Today, Special Assistant to the President for Gender Policy Latifa Lyles, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Charlotte Burrows, and Principal Deputy Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the U.S. Department of Labor Jessica Looman hosted a roundtable conversation to discuss the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which went into effect today, and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act. These laws, which President Biden signed in December 2022, advance the President and Vice President’s commitment to ensuring America’s workers have access to good jobs, and safe and healthy workplaces free from discrimination. Today’s event included workers, employers, advocates, and unions.

Participants discussed how the PWFA will help millions of pregnant and postpartum workers request reasonable accommodations in the workplace and ensure they are able to stay in their jobs. They also discussed how the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act extends break time and private space protections for nursing parents to nine million workers, including teachers, nurses, and farmworkers. During the event, workers shared their stories about their need for accommodations at work to maintain a healthy pregnancy and the importance of being able to pump at work. The Administration officials shared information and new resources to help workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under these laws, and underscored the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting the well-being and economic security of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women.