Administration Moves to Scale Back Pregnancy Protections
The Trump administration is preparing to narrow Pregnant Workers Fairness Act accommodations that took effect in 2023.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Pregnancy
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The Trump administration is preparing to scale back protections under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which took effect June 27, 2023. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is considering revisions to how it interprets "pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions."
Why it matters
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions, and changes to the EEOC's interpretation would directly affect which workplace accommodations employees can request. The administration is also considering expanding religious exemptions that would let employers deny certain reproductive health accommodations.
A 2025 University of Wisconsin-Madison study found the PWFA was associated with a 3.2% increase in births in newly covered states, while abortion is banned or restricted in 13 states. The specific language of the proposed EEOC revisions has not been made public.
The players
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
The federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace anti-discrimination laws, including the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and for issuing its implementing regulations.
Donald Trump
The current President of the United States, whose administration is preparing the proposed changes to pregnancy workplace protections.
The details
Current EEOC regulations extend accommodations to miscarriage, postpartum depression, lactation, abortion, fertility treatments, endometriosis, and menstruation. The EEOC issued final PWFA regulations in April 2024, and the proposed revisions are listed in the federal regulatory agenda.
Timeline
June 27, 2023: The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act took effect.
April 2024: The EEOC issued final PWFA regulations.
November 2026: The proposed rule is anticipated to be published.
January 2027: The public comment period is expected to end.
Season Trajectory
The proposed changes would reverse the expansion of accommodations that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act established after it took effect on June 27, 2023. The 2025 University of Wisconsin-Madison study's finding of a 3.2% birth increase in newly covered states is the main measured outcome cited against that backdrop.
Employees who are pregnant or have pregnancy-related conditions may find fewer workplace accommodations available if the revisions take effect. Employers covered by the PWFA would need to adjust how they handle requests for leave, schedule changes, and other accommodations.
The takeaway
Workers should track the EEOC's proposed rule when it is published, since the public comment period offers a formal way to weigh in on how pregnancy accommodations are defined. Keeping records of any accommodation requests can help if questions arise later.
What happens next
The EEOC's proposed rule is anticipated to be published in November 2026, with a public comment period expected to end in January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Pregnancy for context on workplace protections and reproductive health policy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by People.
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