Pregnancy Accommodations

In compliance with New Mexico Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act, Southwest Care Center will not discriminate against team members or job applicants in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions and will provide reasonable accommodation for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition.

Reasonable  Accommodations
If team members or job applicants with a known limitation arising out of pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition make a request for reasonable accommodation, the Organization will endeavor to grant the request unless the accommodation constitutes an undue hardship. Reasonable accommodations may include modification or adaptation of the work environment, work rules or job responsibilities for as long as necessary to enable team members with limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition to perform the job that does not impose an undue hardship on the Organization. The Organization will not require team members to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to the known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth or related condition.

Further, the Organization will not refuse to hire, discharge, refuse to promote, demote or discriminate in matters of compensation or leave or terms, conditions or privileges of employment against any person otherwise qualified for employment on the basis of that person's pregnancy or childbirth or a related condition, including failing to treat team members or job applicants affected by pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition in the same manner as other persons similar in ability to work for all employment-related purposes, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification.

Additionally, the Organization will not print or circulate any statement, advertisement or publication; use any form of application for employment; or make any inquiry regarding prospective employment that expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination as to pregnancy, childbirth  or  a  related  condition,  unless  based  on  a  bona  fide  occupational  qualification.  The Organization will not refuse to list, properly classify for employment or refer a person for employment in a known available job for which the person is otherwise qualified on the basis of the person's pregnancy, childbirth or related condition, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification.

The Organization reserves the right to require team members to provide medical certification concerning the need for reasonable accommodation consistent with the Organization's requests for certification of other temporary disabilities.

The Organization will not discharge, demote, deny promotion  to or in any other way discriminate against team members in the terms or conditions of employment in retaliation for the person asserting a claim or right pursuant to the Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act, for assisting another person to assert a claim or right pursuant to the Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act, or for informing another person about employment rights or other rights provided by law. A person claiming to be aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice in violation of the Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act may seek relief under the Human Rights Act.
 
If team members have any questions about this topic or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Director of Human Resources or other HR Representative.