The recently enacted Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) expands federal protections for pregnant workers by requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related limitations.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is a new law that goes into effect on June 27, 2023 that requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers for known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless it causes undue hardship. The law prohibits employers from discriminating against covered employees who request reasonable accommodations and requires them to engage in an interactive process to arrive at a reasonable accommodation. The PWFA protects against retaliation and ensures that pregnant workers can continue working with reasonable accommodations. Employers should update their policies, train supervisors and HR departments, and analyze potential accommodations to prepare for the new law.