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California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law
Pregnancy changes women’s bodies in many ways. Some changes are
obvious to everyone--your belly gets bigger over the course of nine
months. Others may be obvious only to the woman who is
pregnant—exhaustion, nausea, and strange food cravings. While these
changes may be normal features of a healthy pregnancy, they can also
be disabling in that they can making your normal workday impossible
to bear.
California has a law protecting women who are disabled during
pregnancy—the Pregnancy Disability Leave Law. This law allows women
to take up to 16 weeks of leave for a disability related to
pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. Severe
morning sickness is just one example of a disability covered by this
law.
Pregnancy Disability Leave Law is different from leave under the
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights
Act (CFRA). In fact, in California, more employers are covered
under Pregnancy Disability Leave Law than are covered under either
the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights
Act. This is because all California employers with at least 5
employees are covered by Pregnancy Disability Leave Law. So,
even if your employer tells you they do not offer FMLA or CFRA, you
may still be entitled to time off from work to accommodate a
pregnancy related disability.
Depending upon the size of your employer and
other factors, after you take time for a pregnancy related
disability, you may be entitled to an additional 12 weeks of leave
from work to bond with your newborn child. This means some women
may be entitled to up to 28 weeks of leave if they have a pregnancy
related disability and then choose to take time to bond with their
newborn. You should consult an attorney or other knowledgeable
professional to determine the various types of leave that may apply
to your situation and the ways in which these laws interact.
For more information on Pregnancy Disability
Leave, or other leave time available to pregnant women and parents,
visit
www.pregnancylawyer.com or call Attorney
Sarah B. Schlehr directly at (310) 492-5757.
This Belly Scoop has been sponsored by Ms. Pregnancy Lawyer,
Sarah B. Schlehr! |
