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If a human fertilized egg/fetus had the same legal rights as a person, should employing a pregnant woman be illegal?

Asked by wabbit (40points) August 20th, 2012

In the US, it’s legal for young children to work for their parents unless the work is hazardous to them. It’s illegal to force a person of any age to work. It’s illegal to discriminate against pregnant women for the purpose of protecting fetuses. However, if a fertilized egg/fetus is deemed to be a person with legal rights, should it be illegal for a pregnant woman to work either because it is deemed hazardous or constitutes forced labor? What if the pregnant women is a single working mother of an existing child? Should the US Congress be required to address related laws if it seeks to overturn current law regarding abortion? (Please Note: This question isn’t about whether abortion itself is the “right” or “wrong” thing to do. Instead, it’s about how a country that governs itself based on a system of laws balances the rights and protection of all it’s citizens.)

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