Today, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) will take effect, expanding long-overdue protections to ensure that workers experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions have the right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace. The law was signed by President Joe Biden last year, and as it goes into effect today, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will begin accepting charges of discrimination under this new statute for incidents that occurred on or after June 27, 2023. The PWFA requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to a worker’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an undue hardship. This law builds upon existing protections against pregnancy discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
