Resources Available to Implement New Pregnancy Discrimination Law

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued resources to comply with the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to a worker’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an undue hardship.

This law builds upon existing protections against pregnancy discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and access to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The PWFA is bipartisan legislation that was signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 29, 2022. The EEOC enforces the PWFA and began accepting charges on June 27, 2023, the day the law became effective. The PWFA requires the EEOC to issue regulations to implement the law by Dec. 29, 2023.

The EEOC has released educational resources including a set of resources on the PWFA, called “What You Should Know About the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act,” including a webinar for employers, an informational poster for healthcare facilities, tips for workers to request accommodations, a short video series, and a revised “Know Your Rights” poster required to be posted in most workplaces.

The EEOC will continue to update “What You Should Know about the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act” as more information is available.

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