The South Carolina Accommodations Act was signed into Law on May 18, 2018. This Act, which was immediately effective, amends the South Carolina Human Affairs Law and provides extended accommodation requirements for pregnant employers. Penny C. Wofford with Ogletree Deakins will explain the requirements of this new Act for South Carolina employers and how the accommodation requirements coordinate with existing accommodation policies, processes and guidance under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA).
Speaker:
Penny Wofford is a South Carolina Supreme Court Certified Specialist in Employment and Labor Law. Sheconcentrates her practice in the area of employment litigation and employee benefits. She advises and defendsemployers, employer-sponsored plans, and plan fiduciaries against all types of claims under ERISA andemployment discrimination laws. Penny not only provides proactive counseling and legal advice to employersand management regarding human resources issues but also assists employers with the design, drafting, andadministration of welfare benefit plans. Penny is a frequent speaker on employee benefits and employee leavetopics and regularly provides company and supervisor training on employment discrimination, documentationand confidentiality.During law school, Penny served as a member of the University of South Carolina Law Review from 1996 until 1998.
Admitted to Practice
South Carolina
North Carolina
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
Education
J.D., University of South Carolina, 1998
B.A., magna cum laude, University of South Carolina, 1994
Honors & Awards
South Carolina Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers - Corporate Counsel Edition
Practice and Industry Groups
Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
Employment Law
ERISA Litigation
Experience
Defended a national hosiery company against a former executive employee claim under a phantom equity
appreciation plan
Won summary judgment in a reverse-race discrimination and retaliation claim for a national home
improvement retail company
Assisted a number of employers with Department of Labor health plan audits
Won trial in ERISA case for a welfare plan sponsored by a national transportation company