Los Angeles, Calif. (October 24, 2019) -
On October 10, 2019, Governor Newsom approved Senate Bill 142, thereby broadening the scope
of existing accommodations for lactating employees. For some
employers, this development will require considerable changes to
existing policies and practices governing lactation in the
workplace. We recommend that California employers re-visit their
lactation accommodation policies and practices to ensure continued
compliance with the California Labor Code (Labor Code).
Effective January 1, 2020, the Labor Code will require the
following:
Formal Lactation Policy
Employers must develop and implement policies regarding
lactation accommodation that include (1) a statement about an
employee's right to request lactation accommodation; (2) the
process by which an employee may request lactation accommodation;
(3) the employer's obligation to respond to an employee's
request; and (4) a statement about an employee's right to
