WDLT Employee Handbook

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.

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