Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Overview
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) became effective on June 27, 2023. This federal law aims to protect the rights of pregnant employees by requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee’s or applicant’s known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause undue hardship. Under the PWFA, the University must engage in an interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that enable employees to remain employed .
Applicability
PWFA applies to pregnant BGSU employees who experience known limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions. Covered conditions include, but are not limited to, morning sickness, miscarriage, lactation, fertility treatment, and postpartum depression—even if they do not meet the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Reasonable accommodations—without imposing undue hardship on the University—may include:
- Permission to sit, drink water, or eat while working
- Flexible or modified work schedules
- Properly sized uniforms and safety apparel
- Additional breaks to rest, eat, hydrate, or use the restroom
- Light duty or help with lifting or other manual labor
Procedures
Please contact the Office of Human Resources or your supervisor to discuss your need for a workplace accommodation under the PWFA[SD2] . If a request is made to a supervisor, the supervisor should contact Human Resources to discuss the request for accommodations.
FAQs
Pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions” includes uncomplicated pregnancies, vaginal deliveries or cesarian sections, miscarriage, postpartum depression, edema, placenta previa, and lactation.
Title VII (enforced by the EEOC), which protects workers from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and requires covered employers to treat workers affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions the same as others similar in their ability or inability to work;
The ADA (enforced by the EEOC), which protects workers from discrimination based on disability; and requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified individual with a disability if the reasonable accommodation would not cause an undue hardship for the employer. Some pregnancy-related conditions may be disabilities under the law, but pregnancy itself is not a disability under the ADA.
The FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) (enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor), which provides covered employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons; and
The PUMP Act (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act) (enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor), which broadens workplace protections for employees to express breast milk at work.
If an employee needs accommodations due to a disability, a request should be made through the Office of Accessibility Services.
Updated: 03/17/2026 12:52PM