A new law requiring Oregon employers to provide accommodations to known limitations relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and any related medical condition such as lactation is set to go into effect on January 1, 2020.
The new law also says an employer may not require an employee to take family leave if it can provide a reasonable accommodation. But the employer may not impose an accommodation that is unnecessary for the applicant or employee to perform the job’s essential duties.
The law suggests some reasonable accommodations, including acquiring or modifying equipment or devices, providing longer or more frequent breaks, assisting with manual labor, or modifying work schedules and job assignments.
The law requires employers to post a notice and provide written notification of the law at the time of hire or for current employees within 180 days of the effective date and when they are notified of a pregnancy. The law also requires training and educational materials regarding obligations, rights, and protections to be provided.
For more information on new employment-related laws in Oregon, see the August 2019 issue of Oregon Employment Law Letter.
Calvin L. Keith is an attorney with Perkins Coie LLP in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached at CKeith@perkinscoie.com.