A US District Judge has partially halted a new federal mandate that requires employers to give workers seeking elective abortions time off to obtain and recover from the procedure. The rule, issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, was set to take effect but has been blocked in Louisiana and Mississippi while legal challenges are ongoing.
The judge's order cited that the EEOC had exceeded its authority granted by Congress in implementing the regulation. The final rule under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, passed in 2022, mandates workplaces to provide accommodations for pregnant employees related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
