[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 84 (Friday, May 14, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PREGNANT WORKERS FAIRNESS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KATHY E. MANNING

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 14, 2021

  Ms. MANNING. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of the 
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. As a working mother, this bill is very 
personal to me.
  When I was pregnant with my third child, I experienced premature 
labor and my doctor ordered me to be on bed rest for ten weeks.
  I was fortunate to work for an employer who allowed me to keep my 
job, work a reduced schedule from home, and continue earning my wages.
  After my daughter was born, I was still able to take my full 
maternity leave to care for her.
  Once I returned to the office, I continued to work for that same firm 
for many years, in part because of the accommodations that were made 
for me during my pregnancy.
  This is an experience that should not be unique to me.
  The Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act will ensure that every person who 
needs reasonable accommodations during pregnancy will be given those 
accommodations so they can continue to support their family and 
contribute to their workplace.
  I am proud to cast my vote in favor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness 
Act and I urge my colleagues to join me.
  Madam Speaker, I also include in the Record a letter from the 
National Education Association.

                                                     May 11, 2021.
     Hon. Robert C. Scott,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Scott: On behalf of our 3 million members 
     and the 50 million students they serve, we urge you to vote 
     YES on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065). Votes 
     on this issue may be included in the NEA Report Card for the 
     117th Congress.
       More than three-quarters of women--half the American 
     workforce and nearly 80 percent of educators--will be 
     pregnant and employed at some point in their lives. Women are 
     important breadwinners in their families, yet all too often, 
     pregnant women are pushed out of their jobs or forced to risk 
     their health to continue earning a paycheck. The Pregnant 
     Workers Fairness Act of 2021 would help by:
       Clarifying existing laws and creating a uniform national 
     standard for reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, 
     childbirth, and related conditions;
       Providing reasonable accommodations to pregnant women to 
     reduce health risks to them and their babies;
       Prohibiting employers from denying a pregnant worker 
     employment opportunities or forcing the worker to take an 
     accommodation that she does not want or need;
       Prohibiting employers from forcing a pregnant worker to 
     take leave when another reasonable accommodation could keep 
     her on the job;
       Requiring the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 
     to make rules implementing the law, including a list of 
     exemplary accommodations that should be provided unless they 
     pose an undue hardship to employers; and
       Addressing this issue through a framework modeled after the 
     Americans with Disabilities Act.
       Every pregnant worker should be able to support her family, 
     without risking the health either of herself or her unborn 
     child. H.R. 1065 is crucial to bringing about fairness in the 
     workplace for pregnant workers, and we urge you to vote YES.
           Sincerely,

                                                    Marc Egan,

                                 Director of Government Relations,
     National Education Association.

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