Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Accommodations For Pregnant Workers Will Not Be Included In Lawmaker Study Session

(FILE PHOTO: Justin Hicks/IPB News)

A billthat would provide workplace accommodations for expectant mothers will not be part of lawmakers’ summer study session. In response, many policy groups across the state say they are disappointed with the legislature.

The bill would have provided reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers like rest breaks, options to sit, or a water bottle. It died earlier this year after being gutted to instead assign it to an interim study committee.

Opponents of the bill say federal disability laws already provide some of these measures.

READ MORE: Governor Holcomb Outlines How – And Why – The State Will Reopen

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana 2020 Two-Way. Text "elections" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

Rima Shahid is the executive director of Women4Change Indiana. She says she is shocked the issue won’t be studied, especially as many women work on the frontlines in the pandemic.

“Women are on the frontlines as health care workers and our essential workers,” she says. “We’re telling Hoosier women that we’re not going to take necessary steps to understand what we need to protect Hoosier women and to make sure that we have an equal playing field for everybody.”

Advocates say they’ll continue to fight for the bill in the next legislative session.

Contact Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.