LANSING – State Representative Coleman A. Young II (D-Detroit) on Wednesday unveiled a plan to amend Michigan civil rights law to protect the jobs of female police officers who are forced to take unpaid leave when it is learned they are pregnant.
"As I work to move Michigan forward it is important to remember the health and well-being of our workers," Young said. "It's imperative that we not only have a strong police force, but also that our officers are treated fairly. Protecting the jobs of pregnant officers is an important step in the right direction for Michigan and shows that we mean business when it comes to gender equality in our state."
Young's plan amends the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to define forcing a pregnant police officer to take unpaid leave as sexual discrimination if it is done while the officer can still perform light duty. 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's plan was created 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.
"A pregnant officer should not and cannot by law be considered injured," Young said. "By cracking down on this unfair action, we are making civil rights a priority and proving that gender should have no basis in determining pay. I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this plan quickly."