The obligation under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) to provide reasonable accommodations for known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions kicks in today. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other media outlets.
EEOC Action
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will now start accepting PWFA charges. Charges submitted to the EEOC must be based on events that occurred on or after June 27.
Other Protections
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, already prohibited pregnancy discrimination. The PDA requires covered employers to treat employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions the same as other similarly situated employees. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with certain conditions related to pregnancy that qualify as a disability—for example, gestational diabetes—though many other common pregnancy-related conditions are not covered.
The PWFA applies to employers with 15 or more employees, unless the accommodation would cause the employer an undue hardship.
PWFA Coordination
The PWFA's accommodation provisions are based on the ADA's, but under the PWFA, an employer may temporarily have to eliminate an essential job function. That's not the case under the ADA.
Reasonable Accommodations Under the PWFA
Reasonable accommodations might include assigning light duty, permitting more frequent bathroom breaks or allowing pregnant workers to drink water at their workstations.
Other accommodations under the PWFA might include:
- The ability to sit at a workstation.
- Closer parking.
- Flexible hours.
- Appropriately sized uniforms and safety apparel.
- Additional break time to use the bathroom, eat and rest.
- Leave to recover from childbirth.
- Reassignment from activities that are strenuous or involve exposure to compounds not safe for pregnancy.
(Axios, SHRM Online and White and Williams)
An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.
Related Content
Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.
As artificial intelligence technology continues to develop, the demand for workers with the ability to work alongside and manage AI systems will increase. This means that workers who are not able to adapt and learn these new skills will be left behind in the job market.