Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court issued its 6 to 3 ruling finding that employers can't deny pregnant workers the same accommodations already provided to workers who are injured on the job.
"The Court's action today is not just a win for pregnant women, but all women in the workplace and hard-working American families. In its decision, the Court upheld the 40-year-old law that prohibits pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Today's ruling affirms that if an employer provides light duty for a worker who needs it because of disability, it must for a pregnant worker too. However, Congress must still act to streamline the process and pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to reinforce today's decision and provide an unmistakable law, to ensure no woman is ever forced to choose between her job and the health of her pregnancy."
In Young v. United Parcel Service, a challenge was brought under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, questioning whether the law requires an employer that provides work accommodations to non-pregnant employees with work limitations to provide work accommodations to pregnant employees who are "similar in their ability or inability to work."