Pregnant & Nursing Mothers Accommodations

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

Carl Lundquist Community Life Center (CLC Building)

• Room CLC 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 the left.

1^st Floor

• There is a separate nursing mother’s room located inside 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.