2025 GSHHRA Fall Education (OD25GSHHRAFE)-2025 GSHHRA Fall Education Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session featured Vathana Sivanesan, who discussed major employment law updates relevant to HR professionals, especially in healthcare. She focused first on pregnancy-related protections, explaining the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the PUMP Act. The PWFA requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related limitations, including uncomplicated pregnancy and postpartum conditions, and emphasizes the interactive process. It is an accommodation law, not a leave entitlement, and employers generally should not force leave if another accommodation works. The PUMP Act expands lactation protections by requiring reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for nursing employees to pump milk.<br /><br />She then compared the FMLA and ADA, explaining how leave and accommodation obligations can overlap, especially when an employee’s serious health condition also qualifies as a disability. She emphasized that ADA leave is a last resort and that employers should use legal counsel before denying accommodations or taking adverse action.<br /><br />Other topics included a new overtime tax deduction under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, though IRS guidance and W-2 reporting details remain unclear due to the government shutdown. She also discussed a DOL opinion clarifying how to calculate FMLA leave for employees with mandatory overtime, workplace violence prevention best practices, and recent guidance on vaccine mandates and religious or medical accommodations.<br /><br />The session ended with practical scenarios and Q&A, reinforcing the importance of documentation, the interactive process, current legal guidance, and consulting counsel in high-risk situations.

Keywords

employment law

HR compliance

pregnant workers fairness act

PWFA

PUMP Act

FMLA

ADA accommodations

lactation rights

overtime tax deduction

workplace violence prevention

vaccine mandates

interactive process