ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

On the Job

Discrimination Based on Gender

Must an employer provide health insurance coverage for pregnancy?

The answer depends on whether the employer provides any health insurance coverage at all. The antidiscrimination laws do not require an employer to provide any benefits, including health insurance coverage. However, if an employer does provide such benefits, they must be available to all employees without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or disability. Thus, if an employer provides health insurance, it must include coverage for pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions.