Washington, D.C. – A federal district court judge today dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General of Tennessee and other states, challenging regulations implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act – a guarantee of reasonable workplace accommodations for pregnant workers.  The suit specifically challenged the inclusion of abortion as one of the medical conditions related to pregnancy that may require accommodation and is the latest in the slew of lawsuits filed since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade to further restrict access to reproductive health care.  

Democracy Forward, which represented the Small Business Majority, Main Street Alliance, and American Sustainable Business Council – a coalition of more than 250,000 small businesses – in a friend of the court brief supporting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations, celebrated the judge’s decision. 

“The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act ensures that people who are pregnant do not have to choose between their jobs and their health, including those who seek accommodations relating to an abortion, and today’s decision rightly dismisses an attempt to dismantle the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regulation implementing the Act,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The EEOC’s policy will keep qualified and valuable employees – especially women – in the workplace.  The policy gives vital regulatory clarity to businesses – which is especially important for small businesses. Democracy Forward will continue to work with businesses that are the backbone of the US economy in courtrooms and communities across the country to protect businesses and their workers.”  

In the brief, the coalition of small businesses makes clear that the PWFA and the regulation implementing it is good for business and should be upheld.  

“The rule provides easy-to-interpret guidance that clarifies how to comply with the PWFA when employees request accommodations, including time off, during pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including abortion,” added Perryman. 

For more information about Democracy Forward, please visit www.democracyforward.org. 

– # # # –