North Carolina 2021-2022 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 17 D · 2 I cosponsors

HB 514 — NC Healthy Pregnancy Act.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2021-2022 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

154 added · 152 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Bill HB 514 includes a significant change by removing the last point about temporarily transferring an employee to a less strenuous or hazardous vacant position, though this option is mentioned earlier. Instead, the emphasis is now more on providing various accommodations for pregnant employees, like allowing more break time and access to a private space for expressing milk. This matters because it clarifies and strengthens protections for pregnant workers, ensuring they have better support and can perform their jobs without unnecessary strain.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2021 H 1 HOUSE BILL 514 Short Title:
514 Apr 8, 2021 SESSION 2021 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH50015-LR-116E Short Title:
Representative von Haefen.
Representatives von Haefen, Hawkins, Cunningham, and Alston (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ADDRESSING PREGNANCY-RELATED DISCRIMINATION AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE.
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 12, 2021 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ADDRESSING PREGNANCY-RELATED DISCRIMINATION AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE.
2.
*H514-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 2.
Making reasonable changes in the duties of the job in question that would accommodate the known limitations of a pregnant *DRH50015-LR-116E* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 person who is seeking or performing the job in question by enabling the person to satisfactorily perform the duties of that job;
Making reasonable changes in the duties of the job in question that would accommodate the known limitations of a pregnant person who is seeking or performing the job in question by enabling the person to satisfactorily perform the duties of that job;
Modifying food and drink policies to enable access to food and drink and to permit meals and beverages at workstations.
Modifyingfood and drink policies to enable access to food and drink and to permit meals and beverages at workstations.
(a) A qualified pregnant person requesting a reasonable accommodation must apprise the employer, employment agency, labor organization, place of public accommodation, or covered Page 2 DRH50015-LR-116E General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 governmental entity of the person's pregnancy, submit any necessary medical documentation, make suggestions for such possible accommodations as are known to such person, and cooperate in any ensuing discussion and evaluation aimed at determining possible or feasible accommodations.
Page 2 House Bill 514-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (a) A qualified pregnant person requesting a reasonable accommodation must apprise the employer, employment agency, labor organization, place of public accommodation, or covered governmental entity of the person's pregnancy, submit any necessary medical documentation, make suggestions for such possible accommodations as are known to such person, and cooperate in any ensuing discussion and evaluation aimed at determining possible or feasible accommodations.
(4) For an employer, labor organization, or employment agency to fail to meet the duties imposed by this Chapter.
(4) For an employer, labor organization, or employment agencyto fail to meet the duties imposed by this Chapter.
(a) No employer shall discharge, expel, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against any person or applicant for employment, nor shall any employment agency discriminate against any person, nor shall a labor organization discriminate against any member or applicant for membership because the person has opposed any practice made a discriminatory practice by this Chapterorbecausethepersonhas testified,assisted, orparticipated in any mannerin proceedings under this Chapter.
(a) No employer shall discharge, expel, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against any person or applicant for employment, nor shall any employment agency discriminate against any person, nor shall a labor organization discriminate against any member or applicant for membership because the person has opposed any practice made a discriminatory practice by this Chapterorbecausethepersonhas testified,assisted,orparticipated in anymannerin proceedings under this Chapter.
(b) No entity or person covered under this Chapter shall retaliate against or coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with a person who exercises rights under this Chapter or assists a person in exercising the person's rights under this Chapter.
House Bill 514-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (b) No entity or person covered under this Chapter shall retaliate against or coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with a person who exercises rights under this Chapter or assists a person in exercising the person's rights under this Chapter.
DRH50015-LR-116E Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (a) Anemployershall providenoticeoftheright tobefreefromdiscrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, and relatedconditions, including theright toreasonableaccommodation to known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, as provided by this Chapter.
(a) Anemployershall providenoticeoftheright to befreefromdiscrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, and relatedconditions, includingtheright to reasonableaccommodation to known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, as provided by this Chapter.
(b) In addition to the posted notice required by subsection (a) of this section, notice of theright to befreefrom discrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, andrelated conditions shall be provided to employees individually as follows:
(b) In addition to the posted notice required by subsection (a) of this section, notice of theright to be freefrom discrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, andrelated conditions shall be provided to employees individually as follows:
168B-5 may bring a civil action to enforce rights granted or protected by this Chapter against any person, covered governmental entity, employer,employmentagency, orlabororganization that is alleged to have committed such practices or engaged in such conduct.
168B-5 may bring a civil action to enforce rights granted or protected by this Chapter against anyperson, covered governmental entity, employer,employment agency, orlabororganization thatis alleged to have committed such practices or engaged in such conduct.
The action shall be commenced in superior court in the county where the alleged discriminatory practice or prohibited conduct occurred orwheretheplaintiffordefendant resides.Suchaction shall betriedto thecourtwithout a jury.
The action shall be commenced in superior court in the county where the alleged discriminatory practice or prohibited conduct occurred orwheretheplaintiffordefendant resides.Such actionshall betried to thecourtwithout a jury.
Page 4 DRH50015-LR-116E
Page 4 House Bill 514-First Edition
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How this bill changes current law

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Compared against the N.C. General Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes the North Carolina Healthy Pregnancy Act, prohibiting pregnancy-related discrimination and requiring reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-1. Short title. This Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "North Carolina Healthy Pregnancy Act."

    Introduces a new chapter under the General Statutes titled the North Carolina Healthy Pregnancy Act.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-2. Public policy. It is the public policy of this State to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination or abridgement by employers on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition.

    Establishes public policy to prevent discrimination in employment based on pregnancy and related conditions.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-3. Definitions. The following definitions apply in this Chapter: ... (7) Pregnancy or pregnant. – Includes pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including lactation.

    Defines 'pregnancy' in the context of discrimination and reasonable accommodations.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-4. Reasonable accommodation duties. (a) A qualified pregnant person requesting a reasonable accommodation must apprise the employer ... and cooperate in any ensuing discussion and evaluation aimed at determining possible or feasible accommodations.

    Establishes a protocol for pregnant individuals to request reasonable accommodations.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-5. Discriminatory practices prohibited. ... It is an unlawful, discriminatory practice to ... fail to make reasonable accommodations for limitations arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

    Prohibits discriminatory practices related to employment conditions affecting pregnant individuals.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-6. Retaliation prohibited. (a) No employer shall discharge, expel, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against any person or applicant for employment ... because the person has opposed any practice made a discriminatory practice by this Chapter.

    Prohibits retaliation against individuals opposing discriminatory practices related to pregnancy.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-7. Posting of notices. (a) An employer shall provide notice of the right to be free from discrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions ...

    Requires employers to notify employees of their rights concerning pregnancy-related discrimination.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-8. Civil action. (a) A pregnant person aggrieved by a discriminatory practice ... may bring a civil action ... against any person, covered governmental entity, employer, employment agency, or labor organization ...

    Permits civil actions to be filed by pregnant persons against those committing discriminatory practices.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-9. Statute of limitations. A civil action ... shall be commenced within three years after the date on which the aggrieved person became aware ...

    Sets a three-year statute of limitations for filing civil actions regarding discrimination under the new chapter.

  • § 168A-3

    § 168B-10. Construction of Chapter. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to preempt, limit, diminish, or otherwise affect another provision of federal, State, or local law ...

    Clarifies that this Act does not limit existing laws and rights.

Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 30 co-sponsors · 146 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (30)

Not signed on (146)

146 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 146 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights healthcare labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 514?
HB 514 is sponsored by Cecil Brockman (Democratic), R. Smith, K. Smith, Lucas, Nasif Majeed (U), Meyer, Marcia Morey (Democratic), Amos L. Quick, III (Democratic), Zack Hawkins (Democratic), Carla D. Cunningham (U), Vernetta Alston (Democratic), Autry, Amber M. Baker (Democratic), Cynthia Ball (Democratic), Mary Belk (Democratic), Terry M. Brown Jr. (Democratic), Deb Butler (Democratic), Becky Carney (Democratic), Cooper-Suggs, Allison A. Dahle (Democratic), Everitt, Fisher, Gailliard, Gill, Harris, Pricey Harrison (Democratic), Hunt, Hurtado, Insko, Julie von Haefen (Democratic), Abe Jones (Democratic), Brandon Lofton (Democratic), and Carolyn G. Logan (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 514?
This bill died with 2021-2022 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 514?
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