The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has proposed regulations to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a bipartisan law enacted by Congress last year that gives individuals the right to request a reasonable accommodation for pregnancy-related limitations. The proposed regulations broadly define “pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions” to include use of birth control, menstruation, infertility and fertility treatments, lactation, and having or choosing not to have an abortion. The EEOC’s decision to include abortion within the definition of “pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions” has created controversy and drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who supported the PWFA. The EEOC is accepting comments on its proposed regulations until October 10, 2023, and CWC intends to comment.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC), our affiliated nonprofit membership association, can read more here.