Madeline Earles, left, and Melissa Losch, right, of McGlinchey Stafford. Courtesy photos
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) both require employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations that will enable employees to perform the function of their job with respect to disability and pregnancy, respectively. While the ADA and PWFA coexist rather harmoniously, there are a number of differences one should be aware of when operating under the relative acts, particularly with respect to providing reasonable accommodations.
Purpose of the ADA and PWFA
The ADA is designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability by requiring employers to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment opportunities available to others by virtue of reasonable accommodations.
