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Pregnancy at Work

Iowa Code § 216.6 — up to eight weeks of leave for a pregnancy disability when no plan gives enough

  • A policy or practice that excludes applicants or employees from work because of pregnancy is a prima facie violation of the civil rights act.
  • Disability from pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth and recovery is a temporary disability, treated on the same terms as others under any health, disability or sick leave plan.
  • An employer does not end the employment of a person disabled by pregnancy because of the pregnancy.
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Eight weeks. Where a plan gives no leave, or not enough, the employer does not refuse a leave of absence for the period the employee is disabled by pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions, or for eight weeks, whichever is less.

The employee gives timely notice of the leave asked for, and the employer may require a medical certification that the employee cannot reasonably perform the job.

Sources for this section (1)
  1. Iowa Code § 216.6 — Unfair employment practices

Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.

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