Wise words, Deanna. If their OB/GYN restricts them from handling chemo, and you can’t accommodate, then she would have to go on medical leave. Usually it’s a request and not a restriction but always good to clarify. Keep in mind the possibility
that the worker may have had prior negative pregnancy outcomes, or a unique risk that you don’t know about. So while we can reassure them about all the safety measure in place which greatly reduce everyone’s risk, she and her doctor may still choose the medical
leave based on her individual situation.
This is a tough one, and you may want to consult your attorney. Facilities have to offer a REASONABLE Accommodation. If you can allow the pregnant worker or male worker accommodation while trying to conceive and have other workers perform that task, expecting
that the worker would go back to these duties after their pregnancy/breastfeeding, then that might work. You could get into issues, however, if other workers complain that the burden of those tasks is being placed on them. Since you can't offer that accommodation
to all pharmacy workers, then that is where you could get into issues (simply because SOMEBODY has to that job).
Deanna Prater BSN, RN, CPHQ
Director of Infection Control, Employee Health & Safety
Lower Umpqua Hospital
600 Ranch Road
Reedsport, Oregon 97467
Office: (541) 271-6323
Fax: (541) 271-6353
dprater@luhonline.com
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”