Republican and Democratic women in the Ohio Senate are pushing for more protections for pregnant and breastfeeding women in the workplace.
State and federal laws prohibit pregnancy discrimination. But senators said during a press conference Tuesday that state laws don’t clearly define that discrimination, and employers can legally refuse to provide accommodations for pregnant employees.
Sen. Shannon Jones, a Springboro Republican, said pregnant and breastfeeding women are denied accommodations that other employees receive for illnesses or disabilities. For example, Jones said, a man who cannot drive because of a DUI conviction may be assigned to other duties, but a pregnant woman who requests shorter hours or more breaks might be denied.
More than 1,500 complaints have been filed with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission alleging pregnancy discrimination by employers. In some of these cases, women were forced to take unpaid time off or quit.
Jones said clarifying Ohio’s pregnancy discrimination law would protect employees and help employers avoid discriminatory practices.
The bill would require all employers with at least four employees to provide
“reasonable and temporary accommodations” for pregnant and breastfeeding employees.
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