Under new legislation signed into law by Governor Matt Bevin,
many Kentucky employers have enhanced responsibilities to provide
reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees. Kentucky is the
25th state to adopt such legislation.
For all but the smallest employers, pregnancy discrimination is
already prohibited under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, KRS Chapter
344, and its federal counterpart, Title VII. However, these federal
laws provide little guidance on what constitutes "reasonable
accommodations" for pregnant workers and new mothers. The new
Kentucky Pregnant Workers Act (the "Act") amends and
clarifies the Kentucky Civil Rights Act on this issue and imposes
additional responsibilities on employers with respect to pregnant
employees and new mothers.