The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has published an important toolkit for employer compliance with the 2021 expanded California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and the Pregnancy Disability Leave law (PDL). See, California’s Expanded Family and Medical Leave Significantly Impacts Small Business. (November 12, 2020)

Under the expanded CFRA, all employers with five or more on payroll must provide eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected family and medical leave each year to care for their own or a family member’s serious health condition or to bond with a new child.

California’s PDL also requires employers with five or more on payroll to provide up to four months of unpaid disability leave per pregnancy.

The toolkit contains two health care provider certification forms, two quick reference guides and three fact sheets. An interactive app for new parents and pregnant employees will be soon available as well.

The toolkit also includes revised required posters in six languages. See, Family and Medical Leave and PDL.

Covered employers should promptly familiarize themselves with and train their supervisors on these 2021 documents, post/distribute the required posters, and update their employee handbooks, leave packets and absence request forms.

See also,

• Workplace Rhythm & Cues (January 21, 2021)
• What’s New in 2021: Crime Leave Spreading – California’s Broader Protections for Victim-Related Employee Time Off (October 15, 2020)
• Pregnancy Accommodation in California, New, Simpler Certification Form for Disability Leave, Transfer and Other Reasonable Accommodation (November 15, 2018)

For more information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

Cindy Bamforth
February 25, 2021