Thursday, February 11, 2021
On February 4, 2021, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law House Bill (H.B.) 2045, which expands protections for pregnant workers under Arizona law. The measure amends the Arizona Civil Rights Act (ACRA) to mirror existing protections under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, which amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Arizona legislators passed H.B. 2045 because the ACRA did not previously contain express protections for pregnancy and related conditions. To address the gap between state and federal law, Arizona legislators amended the ACRA to allow the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to investigate and enforce these protections under state law. With the governor’s signature, Arizona joins at least 27 states that have enacted laws specifically prohibiting discrimination against pregnant employees.
On February 4, 2021, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law House Bill (H.B.) 2045, which expands protections for pregnant workers under Arizona law. The measure amends the Arizona.
Monday, February 8, 2021
Arizona employers are now expressly prohibited by state law from discriminating against employees on the basis of pregnancy or childbirth. On January 28, 2021, the Arizona Legislature passed, and on Thursday, February 4, 2021, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law, HB 2045, which amends the state civil rights statute to clarify that existing statutory prohibitions on sex-based discrimination also preclude discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and childbirth. Accordingly, Arizona becomes the 28
th state to preclude pregnancy discrimination expressly under state law.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 41-1461,
et seq. already prohibits discrimination by covered employers (
i.e., employers that employ fifteen (15) or more employees) “because of sex” or “on the basis of sex.” Following the passage of HB 2045, the Arizona Civil Rights Act (ACRA) – Arizona’s state civil rights statute – now expressly states that its prohibition on discr
Attorney General Brnovich Announces Passage of Pregnancy Discrimination Protections Published: 01 February 2021 01 February 2021
Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Representative Jeff Weninger, and Senator J.D. Mesnard announced today the passage of legislation that will prohibit pregnancy discrimination in the workplace under the Arizona Civil Rights Act (ACRA). Pregnancy discrimination is illegal in Arizona, but complaints can currently only be investigated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
If signed by the Governor, pregnancy discrimination will be enforceable under the ACRA and will authorize the Arizona Attorney General s Office (AGO) to investigate and enforce protections for this type of discrimination.