FAQ about the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act
On Thursday, December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the PUMP Act into law as amendments to a $1.7 trillion omnibus funding bill.
- The bill directs employers, including the federal government, to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, job applicants and employees with conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth like light duty and other arrangements.
- The bill also prohibits employers from discriminating against a job candidate or employee for pregnancy-related accommodation needs like assigning light duty that doesn’t involve heavy lifting or allowing more frequent bathroom breaks.
The PUMP Act expands workplace protections for employees with a need to express breast milk.
- The bill directs employers, including the federal government to provide accommodations for such an employee to cover salaried employees and other types of workers not covered under existing law. Further, time spent to express breast milk must be considered hours worked if the employee is also working. The bill also extends from one year to two years the available time for such accommodations.
These bills go into effect in June 2023.
Use the Links Below to Learn More:
- The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: What You Should Know
- Opinion: The free market is failing American families. Congress just took a small step to fix that
- NWLC Applauds Senate Passing Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Amendment
- Senate Votes To Add New Protections For Pregnant Workers
- Senate Passes Two Bills For Pregnant And Breastfeeding Moms At Work
