Governor Janet Mills recently signed An Act to Protect Pregnant Workers (L.D. 666) into law.  This Act broadens protections for pregnant and nursing employees in a number of ways, and further amends the language of existing provisions to incorporate gender-neutral language.

Specifically, employers will be required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees afflicted with pregnancy-related conditions, unless the accommodation imposes undue hardship upon the employer.  Examples of reasonable accommodations include providing/modifying seating, equipment, or scheduling, temporary transfer to light or less strenuous/hazardous work, longer or more frequent breaks, and accommodations for lactation. Existing anti-discrimination provisions prohibiting employers from treating pregnant workers differently remain in place.

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