Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“the Act”) amends the current statute prohibiting discrimination in
employment, G.L. c. 151B, §4, enforced by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
(MCAD). The Act, effective on April 1, 2018, expressly prohibits employment discrimination on the
basis of pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, such as lactation or the need to express breast milk
for a nursing child. It also describes employers’ obligations to employees that are pregnant or lactating
and the protections these employees are entitled to receive. Generally, employers may not treat
employees or job applicants less favorably than other employees based on pregnancy or pregnancy

related conditions and have an obligation to accommodate pregnant workers.

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