Pregnancy Disability Leave Amendments Bring Poster Change for April 1

Amendments to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) regulations have been approved and will take effect on April 1, 2016.

The amended regulations include clarifications regarding pregnancy disability leave, as well as changes to the mandatory pregnancy disability leave poster requirement—“Your Rights and Obligations as a Pregnant Employee.”

California’s pregnancy disability leave laws apply to any employer with five or more full-time or part-time employees and to all California public sector employers.

Required Notice

Covered employers are required to post a specific notice to employees explaining their rights and obligations regarding pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The notice includes information about:

• An employee’s right to request reasonable accommodation, transfer or pregnancy disability leave.

• An employee’s obligations to provide adequate advance notice.

• The employer’s requirement, if any, that the employee provide medical certification of the need for pregnancy disability leave, reasonable accommodation or transfer.

The revised notice will be required for covered California employers beginning April 1, 2016.

Visit the Fair Employment and Housing Council’s website, dfeh.ca.gov, for the text of the amendments, along with the Council’s statement of reasons for proposing the amendments.

The California Chamber of Commerce 2016 California and Federal Employment Notices Poster and 2016 Required Notices Kit will be updated with the revised mandatory pregnancy disability leave notice for April 1, 2016. Customers who have purchased and paid for Poster Protect® will automatically receive the updated poster.

Staff Contact: Gail Cecchettini Whaley