In some US states, laws exist that actively protect pregnant women whenever accidents happen and they are expecting to give birth. If that injury is related to work, workers’ compensation claims can give the financial compensation required to recover from what happened. To make matters easier to understand, an experienced Munley Law Wilkesbarre workers compensation attorney highlights what you should know about the topic in the following paragraphs.

Time Off

The expecting mother is allowed to take some time off from work when this is planned and she can actually afford to do it. FMLA can be used when there is no maternity policy in place to obtain partial pay. Such an approach is very important because it keeps the mother’s job available and active and she can get back after a specific time passes. The time off is meant to offer enough rest during and after pregnancy.

Fairness Acts

There are states in which fairness acts are governing pregnancy with the purpose of allowing the pregnant mother to take time off. Employers need to offer accommodations during the later pregnancy stages in a similar way to maternity leave. Such laws will often just apply to those companies that have over 15 employees and have access to reasonable accommodations. Possibilities include work modifications, full pay, partial pay, or time away, all while jobs remain active.

Companies Have Options

In the event that the employer can connect state laws or workers’ compensation laws to pregnancy, women can be supported in several ways. For instance, work schedules can be restructured and more bathroom breaks can be offered. Also, it is possible to offer more rest time and change job positions (temporary move) when faced with strenuous or hazardous work.

Some common jobs do exist that automatically require relocation to prevent work-related injuries capable of affecting pregnancies. With other jobs that are not so stressful, such accommodations might not be necessary.

Hazardous Jobs

As already highlighted, some employers will need to build new policies and will have to support pregnant women much more than others. This is because there are some jobs that are much more stressful and can lead to an injury. If the injury does happen, the workers’ compensation claim can be filed.

To figure out what the hazardous jobs are, we just need to look at industries that deal with electrical systems, hard manual labor, construction, and toxic chemicals. Also, jobs with lower or higher temperatures could cause an injury as they negatively affect the pregnant woman’s body.

Learn Your Rights

If you are pregnant, you have rights. If at any point in time you feel that your rights are not respected or you do not know what your rights are, it is imperative that you contact a workers’ compensation attorney. This specialist is knowledgeable and knows everything about work laws that apply in your state. Do not underestimate how important the help of the attorney can be. With this help, you can avoid injuries and you can get the compensation you deserve in the unwanted situation that an injury did appear while on the job and pregnant.