AbsenceSoft Survey Reveals Nearly Half of Large Companies are Not Prepared for the 2023 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Despite not being ready, the majority (72%) are expecting an increase in pregnancy-related accommodation requests when the federal law goes into effect June 27, 2023
GOLDEN, CO – May 2, 2023 – AbsenceSoft, the leading SaaS platform for leave of absence and accommodations management, today released the results of its 2023 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Employer Readiness Survey. The company commissioned a survey of 600 HR leaders and decision-makers at companies with more than 5,000 employees to learn about their organization’s overall readiness for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The survey reveals if organizations are aware of the upcoming law, what they are doing to prepare for it, and their expectations of the impact the new regulations will have on how they manage accommodations.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) goes into effect on June 27, 2023 and requires covered employers (private and public sector employers with at least 15 employees) to provide reasonable accommodations to workers with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. This legislation was signed into law in late 2022 and was part of the 2023 Omnibus Spending Bill.
“Organizations and HR leaders need to start preparing now for PWFA to ensure they stay compliant and employees have access to the accommodations they are entitled to under this new law from day one,” said Mark Schiff, Chief Executive Officer, AbsenceSoft. “Most large employers are prepared to accommodate pregnant workers with job modifications and flexible hours, but the study shows fewer are ready to offer leave – something that may be necessary under the new law. Offering a seamless way for employees to request an accommodation can make a big impact in making employees feel valued and appreciated and keep the company compliant.”
The survey finds that respondents expect PWFA to:
- Lead to more accommodation requests. A vast majority of companies (72%) expect an increase in requests for workplace accommodations by pregnant employees.
- Impact a significant portion of the workforce. Half of the survey respondents said that 11-40% of their workforce is on maternity leave each year.
- Result in companies having difficulty staying compliant. Despite the expected surge in accommodation requests and the impact it will have on a significant portion of their employees, 43% of respondents are either not at all or only somewhat familiar with PWFA. Furthermore, almost half (49%) said their HR department was either not at all prepared or just starting to prepare.
“When managing accommodation requests, a critical requirement is to engage in the interactive process, yet 44% of respondents reported not having enough time to create one,” said Seth Turner, AbsenceSoft co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer. “Technology can make it easy to eliminate the unknowns and manual processes and can ultimately help a company bring consistency and visibility into the process so they can own the end-to-end employee experience.”
To view the full results of the 2023 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Employer Readiness, please view the report and infographic here.
About AbsenceSoft
AbsenceSoft, an absence management SaaS solutions provider, delivers modern, scalable, easy-to-use and flexible software to manage FMLA, ADA, disability, and other forms of leave easily, efficiently and cost-effectively. With AbsenceSoft, companies can process leaves 10 times faster than traditional methods, while ensuring compliance with the myriad of federal and state regulations. By streamlining the absenteeism management process, HR can improve the employee experience during an often stressful time. This results in increased employee satisfaction, higher productivity and reduced turnover. Founded in 2013 and based in Golden, Colo., and backed by Norwest, AbsenceSoft is trusted by companies of all sizes and in every industry to care for employees, save time and stay compliant. Learn more at https://www.absencesoft.com, or follow the company on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
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