The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would offer pregnant women more protections in the workplace.
Democratic Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier represents the third Berkshire district.
“What it does is that it fills in the gaps between disability law and other discrimination laws,” Farley-Bouvier says.
Farley-Bouvier is vice chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. She says the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act gives women access to bathroom breaks, relief from heavy lifting and the right to a chair or seat.
She says many pregnant women need to work until their due date. The bill would also mandate a private non-bathroom space for breast milk pumping.
The legislation now moves to the Senate.
