On our legal helpline, we frequently hear from workers whose lives have changed for the better because of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), the federal law that requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. However, we still hear from workers whose employers are failing to follow the law–and when we do, we take steps to help these workers enforce their rights, so that they can care for themselves while maintaining their income.
This month, we filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of our client, Kristen Crandall. Kristen works for Speedway, a convenience store chain owned by 7-Eleven that has thousands of locations across the country. In her Charge, Kristen alleges that her manager denied her basic accommodations for her pregnancy, including a stool to sit down and schedule adjustments to help her manage pregnancy-related fatigue and nausea. As a result of her employer’s failure to accommodate her basic, pregnancy-related needs, Kristen details how she was forced onto an unpaid leave of absence, depriving her of the income she needed to support her family and prepare for the arrival of her new baby.
Unfortunately, Kristen is not the only worker we have heard from who claims Speedway denied her pregnancy accommodations in violation of the PWFA. In fact, Kristen’s filing comes on the heels of another Charge A Better Balance filed against Speedway last fall on behalf of our client Arya Parks. In Arya’s Charge, she alleged that Speedway denied her permission to take rest breaks as a pregnancy accommodation, and forced her onto an involuntary, unpaid leave of absence, which had devastating personal and financial consequences for Arya.
Under the PWFA, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for a worker’s pregnancy-related limitations. If your employer is denying you the accommodations you need to maintain a healthy pregnancy, call A Better Balance’s free, confidential work-family legal helpline at 1-833-NEED-ABB or fill out this form.
