Executive Director Colleen Connell appeared yesterday on WBEZ's Afternoon Shift to discuss that state of pregnancy discrimination in Illinois, along with Brandi Davis, a trial attorney for Illinois' Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Both emphasized the prevalence of pregnancy discrimination in low income families and the increase of their cases in the last few years. If you have a story of pregnancy discrimination, we invite you to share it with the ACLU of Illinois here.
"For a woman trying to have a child, the day she learns she’s pregnant is filled with excitement and elation. But if she’s a worker, especially one who earns an hourly wage, that excitement can quickly turn to dread. In the past two decades, we’ve seen a 46 percent increase in the number of pregnancy discrimination cases filed. Many courts have ruled that employers are not required to make accommodations for expectant mothers - one such case has even made it to the Supreme Court."
The ACLU is currently awaiting Governor Quinn to sign House Bill 8 into law. The bill ensures that pregnant women in Illinois should not have to choose between a safe, healthy pregnancy and maintaining their employment.
Listen to the full segment on WBEZ here.
