If you thought you understood your obligations from a legal perspective of handling a pregnant employee in your workplace, think again. The rules are changing so quickly it is often hard to keep up.

This CLE will answer your most important questions on this topic such as whether you even have to accommodate a pregnant employee since a normal pregnancy is not a “disability” within the meaning of the ADA/ADAAA. What laws come into play when an employee requests to be able to take more frequent breaks due to her pregnancy as a reasonable accommodation? What obligations do employers have under the recently enacted Pregnant Workers Fairness Act with regard to providing pregnant employees with reasonable accommodations? In addition to this important federal law, what states and municipalities have passed laws that affirmatively require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to their pregnant employees? What guidelines has the EEOC issued requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees based on all those pregnancy-related conditions that pregnant women have like gestational diabetes or hypertension. What about after a pregnant employee gives birth and needs to nurse her child? What laws come into play at this point? What are your obligations under the PUMP Act? Do states and municipalities also have laws and regulations protecting nursing moms in the workplace?

Are you familiar with the NYC recently issued Model Lactation Accommodation Policies and Request Forms. Even though New York State has required that employers provide reasonable break time to nursing employees for a while, did you know that NYC just passed a law requiring that employers in NYC provide employees with lactation accommodations, including a lactation room where employees can pump/express breast milk, and reasonable time to pump/express breast milk. Do you know your obligations under this law and other laws requiring reasonable break time for nursing moms to express breast milk in the workplace? Do employers need to have a written lactation policy that is compliant with these recently-enacted laws? Learn what your Lactation Policy should include and see a sample draft lactation policy.

*This course qualifies as a Transitional course and can be taken by both Experienced and Newly Admitted attorneys in NY.