Pregnancy accommodation
Table of Contents
The University’s accommodation process is intended to be interactive and collaborative, relying on open communication and active participation between you and the University. The primary goal of this process is to help you to perform all of the essential functions of your current position, with or without accommodation during and after your pregnancy.
When pregnancy results in physiological changes that necessitate accommodation, the University will:
- Provide more frequent, longer, or flexible restroom breaks
- Modify a no food or drink policy
- Provide seating or allow for more frequent sitting if the job requires standing
- Modify lifting limits of greater than 17 pounds
- Provide reasonable break time to express breast milk for two years after the child’s birth
- Provide access to a lactation station
These accommodations do not require written certification from a health care provider.
If you feel additional accommodations are needed, follow the accommodation request process below. A written certification from a health care professional explaining the need for reasonable accommodation may be required.
Additional accommodations include:
- Job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position, or acquiring or modifying equipment, devices, or an employee’s work station
- Providing a temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position
Requesting accommodation
To request an accommodation, submit a completed Pregnancy Accommodation Request (PDF) form or otherwise inform your supervisor of your need for accommodation. If you prefer not to make your accommodation request to your supervisor, you can instead contact your HR consultant or Medical Center’s leave specialist, or your request form can be forwarded directly to the Disability Services Office.
If you are asked to provide a Pregnancy Health Care Provider Statement (PDF) form to help the University understand your condition, capacities, or limitations, this medical statement should be sent directly to your HR consultant, Medical Center’s leave specialist, or the Disability Services Office. Medical information should not be submitted to your supervisor or department.
While use of the two UW forms is not required, these forms are designed to obtain sufficient information for the University to respond effectively to your request for accommodation. Not using the forms or providing incomplete information may delay the accommodation process due to the additional time needed to clarify your needs and related medical information.
- If at any point you need assistance with either form, contact the Disability Services Office.
- If at any point you have questions or concerns during the accommodations process, contact your HR consultant or Medical Center’s leave specialist.
Accommodation process
The University will respond to your accommodation request as quickly as possible. Response time may be affected by the complexity of the accommodation requested.
For minor workplace adjustments, your supervisor may be able to implement requests without additional assistance beyond the department.
Requests requiring job duty modifications, environmental changes, equipment purchases, or other significant actions may require coordination between the HR consultant or Medical Center’s leave specialist, department, and the Disability Services Office.
Confidentiality
By law, your medical information must be maintained confidentially and separately from your employee personnel file. UW Human Resources maintains medical files for staff employees.
Complaint resolution process
If you are not satisfied with the University’s response to your accommodation request, speak with your HR consultant or Medical Center’s leave specialist, or visit complaint resolution for guidance on the next steps available to you. Individuals may also address complaints to the Attorney General’s Office.
Supervisor responsibilities
Receiving a request
If requested, provide the accommodations below:
- Provide more frequent, longer, or flexible restroom breaks
- Modify a no food or drink policy
- Provide seating or allow the employee to sit more frequently if the job requires standing
- Modify lifting limits of greater than 17 pounds
- Provide reasonable break time to express breast milk for two years after the child’s birth
- Access to a lactation station
Questions about how to accommodate these circumstances or additional pregnancy accommodation requests can be directed to your HR consultant, Medical Center’s leave specialist, and/or the Disability Services Office. These resources can also help if:
- You have questions about the accommodation being requested (such as regarding duration, scope, necessity, workplace impact, or the employee’s ability to perform the position’s essential functions even with accommodation).
- An employee tells you about a health problem that could impact their ability to perform their job but does not make a specific accommodation request.
Although not all accommodations may be approved, an accommodation request and its possible alternatives must be thoroughly evaluated prior to denial. Always speak with your HR consultant, Medical Center’s leave specialist, or the Disability Services Office prior to denying an accommodation request. All responses to requests for accommodation must be documented, even if they are for a temporary job or workspace modifications.
Medical information
If you receive documents containing medical information, immediately forward them on to your HR consultant, Medical Center’s Leave Specialist, or the Disability Services Office (whichever you are working with regarding this request). Do not keep medical records in departmental files.
You should not ask the employee for personal medical information or about the condition itself; your focus should be on the workplace modification being requested. The employee is not required to disclose medical information to their supervisor. However, if an employee does choose to disclose such information, advise them that you will keep the information confidential, and redirect them to the appropriate resource if they have questions about accommodation procedures or policies.
Additional resources
- Temporary disability leave for pregnancy and childbirth
- APS 46.7 Reasonable Accommodation of Pregnant Employees
- Disability Services Office