The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced in December 2012 that during the next four years it will increasingly target the issue of “accommodating pregnancy when women have been forced onto unpaid leave after being denied accommodations routinely provided to similarly situated employees.”

Fortunately, the government also provides some tools to help employers provide appropriate accommodations to pregnant workers. Emily Martin, vice president and general counsel of the National Women's Law Center, points companies to the Job Accommodation Network, sponsored by the Department of Labor, which provides technical assistance for employers seeking to accommodate pregnant and disabled workers.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced in December 2012 that during the next four years it will increasingly target the issue of “accommodating pregnancy when women have been forced onto unpaid leave after being denied accommodations routinely provided to similarly situated employees.”