Many groups of Californian workers require extra legal protection to ensure they are treated fairly in the workplace. All workers in the state and elsewhere in the nation deserve equal access to work opportunities and the ability to meaningfully engage in their work.
One group that requires the most protection is mothers. The United States still lags behind other developed nations in offering comprehensive maternal leave and health coverage, although the Golden State has made strides ahead of the federal government to support working mothers.
The new year of 2018 will bring new protections in the city of San Francisco. Lactating employees will be provided with adequate break time and attempts to create safe, private space for child-care-related activities. These new protections exceed federal standards for new mothers.
These rights will be required to be explicitly communicated to applicable workers, according to the new city code. Employers are also required to submit written reports if lactation space is not provided, and they are specifically enjoined from any form of retaliation against mothers attempting to work and nurse at the same time.
Financial penalties will apply to employers that are in breach of these new codes by 2019. This adds to the robust legal protections for mothers in the city and elsewhere in California.
All workers have rights that protect their ability to work and their dignity within the workplace. Recent mothers and others who have specific requirements of a workspace may retain legal counsel in a fight for these rights against an employer in a mediation or court action.
Source: JD Supra, “Expanded Protections for Working Mothers in San Francisco,” Sep. 11, 2017
