California’s Civil Rights Council has proposed significant updates to the regulations governing pregnancy disability leave, workplace accommodations, temporary transfers and bonding leave. The proposal is intended to modernize regulations that have not been updated in more than a decade and, where appropriate, align California protections with the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The proposal will be considered at a public hearing scheduled for 11:00 a.m. December 8, 2026, with written comments due by 5:00 p.m. that same day. Please note that these changes are only proposed and have not taken effect.
Among other changes, the proposal would expand examples of pregnancy-related medical conditions and reasonable accommodations, including telework and temporary suspension of certain essential job functions. It would also broaden the types of healthcare providers who may support an employee’s need for leave or accommodation and eliminate the current requirement that CFRA bonding leave generally be taken in two-week increments.
What Does It Mean?
For employers, no immediate policy change is required based on the proposal alone. However, the proposed regulations provide an early look at where California may be headed, particularly regarding how employers respond to accommodation requests, the documentation they may request and the flexibility available to employees. For example, the proposal provides that employers should respond to pregnancy-related accommodation requests as soon as practicable and that unnecessary delay could constitute a violation even if the accommodation is ultimately provided.
Written comments may be submitted to the Council at [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. PT on December 8, 2026. For additional information, including meeting location and Zoom link, please review the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.