For the first time in nearly 40 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has used its emergency suspension authority to stop the use of the pesticide Dacthal – a toxin that has been endangering pregnant farmworkers and their babies. This is one of many important steps needed for the law to finally acknowledge the dire risks farmworkers unnecessarily face, especially when they are pregnant.

Last week, Illinois Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 2161, groundbreaking legislation securing anti-discrimination protections for workers with caregiving responsibilities. For Illinois’ 1.5 million family caregivers, this bill will ensure employment decisions are made based on their job performance, instead of bias. Illinois is the sixth state to prohibit family responsibilities discrimination, but the state’s new protections are now the nation’s strongest, protecting a wide range of family relationships and caregiving activities. The legislation is based on a model developed by The Center for WorkLife Law.

By a 5-4 vote Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration’s request to limit the scope of preliminary injunctions blocking the enactment of its Title IX rule. As a result, preliminary injunctions will continue to bar the Department of Education from enforcing the Title IX rule in 26 states and hundreds of educational institutions. The Title IX regulations were originally slated to go into effect August 1st, providing strong protection for pregnant and postpartum students and safeguarding students nationwide from discrimination on the basis of sex.

The Center for WorkLife Law is thrilled to announce that our team has been awarded a $150,000, one-year Agricultural Community-Based Projects (AgCBP) grant from the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC). WorkLife Law’s initiative, Dar a Luz: Legal Rights for Farmworkers in Pregnancy and Postpartum,  a partnership with Central Coast United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), breaks down barriers faced by California farmworkers during pregnancy and postpartum.

WorkLife Law Co-Director Jessica Lee joined the White House’s celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We are honored for WorkLife Law’s role in the legacy of Title VII to be recognized amongst such a powerful group of history makers. We left with an even deeper appreciation for this movement after hearing from leaders working to secure fair and accessible employment, including Gillian Thomas, WorkLife Law Board Member and ACLU Senior Staff Attorney.

Health care providers hold an essential role under the new Pregnant Worker Fairness Act. WorkLife Law brought together experts from The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) to create a new training for providers who treat and care for pregnant and postpartum people.

The Center for WorkLife Law is celebrating the recent enactment of a New York State Law that requires employers to provide pay for lactation breaks. As of June 19, 2024, New York now requires that each lactation break be paid, up to 30 minutes per break. New York is now the fourth state in the U.S. to require employers to provide paid lactation breaks, joining Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota.

Let’s give a warm welcome to the Center for WorkLife Law’s new Co-Directors! As announced earlier this year, Liz Morris and Jessica Lee are now leading WorkLife Law in our fight for economic security, racial justice, and health equity for workers, students, and the families they care for.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Department of Commerce that will make it more difficult for the federal government to protect workers, students, and all Americans from discrimination, health and safety risks, financial threats, and other harms.

Read WorkLife Law’s newly published Annual Report and learn about what our team has been doing to support pregnant people and family caregivers across the country. This report captures our impact from July 2023 to June 2024.