Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)- Final Rules

The final rules on the PWFA have been published by the EEOC and provides clarification on reasonable accommodations for known limitations of employees and applicants related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. While the PWFA has been in force since June 2023, the final rules provide more details on “reasonable accommodations” and goes into effect on June 18, 2024, and applies to employers with 15 or more employees. The PWFA closely follows the definitions from the American Disability Act for “reasonable accommodations” and “essential functions” of the position. An interactive process between Human Resources or Manager and the employee is a good place to start in determining what reasonable accommodations may be needed.  Note: the PWFA focuses on providing accommodations; other laws make it illegal to discriminate.