Washington Protecting Pregnant Workers Act Poster Mandatory

Protecting Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Workplace Poster

Updated: October 30, 2024
Know Your Rights in the District of Columbia
Accommodations for Pregnancy, Childbirth and Chest/Breastfeeding
The Protecting Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PPW) requires District of Columbia employers to provide
reasonable workplace accommodations for employees whose ability to perform job duties is limited
because of pregnancy, childbirth, chest/breastfeeding, or a related medical condition.
The employer must engage in good faith and in a timely and interactive process to determine the
accommodations.

Types of Accommodations
Employers must make all reasonable accommodations, 1 including by not limited to:
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More frequent or
longer breaks;
Time off to recover
from childbirth;
Temporarily
transferring the
employee to a less
strenuous or
hazardous position;

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Purchasing or modifying
work equipment, such as
chairs;
Temporarily restructuring
the employee’s position to
provide light duty or a
modified work schedule;
Having the employee
refrain from heavy lifting;

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Relocating the
employee’s work area;
or
Providing private (nonbathroom) space for
expressing breast/chest
milk.

Prohibited Actions by Employers
Employers may not:
• Refuse an accommodation unless it would cause significant hardship or expense to the business;
• Take adverse action against an employee for requesting an accommodation;
• Deny employment opportunities to the employee because of the request or need for an
accommodation;
• Require an employee to take leave if a reasonable accommodation can be provided; or
• Require employees to accept an accommodation unless it’s necessary for the employee to
perform her job duties.

Certification from Health Care Provider
The employer may require an employee to provide certification from a health care provider indicating a
reasonable accommodation is advisable. The certification must include:
1. The date the accommodation became or will become medically advisable;
2. An explanation of the medical condition and need for a reasonable accommodation; and
3. The probable length of time the accommodation should be provided.

Filing a Complaint of a Violation
If you believe an employer has wrongfully denied you a reasonable accommodation or has
discriminated against you because of your pregnancy, childbirth, need to chest/breastfeed or a related
medical condition, you can file a complaint within one year with the DC Office of Human Rights (OHR).
To file a complaint, visit: OHR will perform the initial mediation and investigation. If probable cause
exists, administrative law judges at the Commission on Human Rights will make a final determination.
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Online at ohr.dc.gov; or
In-Person at 441 4th Street NW, Suite 570N, Washington, DC 20001.

Questions about the OHR process can also be answered by phone at (202) 727-4559

A “reasonable accommodation” is one that does not require significant difficulty in the operation of the employer’s
business or significant expense for the employer, with consideration to factors such as the size of the business, its financial
resources and the nature and structure of the business.

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