LEAVE OF ABSENCE
D. Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL)
Federal and Connecticut law provides protections for pregnant employees, treating
pregnancy as a temporary disability.
Federal Laws:
Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): Prohibits discrimination based on
pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Pregnant employees
must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees with
similar abilities or inabilities to work.
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA): Requires employers to provide
reasonable accommodations to a worker’s known limitations related to
pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the
accommodation would cause the employer an undue hardship.
Connecticut Law:
Non-Discrimination & Non-Retaliation: WDLT will not discriminate
against employees based on pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, or
related medical conditions including lactation. This prohibition against
discrimination extends to all terms and conditions of employment. WDLT
also prohibits retaliation against an employee because the employee
requests a reasonable accommodation due to pregnancy.
Reasonable
Accommodation:
WDLT
will
provide
reasonable
accommodations for pregnant employees, unless doing so would impose an
undue hardship. Examples include, but are not limited to allowing the
employee to sit, providing more frequent or longer breaks, transferring to
less strenuous or hazardous work, providing an appropriate work area for
expressing breast milk, modifying work duties, or temporary transfer to
another position if the employee provides written notice that continued
employment in the current position will harm them or their unborn baby.
If an employee develops the need for an accommodation due to pregnancy
they are encouraged to contact Human Resources. WDLT may, in certain
situations, require an employee to provide reasonable documentation
describing the limitations and the need for an accommodation. WDLT will
not require an employee to take a leave of absence if a reasonable
accommodation can be provided in lieu of such leave.
Leave Duration: Employees are entitled to an unpaid leave of absence for a
reasonable length of time resulting from pregnancy or childbirth, typically
6-8
weeks,
but
dependent
on
medical
necessity
and
doctor's
recommendation. This leave can also be taken during pregnancy for
complications. Employees may be eligible to take leave under the federal
FMLA and/or CT FMLA.