Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, if a pregnant employee requests light duty, what is the employer’s obligation?

Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, if a pregnant employee requests light duty, what is the employer’s obligation?

• A. Always grant light duty regardless of impact.
• B. Consider reasonable accommodations unless it creates undue hardship.
• C. Never grant light duty; maintain full duties only.
• D. Delay the decision until a union negotiates.

Answer: (B)

Providing reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions is required, and light duty is a valid form of such an accommodation. Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, an employer must consider and pursue reasonable accommodations for a pregnant employee’s condition, engaging in an interactive process to identify options like light-duty tasks, modified duties, changes in schedule, or other adjustments, unless granting the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business. The concept of undue hardship looks at factors such as cost, safety, and the impact on the workplace’s efficiency or essential functions; if light duty would create significant disruption, the employer should explore alternative reasonable accommodations that do not impose that hardship. This duty is ongoing and applies as long as the employee’s pregnancy-related needs exist, not as something to be decided only after union involvement.

Providing reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions is required, and light duty is a valid form of such an accommodation. Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, an employer must consider and pursue reasonable accommodations for a pregnant employee’s condition, engaging in an interactive process to identify options like light-duty tasks, modified duties, changes in schedule, or other adjustments, unless granting the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business. The concept of undue hardship looks at factors such as cost, safety, and the impact on the workplace’s efficiency or essential functions; if light duty would create significant disruption, the employer should explore alternative reasonable accommodations that do not impose that hardship. This duty is ongoing and applies as long as the employee’s pregnancy-related needs exist, not as something to be decided only after union involvement.