Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)- Accommodation Policy

Purpose

As required by the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), the University of South Alabama, and USA Health (collectively USA) will provide reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause undue hardship to USA’s operations.

Policy

An employee or applicant may request an accommodation due to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition by submitting the request in writing to human resources (HR). The accommodation request should include an explanation of the pregnancy-related limitations, the accommodation needed and any alternative accommodation(s) that might be reasonable. Depending on the nature of the accommodation, the individual may be requested to submit a statement from a health care provider substantiating the need for the accommodation.

If you are an employee or a job applicant of the University of South Alabama’s General Division (Campus) and need an accommodation under the provisions of the PWFA please contact:

Maranatha McMullen, BSN, RN
Employee Health Advocate 
Human Resources
Maranathamcmullen@southalabama.edu
Phone:251-461-1521
Fax:251-460-7483

If you are an employee or a job applicant of USA Health, including its hospitals and clinics, the USA Health Care Management, LLC and the University of South Alabama Health Care Authority, and need an accommodation under the provisions of the PWFA please contact:

Ansleigh P. Townsend
Director, Benefits Health System
USA Health Human Resources
atownsend@health.southalabama.edu
P: (251) 410-7620 (direct)
(251) 415-1604
F: (251) 415-1606

Upon receipt of a request for accommodation, HR will contact the employee or applicant to discuss the request and determine if an accommodation is reasonable and can be provided without significant difficulty or expense, i.e., undue hardship. 

While the reasonableness of each accommodation request will be individually assessed, possible accommodations include allowing the individual to:

• Sit while working.
• Drink water during the workday.
• Receive closer-in parking.
• Have flexible hours.
• Receive appropriately sized uniforms and safety apparel.
• Receive additional break time to use the bathroom, eat and rest.
• Take time off to recover from childbirth.
• Be excused from strenuous activities, receive assistance with manual labor and/or activities that involve exposure to compounds deemed unsafe during pregnancy. 
• Modify work schedules and/or be on modified or light duty.
• Temporarily be reassigned.
• Temporarily suspend one or more essential functions of a job. 

An employee may request paid or unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation under this policy; however, USA will not require an employee to take time off if another reasonable accommodation can be provided that will allow the employee to continue to work.

Non-Discrimination

USA will not discriminate, retaliate, or take any adverse action due to an individual’s request for an accommodation under this policy or for reporting or participating in an investigation of unlawful discrimination under this policy.