Appeals court overturns order that stripped some protections from pregnant Texas state workers
August 18, 2025
A federal appeals court has upheld a law strengthening the rights of pregnant workers, vacating a judge’s earlier order that had stripped those protections from Texas state employees. The ruling was a victory for advocates of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a law that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2022 but quickly became embroiled in controversy over whether it covers workers seeking abortions. A federal judge last year blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act for Texas state employees, ruling that its passage was unconstitutional because a majority of House members were not present to approve the law.