Looming US rule changes may curb pregnant worker supports

EEOC chair seeks to narrow regulations around accommodations for pregnant employees

Jan. 28, 2026 at 1:55am

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The 2022 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers to reasonably accommodate pregnant workers, but the rules may change under the leadership of Republican EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, who has said the regulations were written too broadly. Experts warn that narrowing the rules could expose pregnant workers to discrimination and deny them financial remedies in court. The EEOC has already begun shifting its focus under Lucas' conservative vision, raising concerns about how vigorously the agency will investigate pregnancy-related violations.

Why it matters

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was intended to provide important protections for pregnant employees, such as the right to reasonable accommodations. Any rollback of these regulations could make it harder for pregnant workers to get the support they need, potentially leading to more cases of discrimination and adverse health outcomes for mothers and babies.

The details

The rules cover a range of pregnancy-related physical and mental conditions, and employers can deny requests if they can show the accommodations would cause significant difficulty or expense. However, experts say the final rules were written broadly to include as many scenarios as possible, and any narrowing could hurt pregnant workers. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, appointed in 2025, has already begun shifting the agency's focus toward issues championed by conservatives, such as claims of discrimination against white men, which could mean cases like Kennisha's and Willamina Barclay's may be overlooked.

  • In 2022, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was passed, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.
  • In 2024, EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said the regulations were written too broadly.
  • In November 2025, Lucas became EEOC chair with a Republican majority on the commission.
  • In fiscal year 2024, about 2,700 pregnancy-related complaints were filed with the EEOC.

The players

Andrea Lucas

Republican EEOC Chair who has said the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations were written too broadly and has begun shifting the agency's focus toward conservative priorities.

Kennisha

An assistant manager at a Sonic fast-food outlet in Dayton, Ohio, who filed a complaint with the EEOC after being denied a request to sit down during her pregnancy.

Willamina Barclay

A 38-year-old woman who filed an EEOC complaint after her Amazon warehouse supervisors denied her requests for accommodations during her high-risk pregnancy in 2025.

Inimai Chettiar

President of the legal and advocacy group A Better Balance, which is representing Kennisha.

Kalpana Kotagal

Democratic EEOC Commissioner who criticized efforts to weaken the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act's protections.

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What they’re saying

“Protecting pregnant women and working families is a central pillar of the Trump Administration's common-sense civil rights agenda. Under my leadership, since January 2025, the agency has nearly doubled its lawsuits addressing pregnancy and postpartum discrimination and accommodation compared to all of 2024.”

— Andrea Lucas, EEOC Chair

“Efforts to weaken the PWFA's meaningful worker protections, which have been shown to reduce miscarriage rates by nearly 10 percent, are misguided. We should be standing up for women and families, not weakening their civil rights.”

— Kalpana Kotagal, Democratic EEOC Commissioner

“When you get fired, your bills don't stop, your kids don't stop, your babies don't stop, your family at home don't stop.”

— Willamina Barclay

What’s next

The EEOC has not yet issued its 2026 regulatory agenda, but workplace lawyers expect changes to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations soon under Chair Andrea Lucas' leadership.

The takeaway

The potential rollback of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations could undermine important protections for pregnant employees, exposing them to discrimination and denying them legal recourse. This highlights the ongoing battle over civil rights and the need to ensure that policies supporting working families remain in place, regardless of political shifts.