Almost 41 years ago, Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to guarantee equal opportunity for millions of working women. But as we pointed out in our recent report Long Overdue, too often, pregnant workers are still being treated as second-class citizens.
On October 22, A Better Balance Co-President Dina Bakst testified at a hearing held by the U.S. House of Representatives, calling on Congress to address this inequity by passing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
Providing legal expertise and sharing worker stories, Dina brought to Congress the voices of the hundreds of women ABB has helped over the years. She joined worker Michelle Durham of Alabama and Iris Wilbur, Vice President, Government Affairs & Public Policy at Greater Louisville, Inc., the metro Louisville Chamber of Commerce. ABB worked closely with Greater Louisville, Inc. to pass similar legislation in Kentucky and we applaud their support of the federal legislation.
As Dina told Congress, “job protection and a healthy work environment should not depend on luck or location.” Read her testimony here or watch it here at the 34-minute mark.
While a crucial step forward, this fight is far from over. With your support we can continue pushing Congress to update and strengthen the law and prioritize the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act!
