Working mom's are a backbone of the American workforce. Yet many mothers are forced to make difficult decisions about her health and the economic stability of her family. Women are too often fired from or forced out of jobs when their employers learn that they are pregnant or when they return to work after having a baby. Many employers fire pregnant workers on the spot, particularly in low-wage sectors dominated by women. Others force pregnant workers off the job by refusing to grant them the same kinds of temporary modifications—such as light duty assignments—that are routinely granted to other workers who need them.
Things are changing in Nebraska. The ACLU worked to pass legislation that protects pregnant women from discrimination in the workplace. Nebraska's grade when it comes to breastfeeding at the bar exam is a B+, according to a 2015 report from the ACLU and Law Students for Reproductive Justice.
The ACLU has long fought back against these discriminatory practices in the courts and legislatures. Women have been fighting the stereotype that they should be at home instead of at work for decades. More than 35 years after the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was enacted, it’s time for employers to realize they can’t force pregnant and parenting workers off the job.
