Pam: Are Companies Required to Make Accommodations for Pregnant Workers?
There are a number of laws that require that companies provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. The federal government forbids companies from terminating pregnant employees, but every state has their own interpretation of the meaning of reasonable accommodation.
What Does the Law Say?
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) of 1978 amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that sex discrimination by employers includes pregnancy. Pregnancy discrimination means that employers treat a female who is pregnant or planning to be pregnant negatively. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to all aspects of employment, which includes pay, hiring, firing, training, benefits promotions and work assignments. Pregnancy Discrimination Act also covers pregnancy-based
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A pregnant employee who must continually consume liquids will struggle to work with expensive equipment or irreplaceable documentation because of concerns over spillage. In this scenario, the employer should arrange for separate table or fixture for the employee to easily access water. Employers must sometimes purchase new or modifying existing devices and equipment. Pregnant employees who are required to stand during their shift will experience pain, so employers should provide a chair or stool.
The most commonly requested accommodation is a flexible or modified work schedule. Some employers struggle to deal with schedule adjustments because of limited manpower or cross-trained employees. Other employers may claim that schedule disruptions will adversely affect the employee 's ability to meet with clients and perform their duties. Scheduling accommodations are not an undue hardship, but merely opportunities to train new