New York City Human Rights Law Amendment Requires Employers to Provide Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Employees

New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, recently signed into law an amendment to the already broad New York City Human Rights Law making it an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer to refuse to provide a reasonable accommodation to the needs of an employee who is pregnant or has a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. The law, effective January 30, 2014, specifies that in such circumstances, a reasonable accommodation “may include bathroom breaks, leave for a period of disability arising from childbirth, breaks to facilitate increased water intake, periodic rest for those who stand for long periods of time, and assistance with manual labor, among other things.” No accommodation is required, however, if it imposes an “undue hardship” on the employer.