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Pregnant workers may get new protections after all

TIMOTHY SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images

That long-stalled House bill to protect pregnant workers from abuse by their bosses — buried in committee because of objections from a powerful business lobby — may finally see the light of day.

And why? Because the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, whose opposition cast the business group and the House leadership in a bad light, has agreed to “negotiate” with advocates for the legislation, according to sources familiar with the status of the bill.

That’s great news for those hoping to push the bill into law. It also underscores the point that AIM wields considerable influence on Beacon Hill, particularly in the House. Holding up a bill aimed at protecting pregnant women from workplace abuse for over a year is impressive, even by State House standards.

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AIM’s interest in opening up discussions with advocates apparently came last week after the Globe, in a story describing the influence the group wields on Beacon Hill, used the travails of the Pregnant Workers Protection Act as an example of that power. It has been bottled up in the House Ways and Means Committee for over a year and appeared dead, at least for 2016 session.

AIM issued a statement, criticizing the Globe for not mentioning that it had “signaled to the Legislature and to advocates that we are willing” to negotiate over the proposed legislation. But when the story was published, advocates strongly denied that they had received any such signals.

AIM argues that the legislation, as written, would burden small businesses, duplicate existing law, and give workers the right to reject employers’ “multiple and reasonable offers of accommodation.”

Presumably that is all being negotiated — and then, with AIM’s backing, the green light would be given to the Ways and Means Committee to get the bill to the House floor. However, with no more formal sessions of the House scheduled this year, the legislation would, under the rules, have to be approved without objection from a single lawmaker.

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Frank Phillips can be reached at phillips@globe.com.