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Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Reasons employees might need accommodations
With the fairly new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), more employees will be asking for accommodations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Handling such requests must be handled correctly, or the risk of an expensive claim increases. The information below can help keep comply with the law and regulations and help avoid a claim.
Reasons employees might need PWFA accommodations
With the new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), more employees will be asking for accommodations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Supervisors need to know the reasons that can qualify for accommodations, so they avoid compliance missteps.
The reasons employees might need accommodations include, but are not limited by, the following:
| Pregnancy | Childbirth | Termination of pregnancy, including via miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion |
| Ectopic pregnancy | Preterm labor | Pelvic prolapse |
| Nerve injuries | Cesarean or perineal wound infection | Maternal cardiometabolic disease |
| Gestational diabetes | Preeclampsia | HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets) syndrome |
| Hyperemesis gravidarum | Anemia | Endometriosis |
| Sciatica | Lumbar lordosis | Carpal tunnel syndrome |
| Chronic migraines | Dehydration | Hemorrhoids |
| Nausea or vomiting | Edema of the legs, ankles, feet, or fingers | High blood pressure |
| Infection | Antenatal (during pregnancy) anxiety, depression, or psychosis; | Postpartum depression, anxiety, or psychosis; |
| Frequent urination; | Incontinence | Loss of balance |
| Vision changes | Varicose veins | Changes in hormone level |
| Vaginal bleeding | Menstruation | Lactation and conditions related to lactation, such as low milk supply, engorgement, plugged ducts, mastitis, or fungal infections |