Pregnant Workers, Ask Employers of 15+ for Accommodations
If pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition limits what you can do at work, you can ask an employer with 15 or more employees for a reasonable accommodation, such as more breaks, keeping water with you, a stool, a schedule change or leave for prenatal appointments; this is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and it covers job applicants too. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says employers must provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so would cause an “undue hardship,” meaning significant difficulty or expense.
EEOC says you don’t need special words to ask for an accommodation and employers should respond promptly; EEOC expects many accommodations can be worked out in a brief conversation or email. This article follows EEOC’s PWFA guidance: who is covered, what you can ask for and what employers can’t do.
Who is covered
EEOC explains (EEOC Pregnant Workers Fairness Act):
- Employers: private and public employers with 15 or more employees, plus Congress, federal agencies, employment agencies and labor organizations.
- Employees and applicants: people who can do the essential functions of the job, with or without an accommodation; someone temporarily unable to do them may also be covered if they can do them in the near future and the gap can be reasonably accommodated.
- Lactation: lactation is included in “pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions”; the Department of Labor separately enforces the PUMP Act for pumping at work, see Pump at Work for a Year After Birth, Not in a Bathroom.
Accommodations you can ask for
Examples EEOC lists (not a complete list):
- Breaks: additional, longer or more flexible breaks.
- Food and drink: relaxed food and drink rules, such as allowing a water bottle.
- Equipment: changes to equipment or workstations, such as a stool.
- Uniforms: changes to uniforms or dress codes, or properly fitting safety equipment.
- Schedule: shorter hours, part-time work or a later start time.
- How you work: telework, temporary reassignment, or temporarily setting aside one or more essential job functions.
- Job duties: light duty or help with lifting.
- Leave: leave for health care and prenatal appointments, or to recover from childbirth.
What employers can’t do
- Refuse an accommodation: they can’t refuse a reasonable accommodation unless it would cause an undue hardship.
- Decide on their own: they can’t force an accommodation on you without discussing it with you.
- Deny a job: they can’t deny you a job or opportunity because you need an accommodation.
- Force leave: they can’t make you take leave when another accommodation would let you keep working.
- Retaliate: they can’t retaliate against people who ask for accommodations, oppose discrimination or take part in PWFA proceedings.
- Ask for proof: when the limitation is obvious, or you just need bathroom breaks or water, employers generally can’t require documentation; the same goes for lactating employees who need changes to pump or nurse at work.
For how to file with EEOC and the deadline, see Job Discrimination, File with EEOC, Usually Within 180 Days; for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave after giving birth, see FMLA Leave, Up to 12 Unpaid Weeks, Job and Health Plan Kept.
What this article did not check
- Whether your situation counts as an undue hardship: it depends on the facts, so this article draws no conclusion.
- State pregnant worker laws: this article covers only the federal PWFA and did not check state laws.
- Whether you’re paid during an accommodation: the page doesn’t say, so this article doesn’t either.
Frequently asked questions
My company has only 10 people. Does it apply?
The PWFA covers employers with 15 or more employees; for smaller ones, this article did not check state laws.
Do I need to write a formal letter to ask?
No. EEOC says you don’t need special words; EEOC expects many accommodations can be worked out in a brief conversation or email.
Can my employer just tell me to take leave?
Not when another accommodation would let you keep working.
Does it cover lactation?
Yes. EEOC says lactation is included in pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.
Sources and dates checked
All checked on 2026-10-31.
- EEOC, What You Should Know About the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (no date on the page; regulation effective 2024-06-18):https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act