N.Y. Lawmakers Urge Passage of Pregnancy Accommodation Bill

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the New York State Legislature is urging passage of a bill that would accommodate the needs of pregnant women in the workplace.

The measure would require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant women, such as bathroom breaks, seating and exemption from heavy lifting. The bill’s sponsors hope to pass the measure as a stand-alone bill and not part of a larger 10-point legislative package involving women’s issues that includes a contentious abortion plank.

Last year the Senate passed nine of the bills, which include reproductive rights, pay equity, sexual harassment, human trafficking and tougher order-of-protection laws. The Assembly’s leadership said then it wouldn’t consider the nine bills without the abortion plank.

Advocates and lawmakers said Monday they hope that the Assembly introduces stand-alone measures.