Pregnancy “Reasonable Accomodation” Bill Gets Hearing

The Senate Civil Justice Committee took sponsor testimony on SB 301, which would require employers to make “reasonable accommodations” for employees who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

In her sponsor testimony, Senator Shannon Jones (R-Cincinnati) said:  “The federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 outlawed discrimination against pregnant workers across the nation. Reasonable accommodations were not part of the 1978 law and we have found that there is a gap in the law to address a pregnant workers needs. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, which requires reasonable accommodations such as you see in Senate Bill 301. Unfortunately, the language regarding reasonable accommodations did not included pregnant women, leaving the gap that we continue to see today.”

She testified that “the legislation defines a “reasonable accommodation” as including, but not limited to, more frequent or longer breaks; acquisition or modification of equipment, seating or uniforms; assistance with manual labor; light duty; modified employment schedules; job restructuring; temporary transfer to a less strenuous or less hazardous position; break time and a private, non-bathroom space to express breast milk, and time off to recover from childbirth.”