Not so long ago it was almost expected that women who wanted children sacrifice their careers to do so. This is no longer the case thanks to changes in society and the law. While there are still women who are happy to abandon a promising career, or never start one in exchange for having a family, many successfully combine work and children to great effect.
One thing that can help a woman succeed at both is an understanding employer. One that makes the adjustments and allowances that allow the woman to work until she no longer wants to and return to work as soon or late as she wants to. Willing or not, most employers with 15 or more employees are bound by law to make reasonable accommodations if requested by pregnant employees – provided it does not cause the employer undue hardship.
A few examples
Here are some examples of what a woman might request:
- Accommodating their need to eat, drink, rest and use the bathroom via breaks that are longer, more frequent, or more flexible
- Reducing hours or reducing the need to come to the office through remote work
- Allowing a woman to leave work to attend health appointments
- Alterations to job roles or responsibilities
- Providing more comfort such as by allowing a woman to sit instead of stand
- Alterations to dress codes and the provision of alternative safety equipment to account for changing body shape and needs
While most, employers and employees are covered by these laws there are a few exceptions on both sides. If your employer is unwilling to accommodate your pregnancy, or using a pretext to fire you because of your pregnancy, then you may need to learn more about your legal rights and options.