EEOC May Narrow Pregnant Worker Accommodation Rules

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), led by Chair Andrea Lucas, is considering changes to the rules that protect pregnant workers.

These rules, part of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) passed in 2022, require employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees.

Chair Lucas thinks the current rules are too broad and may remove protections related to abortions and in vitro fertilization.

Some people are worried that these changes could make it harder for pregnant workers to get the help they need.

For example, Kennisha, a pregnant worker at Sonic, was denied a request to sit down occasionally, and Willamina Barclay, a pregnant worker at Amazon, was denied lower-stress tasks and eventually fired.

The EEOC says it still prioritizes pregnancy discrimination cases, but some advocates are concerned that the agency's new focus might overlook cases like these.