by Sarita Gupta Executive Director Jobs With JusticeAs a working mother, I was shocked to hear how Walmart treats its pregnant workers: when expectant moms reveal their pregnancy to supervisors at Walmart and ask for lighter duties, they often risk being forced to take unpaid leave.
Every day, women make the hard and unfair choice to conceal their pregnancies while working at Walmart. Because they can’t afford risking their job or temporarily losing pay and health insurance, moms-to-be end up performing duties that that their medical providers warn may hurt their unborn babies. From climbing ladders and lifting heavy goods to scrubbing bathrooms with harsh chemicals and being refused frequent bathroom breaks, these women may face unsafe working conditions.
Recently, Walmart took a first step toward changing its pregnancy policy. After expectant Walmart workers, Walmart moms, women’s organizations and supporters from the Jobs With Justice network pressured Walmart to address its pregnancy policy, the company made accommodations for workers if they get a doctor’s note certifying that they have complicated pregnancies.
But as I know firsthand, even uncomplicated pregnancies require safeguards to protect moms and babies. There’s no reason Walmart should force women to risk their health just because nothing has gone wrong with their pregnancy. We need to keep the pressure on Walmart to extend basic accommodations to ALL pregnant associates.
As the largest private employer of women in the country, Walmart sets the standard for how women workers are treated throughout the industry and our economy. It’s critical that we raise our voices to protest this pregnancy policy to ensure Walmart isn’t rewriting the rules on how we treat women in the workplace. Women shouldn’t be forced to live in fear or risk their health simply because they want to have a family.
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