Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer in Glendale & Los Angeles

If you are pregnant, recovering from childbirth, or dealing with a related medical condition—and your employer cut your hours, denied leave or accommodations, harassed you, or fired you—California law may protect you. Every situation is different. MAGISA LAW represents employees in Glendale and Los Angeles County who want to understand their options.

Call 888-818-1099 for a free consultation* to talk through your situation with an attorney · Contact form · Office at 2550 Honolulu Ave, Suite 105, Glendale, CA 91020

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Pregnancy protections under FEHA

CRD’s employment guidance states that it is illegal for covered employers to fire, refuse to hire, bar, harass, discharge, or otherwise discriminate because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition. FEHA’s sex/gender protections expressly include pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions. Discrimination rules generally apply to employers with five or more employees; harassment based on a protected characteristic is prohibited in all workplaces.

Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL)

According to CRD’s Leave for Pregnancy Disability and Child Bonding Quick Reference Guide and related CRD materials:

If you have a pregnancy-related disability and your employer has 5 or more employees, you may be eligible for Pregnancy Disability Leave.
PDL may last up to four months, based on hours worked per week and the duration of the disability. Leave is only for the period you are actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, as determined with your health care provider.
There is no minimum tenure requirement for PDL (unlike CFRA bonding leave).
PDL may be taken all at once or intermittently.
Give at least 30 days’ notice when possible. Your employer may require medical certification.
You generally must be reinstated to the same or a comparable job, except in limited circumstances unrelated to the leave (such as a layoff).
If your employer normally pays for group health benefits, those benefits generally continue during PDL under the rules CRD summarizes.

CRD materials list examples of pregnancy-related disability that may support PDL or accommodations, such as severe morning sickness, prenatal or postnatal care, doctor-ordered bed rest, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, recovery from childbirth or loss of pregnancy, and post-partum depression. Whether any example fits is a medical and legal question for your facts.

Reasonable accommodations during pregnancy

CRD explains that employers with five or more employees must reasonably accommodate medical needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions—such as modifying duties, providing a stool or chair, allowing more frequent breaks, or temporarily transferring to a less strenuous or hazardous position if one is available and medically needed. An employer may not force you onto PDL instead of exploring accommodations that would let you keep working. See also our disability discrimination & accommodation page for the interactive-process framework that often overlaps.

CFRA bonding leave after PDL

After PDL, eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of CFRA leave within one year of birth, adoption, or foster placement to bond with a new child (1+ year of service, 1,250 hours, employer with 5+ employees). CRD states CFRA bonding leave generally runs after PDL, and that both parents (including adoptive/foster and same-sex parents) may be entitled to CFRA bonding leave. FMLA may run at the same time as PDL for pregnancy-related disability. Details: leave of absence page and CRD’s bonding guide.

Pay while on leave (high level)

PDL and CFRA bonding leave are job-protected leave frameworks; whether you receive wages depends on employer policy, use of accrued paid time off, and whether you qualify for EDD State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL). CRD’s guides summarize these possibilities. This page does not calculate benefit amounts.

Lactation breaks

CRD’s pregnant-employee materials note rights to a reasonable amount of break time and use of a room or other location close to the work area to express breast milk in private, consistent with the Labor Code. Lactation-related medical conditions may also relate to PDL. See our lactation breaks page (to be expanded).

Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation

Depending on the facts, concerns may include demotion, hour cuts, denial of promotion, forced leave, hostile comments about pregnancy, or termination timed around a pregnancy disclosure or leave request. Related pages: sexual harassment, hostile work environment, workplace retaliation, wrongful termination.

How pregnancy claims are often raised

FEHA pregnancy discrimination, PDL, and related complaints are generally filed with CRD. CRD states that employment discrimination complaints must generally be filed within three years from the date of the alleged discriminatory act. You generally must file with CRD even if you want to go to court, and you can request an immediate right-to-sue notice. Strict deadlines apply. Call promptly.

What to gather before you call

A short timeline of when you disclosed pregnancy and what happened next
Doctor notes, restrictions, and leave paperwork
Emails or texts about schedule changes, duty changes, or “we need someone who isn’t pregnant”
Performance reviews before and after the pregnancy disclosure
Handbook leave and accommodation policies
Termination or demotion paperwork, if any

MAGISA LAW reviews every case and discusses next steps in a free consultation.

Speak with a woman attorney

Every attorney at MAGISA LAW is a woman. Pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical needs can be deeply personal topics to raise with an employer—and with counsel. Some clients feel more comfortable discussing those issues with a female employment lawyer. Our Glendale team represents employees across Los Angeles County, listens carefully, and explains FEHA, Pregnancy Disability Leave, and related options in a free consultation. Reach us at 888-818-1099 or through the contact page when you are ready.

Related MAGISA LAW pages

Free consultation with MAGISA LAW

MAGISA LAW invites Glendale and Los Angeles County employees to contact the firm for a free consultation to talk through pregnancy-related workplace concerns with an attorney. Call 888-818-1099, email hello@magisalaw.com, or use the contact page.

Consultations are available in English, Spanish, Armenian, and Russian with an attorney.

Office: 2550 Honolulu Ave, Suite 105, Glendale, CA 91020.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pregnancy Disability Leave?

CRD describes PDL as job-protected leave for employees disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. Covered employers (5+ employees) may need to provide up to four months of leave for the period of disability, with reinstatement and benefit-continuation rules summarized in CRD’s guides.

Do I need a year on the job to take PDL?

No. CRD’s bonding guide states there is no tenure or hours requirement for PDL eligibility beyond having a pregnancy-related disability and an employer with five or more employees. CFRA bonding leave does have service and hours requirements.

Can I get accommodations instead of going out on leave?

Maybe. CRD states employers must reasonably accommodate pregnancy-related medical needs and may not force PDL in place of accommodations that would allow you to work. What is reasonable depends on the facts.

How does bonding leave work after childbirth?

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of CFRA bonding leave within one year of birth, adoption, or foster placement. CRD states CFRA bonding generally runs after PDL. Both parents may be entitled to bonding leave under CFRA’s rules.

How long do I have to file with CRD?

CRD states employment discrimination complaints generally must be filed within three years of the alleged act. Call promptly so timing can be assessed for your facts.

* Fee and cost terms are discussed during your free consultation.