State Laws Protecting Pregnant Workers Fill Gaps in Federal Law

Thirty states exceed federal mandates on accommodating pregnant workers, a response to court rulings that created questions about what’s required.

The added state requirements are giving large companies with employees spread across the country a complex compliance task. They can either tailor their employment policies to each state in which they employ people, or implement a single policy that takes into account all state requirements.

If they pick the latter approach, it means some employees receive benefits beyond what the laws in their particular states demand, said King & Spalding LLP partner and employment specialist Amanda Sonneborn. “It’s a cost ...