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Greater Louisville Inc. The Metro Chamber of Commerce
× Greater Louisville Inc. The Metro Chamber of Commerce

Media Center

January 15, 2021 1:19pm

Pregnant Workers Legislation filed in Indiana

GLI is again backing pro-workforce legislation in Indianapolis to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. GLI was a lead champion for passing pregnant workers legislation in Kentucky in 2019 and has worked aggressively at the federal level and in Indianapolis to support women in the workforce. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has made the issue one of his top priorities.

Read GLI’s letter to Indiana lawmakers on this issue below.

Greater Louisville Inc. is a bi-state chamber of commerce, representing more than 1,800 businesses in Kentucky and Indiana, including the counites of Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington. GLI strongly supports legislation introduced in the Indiana General Assembly to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. HB1358 (S. Negele) would provide valuable guidance to Hoosier employers, help avoid costly litigation, support women in the workforce, and promote safe and healthy pregnancies.

In 2019, GLI successfully championed legislation in Kentucky outlining reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. This bill received strong bipartisan support in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly and allowed Kentucky to join Utah, South Carolina, Nebraska and more than two-dozen other states in supporting women in the workforce. Lawmakers in Kentucky and these states recognized how a pregnant workers law can provide clarity for employers, help avoid litigation, support employee retention, and promote safer, healthier pregnancies. Passage of a pregnant workers law in Indiana would have the added benefit of creating alignment between Indiana and Kentucky employment law for the many businesses in our region that operate on both sides of the Ohio River.

Our regional business community believes that pregnant workers legislation is pro-business and pro-workforce. It is good public policy for the economies of both Kentucky and Indiana. We hope that you will join us and our coalition partners in supporting House Bill 1358.