Lindsey Davis and Brenna Wildt Outline Implications of New Federal Laws Protecting Pregnant and Nursing Mothers in Article for Benefits Law Journal
In an article for Benefits Law Journal, Quarles & Brady attorneys Lindsey Davis and Brenna Wildt, members of the firm’s Labor, Employment & Benefits Practice Group, addressed key items employers need to know about two new federal laws designed to provide workplace protections to pregnant and nursing mothers.
An excerpt:
At the tail end of the last legislative session, Congress passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)1 and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act).2 Upon their passage, the PWFA and PUMP Act joined a host of other federal laws – including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) – which provide protections for pregnant and nursing employees. Like their predecessors, the PWFA and PUMP Act confer obligations on employers that are important to understand and uphold.
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The time is now for employers to focus on updating their policies and procedures as necessary to ensure compliance with the PWFA and the PUMP Act. Notably, the PWFA and the PUMP Act do not pre-empt state or local laws that provide greater protections to pregnant and nursing workers.