mobile phone with news headline

New Year, New Protections for Pregnant and Lactating Employees, Restrictions on Pre-Dispute Non-Disclosure and Non-Disparagement Provisions

Signed into law last month were three federal statutes impacting millions of U.S. workers: the Speak Out Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act.

Speak Out Act

 On December 7, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Speak Out Act. The Act prohibits the enforcement of pre-dispute non-disparagement and non-disclosure provisions regarding sexual assault and sexual harassment claims filed after December 7, 2022.

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that was signed into law on December 29, 2022, the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) will require most employers to provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees who are pregnant, recently gave birth, or who are experiencing medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. The PWFA goes into effect on June 27, 2023, and applies to employers with 15 or more employees.

Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act

As part of the omnibus spending bill, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (the PUMP Act) was also signed into law. While the Affordable Care Act and amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), as well as some state laws like Massachusetts’ Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, include lactation protections for hourly employees, the PUMP Act further amends the FLSA to expand those protections to salaried employees.

Continue reading “New Year, New Protections for Pregnant and Lactating Employees, Restrictions on Pre-Dispute Non-Disclosure and Non-Disparagement Provisions” to learn more about each new statute, the impact each will have on employers, and the steps businesses should take.

 

 

 

Categorized: Benefits, Employment

Tagged In: , , , , ,

About the Authors

Tracy Thomas Boland
Stay Connected
LinkedIn

Partner

Tracy Thomas Boland

Tracy Boland counsels clients on the full range of employment law issues from hiring to firing including performance management, investigations, wage and hour issues, leaves of absence and the accommodations process, discrimination and harassment issues and investigations and reductions in force. She particularly enjoys supporting clients as they work through novel and emerging legal issues such as pay equity and the ever-growing number of paid leave laws. Clients also rely on her to draft and revise employee handbooks, employment agreements, and severance and settlement agreements

Stay Connected
LinkedIn

More Posts by Author ›

About the Authors

Tracy Thomas Boland
Stay Connected
LinkedIn

Partner

Tracy Thomas Boland

Tracy Boland counsels clients on the full range of employment law issues from hiring to firing including performance management, investigations, wage and hour issues, leaves of absence and the accommodations process, discrimination and harassment issues and investigations and reductions in force. She particularly enjoys supporting clients as they work through novel and emerging legal issues such as pay equity and the ever-growing number of paid leave laws. Clients also rely on her to draft and revise employee handbooks, employment agreements, and severance and settlement agreements

Stay Connected
LinkedIn

More Posts by Author ›

Stay Connected

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.