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Bethel provides reasonable pregnancy accommodations to female employees for health conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. More frequent restroom, food, and water breaks, seating, and limits on lifting over twenty pounds will be provided to pregnant employees upon request. The pregnant employee may request additional reasonable accommodations with the advice from her health care provider, which will be granted unless they impose an undue hardship on Bethel.

Bethel provides reasonable unpaid break time to nursing employees. Bethel will make reasonable efforts to provide a room other than a bathroom or toilet stall, which is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which includes access to an electrical outlet. Bethel will not retaliate against an employee asserting these rights.

 The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) protects the rights of qualified individuals in the workforce. The PWFA requires employers to engage in an interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that enable an employee with known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions to remain at work. Like ADA accommodations, PWFA requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Key points regarding the PWFA accommodation process:

• All employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions are eligible for reasonable accommodations. The limitations do not have to rise to the level of a disability.
• Employees needing PWFA accommodations should inform OPC of their limitations and need for adjustments at work.
• OPC will only request documentation when necessary to determine whether to grant the accommodation, or the limitation and need for accommodation is not obvious.
• Nursing parents needing a location and break time to express milk do not need to request formal accommodations. Lactating employees have the right to reasonable paid break times to express milk at work unless they are expressing milk during a break that is not usually paid, such as a meal break. If a nursing parent has any concerns about expressing milk at work, they should contact OPC.

Examples of reasonable accommodation requests that should be processed quickly without medical documentation and a limited interactive process include:

1. Additional, longer, or more flexible breaks to drink water, eat, rest, or use the restroom, as needed.
2. Modifying equipment, devices, or workstations, such as providing a stool to sit on, or a way to do work while standing.
3. Absences for healthcare appointments related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
4. Changing food or drink policies to allow for a water bottle or food, if needed.

More information about Minnesota’s law concerning pregnant workers and new parents may be found by accessing the links below.

MN Pregnant workers and new parents’ poster

Accommodation Employee Notice

Confidentiality

OPC maintains confidentiality of medical information and such records shall not be released except as required by law.

• An eligible employee's restrictions, limitations, and recommended accommodations may be shared with necessary supervisory staff, but only as a matter of business necessity to ensure proper implementation.
• In cases where disclosing a health condition is necessary to implement the accommodation, the employee will be consulted regarding the limited information that may need to be provided to supervisory staff.

Nursing Mother's Rooms

There are several rooms designated for nursing mothers across multiple locations.

3900 Campus

Hagstrom Carl Lundquist Community Life Center (HC CLC Building)

• Room HC118. You will need to go into the Facilities Management office and ask for the key to the room at the front desk.

The Anderson Center

 2nd Floor

• If you are coming from the elevatorsCLC 110
  • The code for the door to this room is available from Conference and Events Services at CLC 121, 651-638-6090, or Facilities Management at 651-638-6200.

Anderson Center

2^nd Floor

• From the elevator, turn left and walk down the hallway next to the women’s restroom. The nursing room is on your the left.

1st 1^st Floor

• There is a separate nursing mother’s room located inside of the women’s restroom.

If you have any questions about this policy or need help finding a room to express milk, please contact OPC at 651-638-6119 or people-culture@bethel.edu.