Pregnant women working in Illinois will have greater job protection under a new law taking effect Jan. 1. The measure requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations and safe working conditions so expectant mothers can work without endangering their health or the health of the child.
Provisions include limits on lifting; help with manual labor; access to places to sit; more frequent restroom breaks; time off to recover from childbirth; and private break space for breast-feeding and expressing breast milk.
Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) Director Rocco Claps said employers are required to post information about the new law in a conspicuous location in the workplace. A poster is available from the department website.
Gov. Pat Quinn added the Pregnancy Accommodation Act under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Employers who don’t comply with the law may face civil rights charges.
Editor's Note: WNIJ's Katie Finlon contributed to this story.