SB 353 — AN ACT CONCERNING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE FOR CONDITIONS RELATED TO MENOPAUSE.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

353355 February Session, 2026 LCOSenate Bill No.

2009353 ReferredSenate, toApril 2, 2026 The Committee on LABORLabor ANDand PUBLICPublic EMPLOYEESEmployees Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(LAB)KUSHNER ANof ACTthe CONCERNING24th REASONABLEDist., ACCOMMODATIONSChairperson INof THEthe WORKPLACECommittee FORon CONDITIONSthe RELATEDpart TOof MENOPAUSE.the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE FOR CONDITIONS RELATED TO MENOPAUSE.

and LCOSB353 2009/ 1File of 12 Raised Bill No.

353355 (3)1 "UndueSB353 hardship"File meansNo. an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as (A) the nature and cost of the accommodation;

355 (3) "Undue hardship" means an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as (A) the nature and cost of the accommodation;

(3)For alabororganization,because oftherace, color,religiouscreed, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, LCOancestry, 2009present 2or past history of 12mental Raiseddisability, Billintellectual SB353 / File No.

353355 ancestry,2 presentSB353 orFile pastNo. history of mental disability, intellectual disability, learning disability, physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, status as a veteran, status as a victim of domestic violence, status as a victim of sexual assault or status as a victim of traffickinginpersonsofanyindividualtoexcludefromfullmembership rights or to expel from its membership such individual or to discriminate in any way against any of its members or against any employer or any individual employed by an employer, unless such action is based on a bona fide occupational qualification;

355 disability, learning disability, physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, status as a veteran, status as a victim of domestic violence, status as a victim of sexual assault or status as a victim of traffickinginpersonsofanyindividualtoexcludefromfullmembership rights or to expel from its membership such individual or to discriminate in any way against any of its members or against any employer or any individual employed by an employer, unless such action is based on a bona fide occupational qualification;

(C) to deny to that employee, who is disabled as a result of pregnancy, any compensation to which LCOshe 2009is 3entitled as a result of 12the Raisedaccumulation Billof No.disability or leave benefits accrued pursuant to plans maintained by the employer;

353(D) she is entitled as a result of the accumulation of disability or leave benefits accrued pursuant to plansSB353 maintained/ byFile theNo. employer;

(D)355 to3 failSB353 orFile refuseNo. to reinstate the employee to her original job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay and accumulated seniority, retirement, fringe benefits and other service credits upon her signifying her intent to return unless, in the case of a private employer, the employer's circumstances have so changed as to make it impossible or unreasonable to do so;

355 fail or refuse to reinstate the employee to her original job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay and accumulated seniority, retirement, fringe benefits and other service credits upon her signifying her intent to return unless, in the case of a private employer, the employer's circumstances have so changed as to make it impossible or unreasonable to do so;

If an employer takes immediate corrective action in LCOresponse 2009to 4an employee's claim of 12sexual Raisedharassment, Billsuch corrective action shall not modify the conditions of employment of the employee making the claim of sexual harassment unless such employee agrees, in SB353 / File No.

353355 response4 toSB353 anFile employee'sNo. claim of sexual harassment, such corrective action shall not modify the conditions of employment of the employee making the claim of sexual harassment unless such employee agrees, in writing, to any modification in the conditions of employment.

355 writing, to any modification in the conditions of employment.

(9) For an employer, by the employer or the employer's agent, for an employment agency, by itself or its agent, or for any labor organization, by itself or its agent, to request or require information from an employee, person seeking employment or member relating to the individual's child-bearing age or plans, pregnancy, function of the individual's reproductive system, use of birth control methods, or the individual's familial responsibilities, unless such information is directly related to a bona fide occupational qualification or need, provided an employer, through a physician may request from an employee any such information which is directly related to workplace exposure to substances which may cause birth defects or constitute a hazard to an individual's reproductive system or to a fetus if the employer first LCOinforms 2009the 5employee of 12the Raisedhazards Billinvolved No.in exposure to such substances;

353(10) informsFor an employer, by the employeeemployer ofor the hazardsemployer's involvedagent, inafter exposureSB353 to/ suchFile substances;No.

(10)355 For5 anSB353 employer,File byNo. the employer or the employer's agent, after informing an employee, pursuant to subdivision (9) of this subsection, of a workplace exposure to substances which may cause birth defects or constitute a hazard to an employee's reproductive system or to a fetus, to fail or refuse, upon the employee's request, to take reasonable measures to protect the employee from the exposure or hazard identified, or to fail or refuse to inform the employee that the measures taken may be the subject of a complaint filed under the provisions of this chapter.

355 informing an employee, pursuant to subdivision (9) of this subsection, of a workplace exposure to substances which may cause birth defects or constitute a hazard to an employee's reproductive system or to a fetus, to fail or refuse, upon the employee's request, to take reasonable measures to protect the employee from the exposure or hazard identified, or to fail or refuse to inform the employee that the measures taken may be the subject of a complaint filed under the provisions of this chapter.

and LCO(13)(A)Foranemployerortheemployer'sagenttodenyanemployee 2009a 6reasonable leave of 12absence Raisedin Billorder No.to:

353(i) (13)(A)Foranemployerortheemployer'sagenttodenyanemployeeSeek aattention reasonablefor leaveinjuries ofcaused absenceby domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in orderpersons, to:SB353 / File No.

(i)355 Seek6 attentionSB353 forFile injuriesNo. caused by domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons, including for a child who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons, provided the employee is not the perpetrator of any act of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons committed against a child;

355 including for a child who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons, provided the employee is not the perpetrator of any act of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons committed against a child;

or (iv) documentation from a medical professional, including a domestic violence counselor or sexual assault counselor, as those terms are defined in section 52-146k, or other health care provider, that the LCOemployee 2009or 7the employee's child was receiving services, counseling or treatment for physical or mental injuries or abuse resulting in victimization from an act of 12domestic Raisedviolence, Billsexual No.assault or trafficking in persons.

353SB353 employee/ orFile theNo. employee's child was receiving services, counseling or treatment for physical or mental injuries or abuse resulting in victimization from an act of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons.

(C)355 Where7 anSB353 employeeFile hasNo. a physical or mental disability resulting from an incident or series of incidents of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons, such employee shall be treated in the same manner as an employee with any other disability.

355 (C) Where an employee has a physical or mental disability resulting from an incident or series of incidents of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking in persons, such employee shall be treated in the same manner as an employee with any other disability.

or (E) the observance of the terms of a bona fide seniority system or any bona fide employeebenefitplanforretirement,pensionsorinsurancewhichisnot adopted for the purpose of evading said provisions, except that no such plan may excuse the failure to hire any individual and no such system or plan may require or permit the termination of employment on the basisofage.Nosuchplanwhichcoverslessthantwentyemployeesmay reduce the group hospital, surgical or medical insurance coverage LCOprovided 2009under 8the plan to any employee who has reached the age of 12sixty-five Raisedand Billis No.eligible for Medicare benefits or any employee's spouse who has reached age sixty-five and is eligible for Medicare benefits except to the extent such coverage is provided by Medicare.

353The providedterms underof the plan to any employeesuch whoplan haswhich reachedcovers thetwenty age of sixty-five and is eligible for Medicare benefits or anymore employee'semployees spouseshall whoentitle hasSB353 reached/ ageFile sixty-fiveNo. and is eligible for Medicare benefits except to the extent such coverage is provided by Medicare.

The355 terms8 ofSB353 anyFile suchNo. plan which covers twenty or more employees shall entitle any employee who has attainedthe age of sixty-five and any employee's spouse who has attained the age of sixty-five to group hospital, surgical or medical insurance coverage under the same conditions as any covered employee or spouse who is under the age of sixty-five.

355 any employee who has attainedthe age of sixty-five and any employee's spouse who has attained the age of sixty-five to group hospital, surgical or medical insurance coverage under the same conditions as any covered employee or spouse who is under the age of sixty-five.

(B) existing employees within one LCOhundred 2009twenty 9days of 12October Raised1, Bill2017; No.

353 hundred twenty days of October 1, 2017;

An employer may comply with the provisions of this section by displaying a poster in a conspicuous place, accessible to employees, at the employer's place of business that contains the information required by this section in both EnglishSB353 and/ Spanish.File No.

355 9 SB353 File No.

355 English and Spanish.

LCO(4) 2009From 10time to time, but not less than once a year, report to the Governor as provided in section 4-60, making recommendations for the removal of 12such Raisedinjustices Billas it may find to exist and such other recommendations as it deems advisable and describing the investigations, proceedings and hearings it has conducted and their outcome, the decisions it has rendered and the other work it has SB353 / File No.