The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act 101: What Every Practitioner Needs to Know

In June 2023, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), the first new federal statute in 45 years to address the rights of pregnant people on the job, went into effect. The statute marks a change in employers' obligations with respect to workers affected by pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, requiring that they make "reasonable accommodations" for workers' limitations unless doing so would impose an undue hardship. The presenter, Gillian Thomas of the ACLU, will discuss PWFA's key provisions, including the implementing regulations issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as well as the statute's overlap with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and state and local protections, as well as specific application of the statute to post-partum workers, including those who need to pump on the job. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the key provisions of PWFA, including the EEOC's implementing regulations
2. Examine best practices for employers in implementing the statute and for employee advocates in representing workers who need accommodations
3. Analyze the overlap between PWFA and related federal laws
4. Discuss PWFA's coverage of workers' post-partum needs, including the need to pump