Pregnancy is with physiological changes that may impact an individual’s ability to work. The Ontario Human Rights Commission states the following when it comes to pregnancy and workplace accommodations: “You have a right to request changes to your job duties or rules that affect you for the sake of your health when you are pregnant. Your employer should accommodate your needs, unless doing so would cause undue hardship.”
Some physiologic changes in pregnancy, such as increased blood volume, cardiac output, increased oxygen demand, can contribute to symptoms of dizziness, shortness of breath and fatigue. The weight gain and centre of gravity shift with the growing fetus may also contribute to backpain, making heavy lifting difficult. The growing uterus also places pressure on the bladder which can lead to increased urinary frequency.
Pregnancy may also be associated with complications such as hyperemesis graviderum, gestational diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and other labour related conditions, each will require individualized assessment for accommodation to fit the specific needs of the individual and their work requirement.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published a committee opinion titled “Employment Considerations During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period”. The committee recommended that “working during pregnancy is generally safe. For those in high-risk occupations or with medically complicated pregnancies, work accommodations often can allow for continued safe employment”. The committee opinion also outlines principles of how to write a work accommodation note for treating providers of pregnant individuals, and it further discusses considerations for toxic occupational exposures, the scientific evidence on the relationship between miscarriage, pre-term birth and workplace activities.
As the pregnancy progresses, physically demanding work becomes more difficult given the growing fetus, altered centre of gravity, which can limit the pregnant individual’s ability to lift. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published recommendations on lifting limits for pregnant individuals. These lifting limits are based on the stage of pregnancy, frequency of lift, and lift characteristics (e.g. height of the lift, distance of the lift). The authors state that these lift limits do not apply specific limit conditions or highly repetitive lifts more than 3 times per minute.
Pregnant@Work, an initiative for WorkLife and Law, provides workplace accommodation recommendations for both healthy pregnancies, as well as pregnancies with associated complications. Some general accommodations for typical pregnancy may include breaks as needed, uniform changes, changes to job duties, work location to reduce or avoid bending, lifting, climbing, walking and/or prolonged standing.
These pregnancy related resources may be useful for employers or disability management personals to guide pregnancy related workplace accommodation needs. Given each case is unique, an individualized assessment may be needed.