Pregnancy Discrimination in the Workplace

Pregnancy Discrimination and Work Situations

Pregnancy discrimination involves treating a woman—an applicant or employee—unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) forbids discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other term or condition of employment.

Pregnancy Discrimination and Temporary Disability

If a woman is temporarily unable to perform her job due to a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, the employer or other covered entity must treat her in the same way as it treats any other temporarily disabled employee. For example, the employer may have to provide light duty, alternative assignments, disability leave, or unpaid leave to pregnant employees if it does so for other temporarily disabled employees.

Additionally, impairments resulting from pregnancy—for example, gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, a condition characterized by pregnancy-induced hypertension and protein in the urine—may be disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). An employer may have to provide a reasonable accommodation, such as leave or modifications that enable an employee to perform her job, for a disability related to pregnancy. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 makes it much easier to show that a medical condition is a covered disability. For more information about the ADA, see Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm.

Pregnancy Discrimination and Harassment

It is unlawful to harass a woman because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision such as the victim being fired or demoted. The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a coworker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

Pregnancy, Maternity, and Parental Leave

Under the PDA, an employer that allows temporarily disabled employees to take disability leave or leave without pay, must allow an employee who is temporarily disabled due to pregnancy to do the same. An employer may not single out pregnancy-related conditions for special procedures to determine an employee's ability to work. However, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor's statement concerning their ability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy-related conditions to submit such statements.

Further, under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, a new parent—including foster and adoptive parents—may be eligible for 12 weeks of leave (unpaid or paid if the employee has earned or accrued it) that may be used for care of the new child. To be eligible, the employee must have worked for the employer for 12 months prior to taking the leave and the employer must have a specified number of employees. You can learn more at the U.S. Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #28: The Family and Medical Leave Act at Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.htm.

Pregnancy and Workplace Laws

Pregnant employees may have additional rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor. Nursing mothers may also have the right to express milk in the workplace under a provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. For more information see the U.S. Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #73: Break Time for Nursing Mothers Under the FLSA at Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs73.htm.