’s public sector employment was flat while men lost 11,000 public sector jobs last month.