Nike Will Now Protect Athletes' Pay During Pregnancy

The move comes days after Alysia Montano criticized Nike and its rivals for their policies around pregnancyGETTY IMAGES

Nike said that it is "adding language to new contracts for female athletes that will protect their pay during pregnancy, after coming under fire for cutting compensation for some athletes," according to Khadeeja Safdar of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Nike said that it had "adopted the policy last year but was now writing the terms into its future endorsement deals." Previously, the contracts gave Nike the "right to reduce pay if runners failed to meet performance thresholds for any reason, including pregnancy or childbirth." Although Nike is not changing existing contracts, the company said that current athletes would "receive similar protections." The move comes days after one of its former runners, Alysia Montaño, "criticized Nike and its rivals for their policies around pregnancy" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/19).