SB1397 • 2026

pregnant employees; reasonable accommodation.

SB1397 - pregnant employees; reasonable accommodation.

Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Priya Sundareshan
Last action: 2026-01-27
Official status: Senate second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance.

Pregnant Employees; Reasonable Accommodation

The bill requires employers with at least fifteen employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers and post notice about these requirements.

What This Bill Does

Requires employers with 15 or more employees to give reasonable adjustments to pregnant workers if it does not cause major problems for the business.
Lists types of adjustments like extra breaks, help with heavy work, private space for breastfeeding, and flexible schedules.
Prohibits employers from forcing pregnant workers to use vacation time when a reasonable adjustment can be made instead.
Requires employers to post notices about these requirements in visible places and include them in employee handbooks.

Who It Names or Affects

Employers with at least fifteen employees
Pregnant employees

Terms To Know

reasonable accommodation: Changes or support provided by an employer to help a pregnant worker do their job.
undue hardship: A situation where providing a reasonable accommodation would cause significant difficulty or expense for the business.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if an employer fails to follow these rules.
It is unclear how this will be enforced and who will check that employers are following it.
There is no effective date provided in the summary, so when exactly this law starts is unknown.

Bill History

2026-01-27 Senate
Senate second read
2026-01-26 Senate
Senate Rules: None
2026-01-26 Senate
Senate Judiciary and Elections: None
2026-01-26 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1397 - pregnant employees; reasonable accommodation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1397 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
pregnant employees; reasonable accommodation.

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1397

Introduced by

Senator
Sundareshan

AN
ACT

amending title 23, chapter 2, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 23-207; relating to
employment practices.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 23, chapter 2, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 23-207, to read:

START_STATUTE
23-207.

Employers; pregnant employees; reasonable accommodation; notice

A. An employer that employs fifteen
or more employees shall provide a reasonable accommodation for pregnant
employees unless that accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the
business. The reasonable accommodation may include any of the
following:

1. Acquisition or modification of
equipment or devices.

2. more frequent break periods or
additional restroom, food or water breaks.

3. Assistance with manual labor.

4. A private area for breastfeeding
after childbirth.

5. Modification of work schedules or
job ASSIGNMENTS.

6. Scheduling flexibility to
accommodate prenatal health care visits.�

B. An employer may not require the
employee to use annual, vacation or sick leave if a reasonable accommodation
can be made.

C. An employer shall conspicuously
post notice of the employer's requirement to provide a reasonable accommodation
to a pregnant employee and include a copy of that information in the employee
handbook.

D. An employer shall provide written
notice of the requirement to:

1. newly hired employees at the time
of hire.

2. Current employees within one
hundred eighty days after the effective date of this section.

3. pregnant employees within ten days
after the employee informs the employee's employer of the pregnancy.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Short title

This act may be cited as the
"Pregnant Workers Protection Act".