Accommodating Pregnant and Nursing Women in the Workplace

Join us in this webinar to familiarize yourself with pregnancy and nursing-related rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. While pregnancy and nursing are not considered disabilities, many pregnancy-related conditions are considered disabilities. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires employers to make modifications or accommodations to a pregnant and/or nursing worker’s job in a manner similar to those provided to a disabled employee. This could include adjusting job-related duties, providing additional breaks, or implementing lifting limitations and other safety procedures. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act section of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covered employers are required to accommodate employees who are nursing.

• Best practices for accommodating pregnant and post-partum employees
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA)
• Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
• Understanding the current legal landscape

• Is pregnancy considered a disability under the ADA?
• Nursing accommodations - Federal and State Laws
• Post-partum conditions may be "pregnancy-related"
• When employers may require physician documentation?
• Common mistakes to avoid in the accommodation process
• Accommodations for which the employer cannot claim undue hardship

Recent surveys indicate women are working much later into their pregnancies than before. As an employer, it is important to recognize that federal law mandates that you accommodate pregnant workers in accordance with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In 2017, a handful of states passed legislation designed to protect pregnant workers on the job. The legislation was designed to guarantee that pregnant women received the same level of protection provided to other individuals by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Those protections include reasonable accommodations for pregnant and nursing workers. Employers need to take note of how they and the employee will come to terms with accommodations and know if there are any accommodations for which the employer cannot claim undue hardship.

• HR generalists and staff
• Benefit analysts
• Department managers and supervisors
• Small business owners and operators

Diane L. Dee, President of Advantage HR Consulting, has over 25 years of experience in the Human Resources arena. Diane’s background includes experience in HR consulting and administration in corporate, government, consulting, and pro bono environments. Diane founded Advantage HR Consulting in early 2016. Under Diane’s leadership, Advantage HR provides comprehensive, cost-effective Human Resources solutions for small to mid-sized firms in the greater Chicagoland area. Additionally, Diane conducts webinars on a wide variety of HR topics for various training firms across the country. Diane holds a Master's Certificate in Human Resources from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and has attained SPHR, SHRM-SCP, sHRBP, and HRPM® certifications. Diane is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Diane performs pro bono work through the Taproot Foundation assisting non-profit clients by integrating their Human Resources goals with their corporate strategies.