Working while pregnant? Recovering from childbirth? Need to express milk at work?
In Tennessee, you have rights under the Tennessee Pregnant Workers Fairness Act!
The Tennessee PWFA protects pregnant and breastfeeding employees who have a related medical condition and work for an employer with 15 or more employees.
- The law requires many employers to provide employees who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have recently given birth with “reasonable accommodations” so they can stay healthy and on the job, unless it would be an undue hardship for an employer to provide.
- An employer cannot force an employee to take leave or punish them for requesting accommodations.
What is a reasonable accommodation?
- Changes to your work duties or schedule, so that you can work while pregnant, breastfeeding, or recovering from childbirth.
- Examples of reasonable accommodations can include:
- Making facilities accessible for you
- Changing food or drink policy so you can carry a water bottle, for example
- Giving you equipment, like PPE
- Temporary transfer
- More flexibility with breaks
- Restructuring job duties
- Help with manual labor
- Shifting your work schedule
- Flexible scheduling for doctor’s visits
- Private, non-bathroom space to express breast milk
- Seating, like a chair or stool
- Employers must work together with employees in an interactive, timely process.
- Do I need a doctor’s note to request changes at work? Not when you first request it, but there are some situations where you might be asked to later—call us to discuss your situation.
Questions? Contact our free, confidential legal helpline.
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