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November 4, 2026 - On Tuesday, in light of reporting that the Trump administration plans to scale back job protections for pregnant women enacted as part of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement:

“President Trump’s continued attacks on women and families are disgraceful. Now, on top of the sky-high cost of groceries, gas, and utilities, American women will also have to worry about losing their jobs if they need accommodations for pregnancy-related issues or to take care of their reproductive health. This is yet another backwards and shortsighted move by the Trump administration that will weaken our economy, harm our families, and erode our personal liberties.”

In 2022, Congress passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which Senator Gillibrand cosponsored, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. The law instituted the workplace protections for women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions that are now under threat by the Trump administration. These accommodations can include:

• Flexible scheduling for prenatal or postnatal appointments
• Additional, longer, or more flexible breaks to drink water, eat, rest, or use the bathroom
• Light duty, or help with manual labor and lifting
• Temporary transfer to a less physically demanding or safer position
• Limiting exposure to hazardous chemicals
• Access to a water bottle or food
• Leave or time off to recover from childbirth, even for those who don’t qualify for FMLA
• Leave or time off for bedrest, recovery from miscarriage, postpartum depression, mastitis, and other pregnancy-related health issues
• Providing equipment such as a stool to sit on
• Changing a uniform or dress code, like allowing wearing maternity pants
• Changing a work schedule, like allowing shorter work hours or a later start time to accommodate morning sickness
• Breaks, private space (not in a bathroom), and other accommodations for lactation needs, like adding a lock to a meeting room for private breast milk expression
• Remote work or telework

Senator Gillibrand has spent her career in Congress championing women in the workplace. In addition to consponsoring the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, she leads the FAMILY Act, which would establish a national program guaranteeing 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for every American. She has introduced the FAMILY Act in every Congress since 2013. She also introduced the bipartisan More Paid Leave for More Americans Act, which would establish a competitive grant program for states that provide a minimum of six weeks of parental, caregiving, or medical leave, as well as the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act, which would expand federal paid leave for federal employees to include 12 weeks of family and medical leave.

Source: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand