Testimony in Support of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
Physicians for Reproductive Health
House Education and Labor Committee — Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee and Workforce Protections Subcommittee
March 18, 2021
Physicians for Reproductive Health submitted testimony in support of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065), urging Congress to strengthen federal protections for pregnant workers and ensure access to reasonable workplace accommodations.
Drawing on the experiences of health care providers and patients, PRH described how the denial of accommodations such as bathroom and hydration breaks, lifting restrictions, access to seating, or reduced standing can jeopardize both health and economic stability. The testimony also highlighted the disproportionate impact on pregnant people with low incomes and migrant workers, as well as the heightened importance of workplace protections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hearing: Testimony in Support of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065)
FROM THE TESTIMONY
Physicians for Reproductive Health (PRH) unites the medical community and concerned supporters. Together, we work to improve access to comprehensive reproductive health care, especially to meet the health needs of those who face the most barriers to care. Physicians for Reproductive Health supports the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and urges Congress to strengthen protections for pregnant workers and advance this critical legislation.
Currently, thirty-one states, the District of Columbia, and four cities have laws that require reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers as a means to strengthen a narrow interpretation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. No person should have to choose between a healthy pregnancy and their economic stability or that of their family, and this protection should not depend on a person’s zip code.
As health care providers, we know that federal protections for pregnant workers need to be strengthened as discrimination and harassment against them persists. Healthcare providers see the consequences when patients are not provided these necessary protections in the form of poorer health outcomes for the individual and their families. Our patients share with us that they feel discomfort and even fear of their employers’ reactions to simple, no-cost or low-cost recommendations or temporary adjustments to their work settings or activities in order to sustain a healthy pregnancy. These medically necessary accommodations can include simple measures such as permitting more frequent bathroom and hydration breaks, lifting restrictions, or access to a seat and decreasing time spent standing.