1.12.16

Suggested lead:   There's a bipartisan push on at the Washington state Capitol to make life on the job a little easier for pregnant women.  Dan Frizzell has that story.

Wrap (:60 total):   Sixteen states, as well as four cities and the District of Columbia, currently require employers to make what's called "reasonable accommodations" for pregnant women and new moms on their payrolls.  You can add Washington to that group if state Representative Jessyn Farrell gets her new bill to the governor's desk before the end of the 60-day legislative session.  Her bill, the subject of a public hearing in the House Committee on Labor and Workforce Standards Tuesday in Olympia, is rather mild compared to some other states, and Farrell says that's no accident. 

FARRELL:  "I am working with businesses, in particular small businesses, to make sure that this bill works for them. The goal here isn't to have anything that's onerous, but really just make it work for that short time that a woman may need some accommodations." [:14]. 

Farrell, a Seattle Democrat, points to things like more flexibility in bathroom breaks and rest periods, especially for women who work on their feet, as the thrust of her bill.  She expects bipartisan support, and says Republicans have already come on board for a similar bill being considered by the state Senate.  In Olympia, I’m Dan Frizzell.