Should you be able to sit at work during your pregnancy?

On Behalf of | Dec 23, 2022 | Workplace Discrimination |

Few life events are more thrilling than having a baby. While you and your spouse are undoubtedly looking forward to meeting the newest member of your family, your boss might see your pregnancy as more of an inconvenience.

Pursuant to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which is a federal law, companies with more than 15 employees must provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers. Asking to sit during your workday might qualify as a reasonable accommodation.

Why should you consider sitting?

Standing for long periods of time can be detrimental to pregnant women. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spending too much time on your feet increases your chances of having a miscarriage.

Your pregnancy-related hormones also might be hard on your knee and ankle joints. That is, it may become physically impossible for you to continue to stand during your job duties. If you push through the pain, you even may have long-term complications.

Is sitting a reasonable accommodation?

Sitting during your pregnancy certainly qualifies as an accommodation, especially if your job duties mostly require you to stand. Whether the accommodation is reasonable, though, probably depends on a few factors, such as your line of work. Still, your employer should at least consider allowing you to sit. If your boss refuses, he or she should have a legitimate reason.

If your manager refuses to provide you with reasonable accommodations, such as sitting during your shift, you might be a victim of illegal workplace discrimination. Ultimately, to ensure you do not lose your job or face other serious consequences, it might be necessary to take prompt legal action.

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