March 2023: Philadelphia City Mayor Pass Bills to Grant Reproductive Health Protections

Update Applicable to:
All employers in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What happened?
On January 16, 2023, the Philadelphia Mayor signed three bills into law. These bills are known as the Reproductive Freedom Platform, a package that extends critical protections to anyone who receives or provides reproductive healthcare in Philadelphia.

What are the details?
The legislative package contains three bills:

• Bill No. 220664, introduced by Councilmember Brooks, updates Philadelphia’s anti-discrimination law to prevent workplace discrimination against an employee for reproductive healthcare decisions—including abortion care, fertility assistance, and birth control. 

• Bill No. 220665, introduced by Councilmember Gauthier, would deter the use of “Texas vigilante” style laws that subject patients, helpers, or providers to civil liability for abortion services that are legal in PA, by permitting Philadelphians to countersue.

• Bill No. 220656, introduced by former Councilmember Gym, bars the disclosure of reproductive healthcare information when the person doing the disclosure knows or should know that the information will be used for abusive litigation or harassment. 

In addition to the three bills, a resolution creating a task force of administration officials, city council members, and stakeholders to mobilize all aspects of city government to protect and expand reproductive care was passed in October 2022. 

These bills went into effect immediately upon signage.

For more information, please see the links below:

Bill No. 220664

Bill No. 220665

Bill No. 220656

Resolution

City Council Article

What do employers need to do?
Employers should review the links above and ensure that their employees will not be discriminated against for their reproductive autonomy and educate their management personnel on this new law.