Pa. Lawmaker Introduces Bill Offering Pregnant Women More Job Protection

By Kim Glovas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pregnant women would have more job protection under a bill introduced recently by Pennsylvania's U.S. Senator Bob Casey.

Senator Casey had introduced the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act originally in 2012 and 2013. But now, Republican senators have co-signed the measure.

Casey says, the bill would provide assurances to pregnant workers, that they could not be fired or placed on unpaid leave because of a pregnancy.

"Much of this would involve minor job modifications which would have little impact on the workplace, and because we have such history now with reasonable accommodations, I'm sure that employers can work this out."

He says employers have been providing reasonable accommodations for workers under the Americans with Disabilities Act for 25 years. Currently, only 14 states have laws protecting pregnant workers.