Advocate Stories, Leadership and Civic Engagement, Policy Updates, Special Events
First We Met, Then it Passed
by Sarah Nichols on Feb 9, 2018
Last month, advocates from across South Carolina met WREN at the Statehouse to lobby for the Pregnancy Accommodations Act, H.3865.
This was the first of our Meet Me at the Statehouse series, which will be held on the fourth Wednesday of every month throughout legislative session. Each event will have a different issue or bill that we present to our representatives.
Our first focus was on the Pregnancy Accommodations Act, a bill which would guarantee that employers provide pregnant women and women recovering from childbirth reasonable workplace accommodations. Such accommodations include low-cost, feasible measures like water breaks, uniform modifications, or sitting on a stool rather than standing during a shift. The act is based on the language and accommodations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which has been in place for over 20 years. We ask that it be extended to pregnant women as well, for both the safety of the women and their babies.
Our advocates came from as far as Florence and Edisto Island to speak to their legislators. They researched who their senators were in advance, so that when they time came, they knew who to request to speak to and look out for.
Our senators trickled in to talk to their constituents. Our advocates provided them with fact sheets and personal anecdotes, emphasizing the importance that pregnant women are treated safely in the workplace.
And because of the voices of advocates like you, the subcommittee voted to move the Pregnancy Accommodations Act to full committee one week later! We asked you to share your voices, and your voices were heard. #GirlPower!
Stay tuned for updates on the act through our social media. We are on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
We invite you to elevate your voice at our next Meet Me at the Statehouse event on Wednesday, February 28. Every voice counts!