North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S588 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 588
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS45306-LR-151
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Pregnant Workers Protection Act. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Murdock and Chitlik (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 26, 2025~~
11		-	~~S588 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS45306 -LR-151
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO PROTECT PREGNANT WOMEN FROM DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES. 2
14	15		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
15	16		SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 95-151 reads as rewritten: 4
16	17		"§ 95-151. Discrimination. 5
17	18		No employer, employee, or any other person related to the administration of this Article shall 6
18	19		be discriminated against in any work, procedure, or employment by reason of sex, race, 7
19	20		pregnancy, ethnic origin, or by reason of religious affiliation." 8
20	21		SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 126-34.02(b) reads as rewritten: 9
21	22		"(b) The following issues may be heard as contested cases after completion of the agency 10
22	23		grievance procedure and the Office of State Human Resources review: 11
23	24		(1) Discrimination or harassment. – An applicant for State employment, a State 12
24	25		employee, or former State employee may allege discrimination or harassment 13
25	26		based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, 14
26	27		genetic information, or political affiliation if the employee believes that he or 15
27	28		she has been discriminated against in his or her application for employment 16
28	29		or in the terms and conditions of the employee's employment, or in the 17
29	30		termination of his or her employment. 18
30	31		(2) Retaliation. – An applicant for State employment, a State employee, or former 19
31	32		State employee may allege retaliation for protesting discrimination based on 20
32	33		race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, political 21
33	34		affiliation, or genetic information if the employee believes that he or she has 22
34	35		been retaliated against in his or her application for employment or in the terms 23
35	36		and conditions of the employee's employment, or in the termination of the 24
36	37		employee's employment. 25
37	38		…." 26
38	39		SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 168A-3 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 27
39	40		"(7b) Pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions. – Pregnancy, childbirth, and 28
40	41		related medical conditions, including lactation. Pregnancy and 29
41	42		pregnancy-related conditions shall be considered a physical impairment for 30
42	43		the purposes of this Chapter when they substantially limit one or more major 31
43	44		life activities." 32
44	45		SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 168A-5 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 33
45	46		"(a1) Pregnancy accommodations. – It is a discriminatory practice if an employer fails to 34
46	47		provide reasonable accommodations for any limitation of an employee related to pregnancy, 35
47		-	childbirth, or a related medical condition, unless the employer can demonstrate that providing 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 588-First Edition
	48	+	childbirth, or a related medical condition, unless the employer can demonstrate that providing 36
	49	+	FILED SENATE
	50	+	Mar 25, 2025
	51	+	S.B. 588
	52	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	53	+	Page 2 DRS45306-LR-151
49	54		such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the 1
50	55		employer. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to any one or more of 2
51	56		the following: 3
52	57		(1) More frequent or longer bathroom breaks. 4
53	58		(2) Breaks for increased hydration. 5
54	59		(3) Breaks for periodic rest. 6
55	60		(4) Assistance with heavy manual labor. 7
56	61		(5) Job restructuring. 8
57	62		(6) Modified work schedules. 9
58	63		(7) Temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position. 10
59	64		(8) Providing a vacant position to an employee who cannot perform the essential 11
60	65		functions of her job due to pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition. 12
61	66		(9) Providing seating. 13
62	67		(10) Allowing the employee to maintain a healthy weight. 14
63	68		(11) Providing break time and appropriate facilities for expressing breast milk." 15
64	69		SECTION 3. G.S. 41A-3(3a) reads as rewritten: 16
65	70		"(3a) 'Handicapping condition' means (i) a physical or mental impairment which 17
66	71		substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities, (ii) a record 18
67	72		of having such an impairment, or (iii) being regarded as having such an 19
68	73		impairment. Handicapping condition does not include current, illegal use of 20
69	74		or addiction to a controlled substance as defined in 21 U.S.C. § 802, the 21
70	75		Controlled Substances Act. Handicapping condition includes pregnancy and 22
71	76		pregnancy-related conditions as defined in G.S. 168A-3. The protections 23
72	77		against discrimination on the basis of handicapping condition shall apply to a 24
73	78		buyer or renter of a dwelling, a person residing in or intending to reside in the 25
74	79		dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available, or any person associated 26
75	80		with the buyer or renter." 27
76	81		SECTION 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 2026, and applies to acts and 28
77	82		omission occurring on or after that date. 29