Pregnant workers gained additional protections in 2023. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”) is a new law that goes into effect on June 27, 2023. The PWFA requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant and post-partum workers who need them.

It is estimated that three-quarters of women entering the workforce today will be pregnant and employed at some point during their careers. The 44th anniversary of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act recently passed, yet we have a long way to go to protect pregnant and post-partum women in the United States. History has shown that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was not enough to protect pregnant women. Former and current pregnant and post-partum workers in South Carolina, and around the United States, have been forced out of work because their employer refused to temporarily accommodate their pregnancy needs.

As a woman, I have always felt personally invested in the fight for pregnant workers’ rights. I have represented pregnant women continuously throughout my years of practice. It is a sad fact that mistreatment of pregnant and post-partum women is a reoccurring problem in South Carolina.

There was a coalition of people who brought this PWFA idea to fruition. I was a contributor helping to make this change for women. In collaboration with the National Women’s Law Center, one of my cases was described to Congress as an example of the real-life experiences of pregnant women in the United States. Four of my pregnant and post-partum clients signed onto a public letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urging him to pass the PWFA. You can read it here: Open Letter: 125+ Mothers Urge Leader Schumer to Pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (New York Times Ad) – A Better Balance.

I am so proud of these women! I am honored to advocate for pregnant and post-partum workers when their rights have been violated.

-Shannon Polvi

Here at CBPH we fight to enforce the right to equal treatment for all employees in the workplace, particularly for black employees who have been marginalized in our workforce for far too long.

Congress passed the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which included Title VII, the cornerstone of enforcement for racial equality in the workplace. Title VII guaranteed all workers equal treatment in the workplace regardless of race. Title VII covers every aspect of employment, including hiring, promotion opportunities, discipline, pay, leave, and termination. We regularly represent black employees across this state who rightfully demand to receive treatment from their employers that is equal to the treatment received by their peers of other races or ethnicities.

Alongside offices like CBPH, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) plays a critical role in ensuring racial justice in the workplace. We bring cases before the EEOC to ensure that racial inequality in the workplace is identified, eliminated, and prevented in the future.

There is little doubt that our state and country has a long road ahead to achieve true racial equality in the workplace. The average black household income in South Carolina is 33% less than the statewide average. And the laws as applied in our justice system present heavy challenges for victims of discrimination.

But here at CBPH we work to challenge inequality and champion the rights of marginalized workers. We work everyday to live out the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words “Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

Progress is inevitably slow and difficult, but our mission is to make it nonetheless.

– Chance Sturup