U.S Women's Chamber of Commerce Gives Support to Women Workers in the Upcoming Young v UPS

In 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) became law, allowing women the right to work during their pregnancy without fear of losing their job or benefits. Despite this law, women still struggle to retain their working privileges during and after their pregnancy. In the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on December 3^rd, 2014, the case of Peggy Young versus UPS will test the implementation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Groups like the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce participated in a Twitter Storm on October 30 to raise awareness about the case. Miss Young was forced to take an unpaid leave of absence and lost her medical coverage at her place of employment after she became pregnant and could not lift the required weight of the parcels. She used up her available family/medical leave while undergoing in vitro fertilization to become pregnant. 

The question is this: Are businesses allowed to force women out of their jobs during their nine months of pregnancy? Legally, no. The PDA protects workers from such scenarios. It’s also counterproductive for the business to put undue burden on their employees. Studies show that employers benefit from allowing their workers more flexibility in their work schedules. These include flexible work programs that allow for telecommuting, flexible shift programs, and longer hours/fewer days schedules. The fact is, pregnant women might develop slightly different needs during their pregnancy. This might include: avoiding heavy lifting, sitting more frequently, or taking more water breaks during the day. These requirements are only temporary and flexible accommodation would mean businesses spending less money to replace workers and re-train new ones. Thirty studies show that it costs businesses one-fifth of a worker's salary to replace the worker. It is counterproductive to both parties if costs and expenses incurred during the nine months of a woman's pregnancy become an issue at the workplace.  

An undeniable fact about today's economy is women's role in it. The Women’s Economic Priorities details the exact nature of women’s part. At this time, 56% of women work and make up 47% of all workers in the U.S. Women also are the biggest contributors to US consumer buying, making 85% of the purchases and representing a $2.4 trillion dollar market. The increase in the number of women who have joined the work force also increased the GDP. Statistics show that if no women had joined the paid economy since 1970 the US GDP would be 75% of its current size. Women don't just help the economy grow but also their family's income. One in four women are co-breadwinners, bringing in between 25-49% of their household income. Women like Peggy Young depend on the income they earn before, during, and after their pregnancy. They also add to the purchasing power of the American consumer who is needed to build the economy back up. Employers should implement their flexible accommodations already in place to  be more inclusive towards pregnant women. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act set in motion this law to be effective in the workplace. It is the responsibility of the business owners to follow through with the law. The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce showed support by filing an Amicus Brief on September 11, 2014 on behalf of Peggy Young in the case of Young vs. UPS.