It’s a new kind of “labor” law: The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination has been amended to prohibit discriminating against pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions such as recovering from childbirth, according to Marisa Hourdajian in the Gibbons Employment Law Alert, and that means some employers in the state will need to rethink some important policies.
“The legislation requires employers to treat women affected by pregnancy in a manner similar to employees who are not affected by pregnancy, but who share in their ability or inability to work,” says Hardajian. The update in the law also requires employers to reasonably accommodate any conditions caused by pregnancy, with steps such as increased break time for pregnant employees to go to the bathroom and drink water, a temporary transfer to work that is less hazardous or strenuous and periodic rest.
