Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL)

This section explains employers' obligations under California's pregnancy disability leave (PDL) law, including providing employees with PDL, accommodations and transfers related to pregnancy, as well as what to do when an employee requests or you become aware of the need for PDL, accommodation or transfer.

Private employers with five or more employees and all public employers (regardless of number of employees) are covered by California’s pregnancy disability leave law..

Covered employers	The law applies to private employers with five or more employees and all public employers.
Maximum amount of leave	The maximum amount of PDL available to an employee is four months, or 17 1/3 weeks, per pregnancy. The actual amount of time an employee is disabled by pregnancy is determined by the employee's health care provider. Note that if an employee is disabled longer than four months, the employee may be entitled to additional leave as a reasonable accommodation. For more information, see “Reasonable Accommodation Beyond PDL” in Providing Reasonable Accommodation and Transfer.
Employee eligibility	Employees who work for covered employers are eligible for PDL upon hire.
Reasons for leave	PDL can be used when an employee is disabled by pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.
Employer responsibilities	Post required posters, include a PDL policy in your employee handbook and provide a notice to any employee who is pregnant or needs PDL.
Interaction with other leaves	PDL runs concurrently with leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) if the employee is eligible for FMLA; PDL does not run concurrently with leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) because CFRA does not treat pregnancy as a “serious health condition.” For more information, see Family and Medical Leave.
Ending the employment relationship before the leave expires	The employee cannot be subject to adverse employment action because of PDL use. Seek legal counsel before terminating an employee on PDL.
Return to work	The employee is entitled to reinstatement to the job held before PDL began.