LANSING – The Michigan House today passed a plan proposed by State Representative
Coleman A. Young II (D-Detroit) to amend Michigan
civil rights law and the definition of sexual discrimination in an effort to protect the jobs of pregnant employees.
"My top priorities are to create jobs for our workers and protect our hard-working residents," Young said. "As a legislator, it is my job to protect the job of every Michigan resident, including our mothers-to-be. Under my plan, treating an employee differently just because she is carrying a child is now considered sexual discrimination."
Young's plan amends the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to require an employer to treat a pregnant employee the same as any other employee who has limitations placed on their ability to work. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act was established in 1976 in an effort to define civil rights and to prohibit discriminatory practices and policies based upon a person's religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status.
Young introduced the plan in response to a recent federal court case in which a Detroit police officer said she was forced to hide her pregnancy and later take unpaid leave while pregnant rather than being allowed to switch to light duty. The Detroit Police Department stopped offering light duty to pregnant police officers in 2004.
"If a police officer, firefighter or any other female employee is capable of performing light duty while pregnant then she should be able to – plain and simple," Young said. "We take civil rights seriously here in Michigan and sexual discrimination will not be tolerated. This is step in the right direction toward creating true gender equality for our workers."