Colorado Law Requires Employers to Accommodate Pregnant Employees

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90453[1]Beginning August 10, 2016, Colorado joins a growing list of states that protect employees and applicants for employment with conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth and related health conditions. Specifically, Colorado’s new pregnancy anti-discrimination law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant applicants, employees and new moms, if requested.

Under the law, employers are prohibited from:

1. Taking adverse action against an employee who requests or uses a reasonable accommodation

2. Denying employment opportunities to an applicant or employee based on the need for a pregnancy-related accommodation

3. Requiring an applicant or employee to accept a particular accommodation or take leave

“Reasonable accommodations” may include:

  • more frequent or longer break periods
  • more frequent restroom, food, and water breaks
  • acquisition or modification of equipment or seating
  • limitations on lifting
  • temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position
  • job restructuring
  • light duty
  • assistance with manual labor
  • modified work schedules

An employer is not required to provide an accommodation if doing so would cause the employer undue hardship.

Notice

The new law requires employers to post a notice in the workplace and provide written notice of the law’s protections to employees. The State’s Anti-discrimination workplace posting has been updated to include pregnancy. The posting also features revised statements of the rules requiring posting summaries of prohibited discriminatory and unfair practices in employment, places of public accommodation and in housing.

Employers with Compliance Poster Company’s Colorado All-On-One™ Labor Law Poster or Mobile Poster Pak™ can update with a Colorado Anti-discrimination Peel ‘N Post™. New customers can also get into compliance fast with a new Colorado All-On-One Labor Law Poster. Places of public accommodation and housing providers are also required to update required signage available here.