April 15 Reuters U.S. employers39; obligation to accommodate workers39; pregnancies also extends to abortions and the use of contraception, the U.S. agency that enforces workplace discrimination laws said on Monday.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC unveiled a rule to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a law that Congress passed with bipartisan support and the backing of major business groups in 2022.

The law requires employers to alter job duties or give time off to workers with limitations related to … pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

The commission39;s rule, which was proposed last year, has drawn criticism from some Republicans and religious groups who say the law39;s protections should not extend to workers who choose to have abortions or take birth control, or that if it does, religious employers should be eligible for an exemption.

A group of Republicans in Congress suggested in comments to the EEOC that the lack of a religious exemption could form the basis of a legal challenge to the rule.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina, said on Monday the EEOC exceeded its authority by adopting the rule.

The term abortion is not once mentioned in the law, Foxx said in a statement. Instead of following congressional intent, the Biden administration is using the regulatory process to advance radical policy goals.

The EEOC39;s five members are appointed by the president, but the agency functions…