A key U.S. Senate Committee, in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, has approved a bill (S. 1486) that would require covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to certain pregnancy-related limitations experienced by employees and applicants for employment. The version of the “Pregnant Workers Fairness Act” (PWFA) approved last week by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is identical to the bill (H.R. 1065) that passed the House of Representatives earlier this year, and moves the bill one step closer to likely enactment in the coming weeks.
As discussed in more detail below, this latest version of the PWFA continues to reflect changes made last year that led to increased support from the business community and Congressional Republicans. And while the timing for final Senate action is uncertain, employers are well advised to begin considering the PWFA’s practical implications given its likely enactment.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.