Laws That Protect You During Pregnancy and Postpartum

What to know about your rights at work—including those that help you protect your mental health

Most people think about pregnancy at work in physical terms—lifting, standing, medical appointments.

But for many moms, the harder part isn’t physical.

It’s the anxiety that ramps up during pregnancy. The brain fog after birth. The postpartum depression that makes even small tasks feel heavy. The stress of trying to keep everything together at work while your body and mind are changing.

The important thing to know is this:

Federal law doesn’t just protect your physical health during pregnancy and postpartum, it can also protect your mental health.

Two laws matter most here: the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the PUMP Act.

The PWFA: You Can Ask for Adjustments to Keep Working

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers to make reasonable changes at work if you need them because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

“Related medical conditions” includes more than most people think.

It can cover:

• Postpartum depression

• Anxiety

• Panic attacks

• Severe fatigue or sleep disruption

• Stress that is connected to pregnancy or recovery

  
  

If something tied to pregnancy or postpartum is making work harder, you have the right to ask for support.

What That Support Can Look Like

Under the PWFA, support (called an “accommodation”) might include:

• More frequent or longer breaks

• A later start time or adjusted schedule

• Time off for therapy or medical appointments

• Temporary changes to workload or responsibilities

• A quieter or more private space to work

  
  

For someone dealing with postpartum depression, that might mean time for weekly therapy. For someone experiencing anxiety, it might mean flexibility around meetings or deadlines.

The law doesn’t require your employer to guess what you need—but it does require them to work with you once you ask.

The PUMP Act: Time and Space to Pump…Without Stress

The PUMP Act focuses on a different, but equally important, need: the ability to pump breast milk at work.

If you’re breastfeeding, your employer must provide:

• Reasonable break time to pump, and

• A private space that is not a bathroom

This applies for up to one year after childbirth. For many moms, this is not just a physical issue, it’s a mental one.

Not having time or space to pump can create:

• Anxiety about milk supply

• Stress about being seen as “away too much”

• Pressure to stop earlier than planned

The law is designed to remove that pressure by making pumping a protected, normal part of the workday.

What These Laws Don’t Require

You don’t need to:

• Use legal terms

• Disclose every detail of your condition

• Have a “perfect” request

You do need to say that you’re having a pregnancy- or postpartum-related issue and need a change at work.

That’s enough to start the process.

Why This Matters More Than People Realize

A lot of moms try to push through.

They assume:

• “This isn’t serious enough”

• “I should be able to handle this”

• “I don’t want to make it a big deal”

That’s especially true with mental health.

But untreated stress, anxiety, or depression doesn’t stay small. It builds and it can affect both your health and your ability to keep working.

These laws exist so you don’t have to choose between the two.

The Bottom Line

If pregnancy or postpartum, physically or mentally, is affecting your ability to work, you are not on your own.

The PWFA gives you the right to ask for reasonable support. The PUMP Act gives you protected time and space to pump.

And both exist for a simple reason:

So you can take care of yourself and keep your job at the same time.