In most cases, yes. Under the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which took effect in June 2023, covered employers must provide reasonable accommodations for the known limitations of an employee or applicant related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would cause the employer an undue hardship. This is a meaningful upgrade over older law: you no longer have to prove that the employer accommodates some other non-pregnant worker before you can get help.
This article explains the federal baseline, where state law often goes further, and the practical steps to actually request and secure an accommodation.
The federal baseline: who has to accommodate pregnancy
Three federal laws work together here, and it helps to keep them straight:
- The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is the main law. It requires covered employers (generally those with 15 or more employees) to provide reasonable accommodations for limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. It is enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, makes it illegal to discriminate against you because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions. It also covers employers with 15 or more employees and is enforced by the EEOC.
- The PUMP Act (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act) gives most nursing employees the right to reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space to pump breast milk. It is part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division.
The PWFA is what most people are really asking about when they ask, "Does my employer have to accommodate my pregnancy?" The answer turns on whether your employer is covered (usually 15+ employees, including state and local governments and many federal agencies) and whether the accommodation you need is reasonable and does not impose an undue hardship.
What counts as a covered "limitation"
The PWFA is broad. It covers limitations tied to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. That includes the obvious things and many less obvious ones, such as:
- Current pregnancy, past pregnancy, and the postpartum recovery period
- Morning sickness, nausea, and dehydration
- Gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and high blood pressure
- Lactation and the need to pump
- Miscarriage, stillbirth, and recovery from them
- Fertility treatment and the use of contraception
- Having or choosing to have an abortion
Importantly, the limitation does not have to rise to the level of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It can be a modest, temporary, or even "episodic" need. The condition also does not have to be caused solely by the pregnancy; it just has to be related.
What accommodations look like in practice
A "reasonable accommodation" is a change to the work environment or to how a job is usually done that lets you keep working safely. Common pregnancy accommodations include:
- Carrying a water bottle and taking extra bathroom, food, or rest breaks
- Sitting instead of standing (or a stool to sit on)
- Limits on heavy lifting, or help with lifting
- A modified schedule, schedule flexibility for medical appointments, or part-time hours
- Light duty or temporary reassignment of strenuous or hazardous tasks
- Time off to recover from childbirth or a related condition
- Remote work where the job can be done from home
- Adjusted uniforms or safety equipment that fit
One feature that makes the PWFA stronger than the ADA: the EEOC has identified several simple accommodations that should virtually always be granted without extensive back-and-forth or medical documentation, such as carrying water, taking restroom breaks, sitting or standing as needed, and taking breaks to eat and drink. Employers are expected to grant these quickly.
The "interactive process"
When you ask for an accommodation, the law expects you and your employer to talk it through, an exchange called the interactive process. You describe the limitation and what would help; the employer considers options. The employer does not have to grant the exact accommodation you request if another effective one is available, but it cannot simply ignore the request or force you onto unpaid leave when a workable adjustment exists. In fact, the PWFA specifically says an employer may not require you to take leave, paid or unpaid, if another reasonable accommodation would let you keep working.
When an employer can say no: undue hardship
An employer can deny an accommodation only if it would cause an undue hardship, meaning significant difficulty or expense given the employer's size, resources, and operations. This is a real but limited exception. Cost alone is rarely enough for a large company, and inconvenience or annoyance does not qualify. If your employer claims undue hardship, it should be able to explain specifically why, and you can ask for that explanation in writing.
Where state law often adds stronger protections
The federal PWFA is a floor, not a ceiling. Many states had pregnancy-accommodation laws before the PWFA, and a number of them are broader. Depending on where you work, this varies by state, but state law commonly adds protections such as: