Your Rights and Obligations as a Pregnant Employee - Notice

Sep 15, 2026

Notice outlining employer duties and employee responsibilities for pregnant workers, those with pregnancy-related medical conditions, and those recovering from childbirth. Covers reasonable accommodation, job transfer to less strenuous or hazardous work, and eligibility for Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) up to four months, including intermittent use. Explains anti-discrimination protections, break time for expressing breast milk, and required or requested written medical certification. Also describes potential California Family Rights Act (CFRA) leave options for bonding and qualifying serious health conditions, plus eligibility thresholds.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Obligations of Employers with Five or More Employees

Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL)

Your Obligations as an Employee

Additional Leave Under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)

YOUR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS ASA PREGNANT EMPLOYEE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, HAVE A PREGNANCY-RELATED MEDICAL CONDITION, OR ARE RECOVERING FROM CHILDBIRTH, PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE. OBLIGATIONS OF EMPLOYERS WITH FIVE OR MORE EMPLOYEES • Reasonably accommodate your medical needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions (such as temporarily modifying your work duties, providing you with a stool or chair, or allowing more frequent breaks); • Transfer you to a less strenuous or hazardous position (if one is available) or duties if medically needed because of your pregnancy; • Provide you with pregnancy disability leave (PDL) of up to four months (the working days you normally would work in one-third of a year or 17 1/3 weeks) and return you to your same job when you are no longer disabled by your pregnancy or, in certain instances, to a comparable job. Taking PDL does not protect you from nonleave related employment actions, such as a layoff; • Provide a reasonable amount of break time and use of a room or other location close to the employee’s work area to express breast milk in private as set forth in the Labor Code; and • Never discriminate, harass, or retaliate on the basis of pregnancy. Employers with one or more employees must not harass employees on the basis of pregnancy. PREGNANCY DISABILITY LEAVE • Although PDL can last up to four months, you are entitled to take PDL only for the period of time during which you are disabled by pregnancy, a pregnancy-related medical condition, or childbirth. Your health care provider determines how much time you need. • After you inform your employer that you need to take PDL, your employer must guarantee in writing that you can return to work in your same or a comparable position if you request a written guarantee. • Your employer may require you to submit written medical certification from your health care provider supporting the need for your leave. • PDL may include, but is not limited to, additional or more frequent breaks, time for prenatal or postnatal medical appointments, and doctor-ordered bed rest, and covers conditions such as severe morning sickness, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, recovery from childbirth or loss or end of pregnancy and/or post-partum depression. • PDL does not need to be taken all at once but can be taken on anas-needed basis as required by your health care provider, including intermittent leave or a reduced work schedule. • Your leave will be paid or unpaid depending on your employer’s policy for other types of medical leave. You may also be eligible for state disability insurance, administered by the California Employment Development Department. • You may choose to use any vacation or other paid time off during your PDL. • Your employer may require or you may choose to use any available sick leave during your PDL. • Your employer is required to continue your group health coverage during your PDL at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if you had continued in employment continuously for the duration of your leave. • Taking PDL may impact certain benefits and your seniority date; please contact your employer for details. YOUR OBLIGATIONS ASAN EMPLOYEE • Give your employer reasonable notice. To receive a reasonable accommodation, obtain a transfer, or take PDL, you must give your employer sufficient notice for your employer to make appropriate plans. Sufficient notice means 30 days advance notice if the need for the reasonable accommodation, transfer, or PDL is foreseeable, or as soon as practicable if the need is an emergency or unforeseeable. • Provide a written medical certification from your health care provider. Except in a medical emergency where there is no time to obtain it, your employer may require you to provide a written medical certification from your health care provider of the medical need for your reasonable a

FAQs

What accommodations must an employer provide for an employee with pregnancy-related medical needs?

Employers should reasonably accommodate medical needs, including temporarily modifying duties, providing seating such as a stool or chair, allowing more frequent breaks, and transferring the employee to a less strenuous or hazardous position if medically needed.

How does Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) work, and who decides the duration?

PDL can last up to four months but is taken only for the period the employee is disabled due to pregnancy, a pregnancy-related condition, or childbirth. The health care provider determines how much time is needed.

What notice and medical certification must the employee provide to take PDL or receive accommodation?

The employee must give reasonable notice (typically 30 days if foreseeable, or as soon as practicable if not) and provide written medical certification unless there is a medical emergency with no time to obtain it.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Valentina