Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§2000gg–2 Remedies and Enforcement

Title 42 › Chapter 21G— PREGNANT WORKER FAIRNESS › § 2000gg–2

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Uses the same enforcement tools from other federal laws for claims under this chapter. For people named in 42 U.S.C. 2000gg(3)(A)–(E), the chapter adopts the remedies and procedures found in the listed statutes (parts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Congressional Accountability Act, chapter 5 of title 3, and the Government Employee Rights Act). Where relevant, the rules in 42 U.S.C. 1988(b) and (c) apply, and the damages and limits in 42 U.S.C. 1981a (including the limit in 1981a(b)(3) and the exclusions in 1981a(a)(1)) also apply. Employees must not be punished for opposing unlawful practices or for taking part in charges, investigations, or hearings. It is illegal to threaten, coerce, or interfere with anyone using rights under this chapter, and the same remedies apply for those harms. If the case is about giving a reasonable accommodation for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, the employer can avoid damages under 1981a if it shows it tried in good faith, consulted the employee who said they needed help, and worked to find an equal, feasible accommodation that would not cause undue hardship.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §2000gg–2

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 705, 706, 707, 709, 710, and 711 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e–4 et seq.) [42 U.S.C. 2000e–4, 2000e–5, 2000e–6, 2000e–8, 2000e–9, and 2000e–10] to the Commission, the Attorney General, or any person alleging a violation of title VII of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, or any person, respectively, alleging an unlawful employment practice in violation of this chapter against an employee described in section 2000gg(3)(A) of this title except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
(2)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1988 of this title shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, or any person alleging such practice.
(3)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 1981a of this title, including the limitations contained in subsection (b)(3) of such section 1981a, shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, or any person alleging such practice (not an employment practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 1981a(a)(1) of this title).
(b)(1)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) for the purposes of addressing allegations of violations of section 201(a)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1)) shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to address an allegation of an unlawful employment practice in violation of this chapter against an employee described in section 2000gg(3)(B) of this title, except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
(2)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1988 of this title for the purposes of addressing allegations of such a violation shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to address allegations of such practice.
(3)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 1981a of this title, including the limitations contained in subsection (b)(3) of such section 1981a, for purposes of addressing allegations of such a violation, shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to address any allegation of such practice (not an employment practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 1981a(a)(1) of this title).
(c)(1)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in chapter 5 of title 3 to the President, the Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, or any person alleging a violation of section 411(a)(1) of such title shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the President, the Commission, the Board, or any person, respectively, alleging an unlawful employment practice in violation of this chapter against an employee described in section 2000gg(3)(C) of this title, except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
(2)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1988 of this title shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the President, the Commission, the Board, or any person alleging such practice.
(3)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 1981a of this title, including the limitations contained in subsection (b)(3) of such section 1981a, shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the President, the Commission, the Board, or any person alleging such practice (not an employment practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 1981a(a)(1) of this title).
(d)(1)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 302 and 304 of the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991 (42 U.S.C. 2000e–16b; 2000e–16c) to the Commission or any person alleging a violation of section 302(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2000e–16b(a)(1)) shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission or any person, respectively, alleging an unlawful employment practice in violation of this chapter against an employee described in section 2000gg(3)(D) of this title, except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
(2)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1988 of this title shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission or any person alleging such practice.
(3)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 1981a of this title, including the limitations contained in subsection (b)(3) of such section 1981a, shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission or any person alleging such practice (not an employment practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 1981a(a)(1) of this title).
(e)(1)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e–16) to the Commission, the Attorney General, the Librarian of Congress, or any person alleging a violation of that section shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, the Librarian of Congress, or any person, respectively, alleging an unlawful employment practice in violation of this chapter against an employee described in section 2000gg(3)(E) of this title, except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
(2)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1988 of this title shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, the Librarian of Congress, or any person alleging such practice.
(3)The powers, remedies, and procedures provided in section 1981a of this title, including the limitations contained in subsection (b)(3) of such section 1981a, shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this chapter provides to the Commission, the Attorney General, the Librarian of Congress, or any person alleging such practice (not an employment practice specifically excluded from coverage under section 1981a(a)(1) of this title).
(f)(1)No person shall discriminate against any employee because such employee has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this chapter or because such employee made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this chapter.
(2)It shall be unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any individual in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of such individual having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of such individual having aided or encouraged any other individual in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by this chapter.
(3)The remedies and procedures otherwise provided for under this section shall be available to aggrieved individuals with respect to violations of this subsection.
(g)Notwithstanding subsections (a)(3), (b)(3), (c)(3), (d)(3), and (e)(3), if an unlawful employment practice involves the provision of a reasonable accommodation pursuant to this chapter or regulations implementing this chapter, damages may not be awarded under section 1981a of this title if the covered entity demonstrates good faith efforts, in consultation with the employee with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions who has informed the covered entity that accommodation is needed, to identify and make a reasonable accommodation that would provide such employee with an equally effective opportunity and would not cause an undue hardship on the operation of the covered entity.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 88–352, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241. Title VII of the Act is classified generally to subchapter VI (§ 2000e et seq.) of chapter 21 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2000a of this title and Tables. The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 104–1, Jan. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 3, which is classified principally to chapter 24 (§ 1301 et seq.) of Title 2, The Congress. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note under section 1301 of Title 2 and Tables. The Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, referred to in subsec. (d), is title III of Pub. L. 102–166, Nov. 21, 1991, 105 Stat. 1088, which is classified generally to sections 2000e–16a to 2000e–16c of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 2000e–16a(a) of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 180 days after Dec. 29, 2022, see section 109 of div. II of Pub. L. 117–328, set out as a note under section 2000gg of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 2000gg–2

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60