Adds new Article 24, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, to GS Chapter 95, effective January 1, 2027, providing as follows.

Defines a covered entity as: (1) a private employer engaged in an industry affecting commerce who employs 15 or more employees; (2) the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of state government; and (3) a unit of local government. Defines qualified employee as an employee or applicant who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the employment position. An employee or applicant is also qualified if any inability to perform an essential function is for a temporary period, the essential function could be performed in the near future, and the inability to perform that function can be reasonably accommodated. Sets out and defines additional terms used in the Article.

Makes it an illegal employment practice for a covered entity to: (1) fail or refuse to make reasonable accommodations to the known limitations of a qualified employee related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the covered entity demonstrates that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of its business; (2) impose an accommodation upon a qualified employee for a known limitation related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions without first engaging in the interactive process with that employee to identify an effective accommodation; (3) require a qualified employee to accept a particular accommodation for a known limitation related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions where an alternative accommodation identified through the interactive process would be equally effective and would not impose an undue hardship on the covered entity; (4) deny employment opportunities to a qualified employee based on the need to make reasonable accommodations to that employee's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; (5) require a qualified employee to take leave, whether paid or unpaid, where another reasonable accommodation can be provided to address that employee's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and (6) take any adverse action in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee on account of that employee's request for or use of a reasonable accommodation for known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

Prohibits discriminating against an employee who has opposed any act or practice illegal under this Article, or because they made a charge or participated in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under the Article. Also prohibits coercing, intimidating, threatening, or interfering with an individual who has exercised protected rights under the Article.

Allows an aggrieved employee, after exhausting grievance procedures, to bring a civil action in superior court in the county where the violation occurred, where the covered entity has its principal place of business, or where the employee resides. Allows the court to award injunctive relief, back pay and lost benefits, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. Specified that this does not waive the State’s sovereign immunity beyond the extent expressly provided. Allows a state employee to bring a civil action in state superior court and prohibits the State from asserting sovereign immunity as a defense. Sets a statute of limitations of three years from the date the unlawful employment practice occurred.

Requires the Commissioner of Labor to adopt rules to carry out the Article and for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to adopt policies to implement the Article for the judicial branch and for the Legislative Service Officer to adopt policies to implement the Article for the legislative branch.

Includes a severability clause.

Effective July 1, 2026, appropriates $600,000 for 2026-27 from the General Fund, with $200,000 each allocated to the Department of Labor, Administrative Office of the Courts, and Legislative Services Office.