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.
“DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately… In this case, pregnant women who may never even know they were exposed could give birth to babies that experience irreversible lifelong health problems.”
– Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff
Historically, agricultural workers have been excluded from workplace legal protections in the U.S. while also being paid poverty wages. Even now, farmworkers are forced to risk exposure to agricultural chemicals that are linked to detrimental health effects just to make ends meet. For pregnant workers, this not only harms their health but also puts their children at lifelong risk. WorkLife Law is committed to advancing the law so pregnant farmworkers have options to protect their family’s health. Through our California-based Dar a Luz initiative WorkLife Law has:
- Assured that pregnant farmworkers are able to apply for and receive benefits through California’s state disability insurance program when they need to take time off work to avoid toxic pesticide exposure.
- Recovered tens of thousands of dollars in wrongfully denied benefits for pregnant and postpartum farmworkers through our dedicated free legal helpline.
- Equipped healthcare providers and community health workers in agricultural communities with information and practical tools to support their farmworker patients.
We will not stop until every farmworker in the state of California has the information and support they need to access their right to take paid time off during pregnancy. We applaud the EPA for its actions to protect pregnant farmworkers nationwide from DCPA, as WorkLife Law continues to advocate for their farmworker health and economic security.