HB1 Summary: Alabama Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

• Creates the Alabama Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requiring employers with 15+ employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions unless accommodation would cause undue hardship.

• Prohibits unlawful employment practices including refusing accommodations, taking adverse action against employees requesting accommodations, denying employment based on accommodation needs, and requiring leave when other accommodations are available.

• Specifies reasonable accommodations may include frequent breaks, equipment modifications, seating changes, temporary transfer to less strenuous positions, job restructuring, light duty, breast milk expression time and space, recovery time from childbirth, assistance with manual labor, and modified work schedules.

• Requires employers to provide written notice of employee rights by January 1, 2022 and post notices in accessible workplace areas; authorizes Department of Labor to administer and enforce the act.

• Allows aggrieved employees to bring civil lawsuits directly without pursuing administrative remedies and provides remedies including attorney's fees, prejudgment interest, back pay, compensatory damages, and other equitable relief; becomes effective three months after passage.