The Trump White House is reportedly aiming to reduce workplace protections for pregnant women and general reproductive health rights. Here is a look at what the report is detailing and how it could impact American women.

Trump Administration Planning to Reduce Workplace Protections Connected to Reproductive Health

A new report from The New York Times has revealed how the Trump administration is reportedly planning to change the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The proposed changes could narrow which workers qualify for accommodations when pregnant.

The PWFA is a federal law that mandates that employers provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees who are dealing with limitations connected to pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical conditions. The proposed changes from the Trump administration would revise these regulations, possibly reducing the types of accommodations that employers are required to provide for their workers.

In addition to the potential changes for pregnant workers, the revision could also impact abortion and fertility treatments. The New York Times reported on November 2 that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has listed the proposed changes to the PWFA in the latest update to the government's regulatory agenda.

The EEOC is the organization responsible for overseeing the law's regulations. According to the Times, the Trump administration is considering a revision to how the EEOC defines the phrase “pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.”

The PWFA is a relatively new law, passed by Congress in 2022 when President Joe Biden was in office. The law went into effect on June 27, 2023. The EEOC then issued its final regulations that effectively implemented the law in June of 2024.

The current regulations mandate that employers make reasonable adjustments for workers who are experiencing limitations related to pregnancy. Examples of these accommodations include permission to carry water and food, additional restroom breaks, a stool for employees who need to stand while working, and provisions for time off for doctor's appointments. The EEOC also lists lighter physical duties, changes to safety equipment, possibility of remote work, and leave following childbirth as accommodations.

Diving Into the Specifics of the EEOC and the PWFA as They Stand Now

Federal law prohibits employers from requiring their staff to leave if they could provide reasonable accommodations to keep their job. In addition, the EEOC states that employers cannot deny job opportunities simply because a worker may need an extra accommodation. Along the same vein, employers cannot retaliate against workers if they request an additional accommodation in order to perform their duties.

The gray area in the proposed revisions would make it easier for employers to decide how to apply the protections, especially as it relates to medical issues that are part of a person's reproductive health but are not directly tied to pregnancy. The current laws apply to a wide range of reproductive health issues, including postpartum depression, lactation, miscarriage, abortion, fertility treatments, menstruation, and endometriosis.

The Times also reported that the White House is considering expanding the religious exemptions that give employers protection to deny staff certain accommodations. For example, the current regulations state that employers may be required to supply accommodations for workers seeking abortions. This includes provisions for time off for recovery and any related travel.

This controversial issue has been put under the microscope since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections in 2022. Because abortion is now banned or restricted in over a dozen states, women are now traveling across state lines to get the procedure. Restrictions on what employers are required to provide for time off after a procedure could hinder the ability of women to seek this care.

Recent research looking at the relationship between workplace accommodations and pregnancy outcomes shows why the federal protections are important. For example, a 2025 study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that the PWFA was linked with a 3.2% increase in births in states newly covered by the law.

What is next? The EEOC’s regulatory agenda notes that November 2026 is the anticipated date for publishing a proposed change to these rules. The public comment period is scheduled to end in January 2027.

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