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Ricketts signs law to boost protections for pregnant workers

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pregnant workers will have the right to easier workloads and modified schedules under a new Nebraska law.

Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a bill Monday to create better employment protections for expectant mothers.

The law requires employers to acknowledge physical limitations of pregnancy and make accommodations for employees. It also bars discrimination against pregnant women in employment practices such as hiring or firing.

Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha has said the bill he sponsored complies with a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of a pregnant woman who asked for job accommodations similar to those available to workers with physical disabilities.

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