From Babygaga
A Washington state bill working its way through state Senate could give women an extension to file a pregnancy discrimination complaint.
Late last week, Senate Bill 6034 passed with a vote of 38-9. This vote count was a bipartisan majority. With this successful vote, this bill will now move to Washington state’s House of Representatives for a vote there.
If successful, this bill would help update the already existing Washington Law Against Discrimination. Currently, women who feel that they’ve experienced pregnancy discrimination at work only have six months to file a complaint with the Washington Human Rights Council. But if this bill were to become law, a woman would have a whole year to file a complaint instead.
The subject of pregnancy discrimination continues to be a hot button issue around the world. More and more women continue to reveal that they’ve been victims of pregnancy discrimination- both past and present. This is perhaps an even bigger issue in the United States, where many cases continue to pop up and gain traction.
Will this bill pass and become law in Washington state? It’s hard to tell yet. But between the growing issue of pregnancy discrimination and the bill’s strong support from both sides of the political spectrum, things look good so far. While some may worry that things could take a turn for the worst, others remain optimistic that Senate Bill 6034 will become a law.
By Elizabeth Sarah Larkin
