AAUW Celebrates the Passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

AAUW Chief Executive Officer Gloria L. Blackwell issued this statement on the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, passed as an amendment to the omnibus spending package. President Biden signed this critical bill into law on December 29, 2022.

“We are thrilled to end this year with a long-awaited moment: AAUW applauds the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a momentous victory for pregnant and postpartum workers and their families, health, and economic security.

AAUW believes no worker should be forced to choose between their health and their livelihood. But many people who are pregnant have risked being forced out of the workplace simply for following their doctors’ orders. The PWFA now requires employers to provide basic accommodations to protect workers’ ability to provide for themselves and their families without compromising their health or pregnancies. This is the most significant protection for pregnant workers in decades, and comes at a time when women in the workforce—particularly in frontline and low-wage jobs—acutely need it most.

As we celebrate this important win for our mission fighting for workplace equity, we also extend enormous gratitude to everyone who worked so hard to make the PWFA law. Over the past 10 years, thousands of AAUW members and activists mobilized for this critical legislation, joined by our allies and partner organizations in tireless grassroots efforts across the country. We also thank each member of Congress who voted to pass the PWFA and for taking a stand to support a safer future for all pregnant and postpartum workers in the United States.”

Gloria L. Blackwell