What kind of rights do you have being pregnant in California?
California Pregnant Workers' Rights
In California, pregnant workers have certain rights under state law. These include:
Right to Reasonable Accommodation: Employers must accommodate reasonable requests from pregnant workers that are necessary for their health and safety, such as:
* More frequent bathroom breaks
* Time to rest
* Light duty or modified work duties
* Transfer to a different job that is less hazardous
* Break time to express breast milk
* A private space to nurse
Right to Job Protection: Employers cannot discriminate against pregnant workers or treat them differently because of their pregnancy or childbirth. This means that pregnant workers have the right to:
* Keep their job
* Be paid the same as non-pregnant workers
* Be promoted and given other opportunities for advancement
Right to Medical Leave: Pregnant workers also have the right to take up to 4 months of unpaid medical leave for pregnancy and childbirth. This leave can be taken at any time during pregnancy and can be extended if necessary. During this leave, employees are guaranteed their job back with the same pay and benefits.
Right to Health Insurance Coverage: Pregnant workers also have the right to health insurance coverage for prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care. This coverage must be provided by the employer if the employer offers health insurance to its employees.
Right to Breastfeeding Breaks: Under state law, "employers shall provide a female employee with a reasonable amount of break time to express breast milk for her infant child each time such employee has need to express milk for her child."
To ensure these rights are upheld, California employers are required to provide written information about their rights to employees who are pregnant or might become pregnant. Employers must also post a poster explaining these rights in a prominent place in the workplace.
If an employer violates the rights of a pregnant employee, the employee may file a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.