Pittsburgh, PA: Expanded Protections for Pregnant Workers – AND Their Partners

Over the last few years, more and more cities and states have increased anti-discrimination protections for pregnant workers, but the city of Pittsburgh has become one of the first in the nation to extend similar protections to the partners of pregnant employees.  This amendment to existing city code comes by way of a new ordinance unanimously passed by the Pittsburgh city council.

Pittsburgh’s Fair Practices Provisions already prohibits employers of five or more employees from discriminating on the basis of sex, including pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.  Under the new ordinance:

• “Pregnancy” in itself becomes its own protected class;
• Employers are required to initiate the interactive process with workers who are disabled by pregnancy to determine if a reasonable accommodation (e.g., modifying work schedule or station, revising job duties or requirements, or granting leave requests) can be made; and
• The anti-discrimination provisions protecting pregnant workers is extended to the individual’s partner, broadly defined as a person of any gender with whom the pregnant worker has a relationship of mutual emotional and/or physical support.

Notably, the definition of “partner” does not require the individuals to have a marital or registered domestic relationship. The City also released a guidance document designed to help employers better understand their rights and responsibilities.