May 29, 2014

Contact: Linda Meric, National Executive Director,
(303) 628-0925 x15 or lindam@9to5.org

After winning a major policy victory, the time is now to keep the pressure on Walmart to improve conditions for working moms

MAY 28, 2014 – “Working families have had enough. Pregnant workers are being forced to choose between the health of their pregnancies and the necessity of earning a living. Women who want and need to continue working throughout their pregnancies have been fired, forced to quit or take unpaid leave.

Earlier this year, Walmart moms won a major policy victory when Walmart agreed to change their pregnancy policy to ensure that women with pregnancy-related complications are given basic accommodations that will help them keep their jobs and provide for their families.

That means potentially more than 700,000 women will no longer have to choose between keeping their jobs and protecting their health.

And Walmart’s not alone. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 5,797 pregnancy-related discrimination complaints in 2011, from all sectors of the economy.

Stacey, a young working mother and member of 9to5 Atlanta, was eight months pregnant with her second child and sprained her ankle. She brought in a doctor’s note saying that she needed to stay off her foot for two days. Because her employer was not required to accommodate her injury, he fired her, saying that she could reapply for her position once her child was born. Stacey has been an active member of 9to5 since that time. She continues to speak out, contacting legislators and encouraging friends and family to join current efforts to protect pregnant workers.

9to5 is supporting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, national legislation which would require reasonable job modifications for pregnant workers that will allow them to keep working while maintaining a healthy pregnancy. 9to5 will also continue to fight alongside Our Walmart moms for better wages, pregnancy fairness policies and the end of retaliation against workers who speak out.

Actions are taking place nationwide this week to spread the word about the new policy to Walmart workers and managers. Supporters can sign a petition to increase pressure on Walmart to do better with their pregnancy policies. We will continue to document the struggles that the real Walmart moms face and put the pressure on Walmart to improve the lives of women workers. As the nation’s largest employer, when Walmart acts, the rest of industry takes notice. ”