Women can do it all: from being full-time workers to becoming mothers. There are many working women in California, and we know that motherhood is desired by many of them. Becoming a mother is a beautiful stage, from pregnancy to the arrival of their children and sharing those first days with the newborn.
All of this is possible because California law does not allow discrimination based on pregnancy, maternity, or any maternity-related medical condition. Therefore, an employer must respect the wishes of his employee to become a mother and may not discriminate against her or terminate her employment contract during the time that the woman cannot perform her work due to possible complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
The employer may not refuse to provide you with the corresponding maternity leave before and after the delivery date. If an absence from work is not necessary, they must provide you with lighter or alternative tasks as they would with any other employer unable to perform their job for a certain period. The mother will have twelve weeks of unpaid leave to take care of the newborn.
The discrimination and harassment of pregnant women because of their condition are illegal. Turning the workplace into a hostile and offensive environment for the employee is also not permitted. Under the laws established by the United States Department of Labor, all working mothers who must breastfeed their children have the right to express milk in their workspace if necessary. The employer may not prevent it in any way.
Many working women consider that balancing their work-life with motherhood is usually a tough job, but that does not mean that companies and employers should represent an impediment in their desire to become mothers. On the contrary, California laws are always on the employee’s side, seeking to protect the rights of working mothers so that they can take care of their children without risking losing their jobs.