Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has filed a lawsuit against Providence Health & Services, alleging the hospital system repeatedly denied legally required accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees across Washington state.
The complaint, filed in King County Superior Court, alleges that, since at least 2021, employees — including many nurses — have been denied accommodations such as more opportunities to sit during long shifts, limits on heavy lifting, schedule flexibility for prenatal appointments, and adequate private spaces and break time to pump breast milk.
“Taking commonsense steps to keep pregnant and nursing employees and their babies safe and healthy isn’t optional — it’s the law,” Brown said in a news release. “A health care provider like Providence should know better.”
According to the lawsuit, employees sometimes waited weeks after requesting accommodations without receiving a response and were expected to continue working without modifications during that time. The Attorney General’s Office also alleges Providence improperly required medical documentation for accommodations that Washington law says should be granted without certification. In some cases, the suit claims, employees who requested accommodations faced retaliation, including termination, forced leave, or assignment to more physically demanding duties.
The lawsuit alleges violations of both Washington’s Healthy Starts Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination. State investigators also highlighted what they described as contradictions within the health system itself, noting that Providence facilities provide prenatal and breastfeeding support services to patients while allegedly failing to provide similar protections and accommodations to their own employees.
In a media statement released Wednesday, Providence denied the allegations:
“Providence is committed to caring for our caregivers, including supporting caregiver health and workplace accommodations,” the statement said. “We strive to fully apply and comply with all relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing pregnancy-related health needs and accommodations. We take concerns in this area seriously and continually work to strengthen our policies, training, and processes so our caregivers are supported.”
The Attorney General’s Office said it attempted to resolve the matter with Providence before filing suit, but those discussions were unsuccessful. The state is seeking court orders requiring Providence to comply with Washington law as well as damages for affected workers. Providence said the Attorney General’s office failed to provide information that the health system needed to address concerns:
“We engaged in discussions with the Attorney General’s office about compliance,” the Providence statement said. “While we attempted to have a meaningful exchange, the office refused to share meaningful information that would allow us to understand their assertions, address any individual concerns, and further refine our processes to better serve caregivers.
“We remain committed to working in good faith to reach an appropriate resolution of any issues and are disappointed by the State’s focus on litigation rather than collaborative efforts to help caregivers,” the statement said.
Providence Health & Services, based in Renton, operates the largest hospital network in Washington state, with dozens of hospitals and outpatient medical facilities across the region. The Catholic nonprofit health system also serves patients in Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and California. In Seattle, its network includes affiliations with secular partners Swedish Health Services and Pacific Medical Centers. According to the Providence website, the system employs more than 40,000 at 15 locations across the state.
The state is seeking court orders requiring Providence to comply with Washington law as well as damages for affected workers.
