The Brief

Navigating family leave is not easy. When we’ve talked to pregnant people, family leave is one of the top topics they ask us about. It’s no wonder why — there are so many things to keep track of.

So why is this impossibly complicated? Why do you need four degrees and a spreadsheet to figure it out? This is our attempt to answer your questions about pregnancy and work in California.

We talked with several experts across the field; most of the answers around how California law intersects with work come from Katherine Wutchiett, staff attorney at Legal Aid at Work, which runs a work and family helpline that provides free, confidential advice to parents and caregivers.

How the US compares with the world

Because the laws vary so widely by region and by each person’s health conditions, figuring out your benefits takes a little bit of calculation.

And worldwide, this is not the norm. The United States is one of just seven countries in the world without a comprehensive program for national paid maternity leave. The average length for those that do have leave is 29 weeks. Estonians get up to 86 weeks of paid family leave, over a year and a half — for any parent, foster, adoptive, or guardian.

Research shows that paid family leave has multiple benefits for families that are able to take advantage of it, including breastfeeding for longer periods of time, better health outcomes for children as they grow, increases in men taking family leave, and the ability for birthing parents to return to their jobs.

But in the U.S., nearly one in four employed mothers return to work just two weeks after giving birth. If you are wondering what that might be like (hint: not recommended), check out LAist’s guide to the postpartum phase.

California is one of the few states in the country that does offer a constellation of laws to provide for work accommodations and leave around pregnancy.

Wutchiett says that just knowing these rights can lead to more stability at work in the long-term. “A lot of the issues that we see that come up, are people quit their job or are fired because they don't get the changes that they need in their pregnancy, when they are entitled to pregnancy accommodations,” she adds.

Do I need to tell my employer I’m pregnant?

First off, it’s important to know you’ve got rights!

Wutchiett says the first step is to start doing research to understand your basic rights in California.

“Employers don't always have it 100% right,” she says, adding that it’s important to know a bit about the basics before having a conversation with your employer.

Wutchiett says people often ask if they are required to tell their employer that they are pregnant. The answer is no, you are not — but certain legal protections and benefits are connected to being pregnant, like work accommodations and time off. So, she says, “Once you want to make use of those protections you need to tell your employer so that you can trigger their obligation to provide those to you.”

If you’re worried about your employer’s reaction, know that it’s illegal for your employer to discriminate against you or harass you due to pregnancy.

If you work at a place with five or more employees, your sick leave will protect your job if you need to take time off for prenatal medical care, morning sickness, or other pregnancy-related conditions. In the state of California, as of Jan. 1, 2024, you have five guaranteed paid sick days to cover this time off (in addition to any benefits your employer provides). Other cities may have more time off — like Los Angeles (48 hours, or six days) and Santa Monica (depends on your employer). Look up what type of sick leave is available in the specific city or state where you live.

Information from Legal Aid at Work

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What are reasonable work accommodations?

Now that you’re pregnant, some aspects of the way you work may need to change.

Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, your employer is required to provide accommodations to pregnant employees — as long as they are reasonable and advised by a health employer.

As Wutchiett explains, there’s no specific list of what these accommodations could be. “It completely depends on that person's job and what their healthcare provider recommends,” she says.

For example, if you work in a restaurant, it could be that a different server takes out the larger trays of food. Work accommodations can also include teleworking, switching from a position at the register to a position in the back of the stockroom, or if you have a job that usually requires standing, you can ask for a seat.

Accommodations are available to all employees, including part-time workers and those who are new to their job.

If you are looking for how to structure your email request to your employer or need a note from your doctor, you can download some sample letters.

How do I take time off to care for my baby?

First, the TL;DR version.

• Usually, depending on your medical condition, you can receive benefits up to four weeks before your expected delivery date and then up to six weeks after your delivery (without complications) and up to eight weeks after your delivery (cesarean birth). 
• Then, under California’s Paid Family Leave program, usually you can receive benefits for another eight weeks. After that, you may be entitled to another four weeks off unpaid. 
• All this may vary depending on where you work, your work status, and your health conditions. 

OK. How does this all work?

Here’s what’s key to understanding leave from work: There are laws that give you the right to go on leave and protect your job while you’re out. And then, separately, there’s how you’ll get paid — in California there are programs that give you partial pay during this time.

Your leave depends on the size of your employer, your health conditions, and how you deliver (vaginal or cesarean), and what programs you qualify for.

• A typical leave for a vaginal birth in California includes a total of 22 weeks off, with up to four weeks before the due date and 18 weeks afterwards, with 17 of those weeks paid at 70-90%.
• A typical leave for a cesarean birth is a total of 22 weeks off, with up to four weeks before the due date and 18 weeks afterwards, with 19 of those weeks paid at 70-90%.

Information from Legal Aid at Work

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LAist design staff

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Now let's talk about other protections.

If your employer has five or more employees, there are two laws that protect your job while you are out on leave — Pregnancy Disability Leave and the California Family Rights Act. Pregnancy Disability Leave is designed to provide leave before and after birth, depending on your particular health conditions. The California Family Rights Act provides time off for bonding with a new child if you’ve worked with your employer for a year or more. Both of these laws require you to give your employer at least 30 days' advance notice.

It’s important to note that as of 2021, the California Family Rights Act is available to workplaces with five or more employees. It previously only covered larger workplaces, so if you work for a smaller employer, they may not be aware of this change. Also, the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) overlaps with state laws — it does not provide you with additional leave.

To get paid while you are out, California has two programs that can provide pay. First, there’s State Disability Insurance, which provides a portion of your pay before and after your due date. Usually, depending on your medical condition, you can receive benefits up to four weeks before your expected delivery date and then up to six weeks after your delivery (without complications) and up to eight weeks after your delivery (cesarean birth).

California’s Paid Family Leave program then provides a portion of your pay for eight weeks to bond with a new child. People who don’t give birth can also use this program — that includes spouses and adoptive or foster parents.

Workers earning 70% or less of the state's average wage are eligible for 90% of their regular wages under the State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave programs. For 2025, that's about $63,000. If you make more than that, you'll get 70% of your regular wages.

Both of these programs are available regardless of citizenship and immigration status. They are 100% worker funded. You can look at your pay stub and if it says CASDI, this is the amount of your money that is going into this fund. If you are undocumented, you can see this guide on how to apply.

Jenya Cassidy, director of the California Work and Family Coalition, says educating yourself on the basics of California laws is a helpful start. “You'd be surprised how many HR departments get this wrong and will tell a pregnant worker in California you have 12 weeks all together, which is not true,” she says.

Keep in mind all these things are a minimum. They are the floor and your employer may have extra benefits to add to this mix.

For example:

• Some employers supplement the 70-90% of your pay that California disability and paid family leave offer, to take your pay up to 100%.
• Your employer can allow you more time off than what is guaranteed by law. 
• Some employers allow flexible work arrangements upon return.
• And maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who work for Netflix and you can take as long as you need (averaging four to eight months, the company says)

Wutchiett recommends that if you make a special arrangement with your employer about benefits or time off, you confirm your conversation in writing, though email or a text. There’s no state agency that would step in for things above and beyond California law, but having documentation can help you make your case through other avenues.

If you live in San Francisco, the Paid Parental Leave Ordinance requires employers to supplement Paid Family Leave so that during your leave you receive 100% of your pay (up to a cap). San Francisco also has other special benefits around pregnancy and parenting.

P.S. Be prepared to be in contact with state agencies and/or insurance companies at the beginning of your leave. I remember one guy from the insurance company whose job was just to call people and ask if they had a vaginal or cesarean birth. In the crucial first days of birth, I was so exhausted I almost missed his call.

How does paid family leave for adoption or fostering work?

If you are an adoptive and foster parent, you also have the right to take leave to bond with and care for your new child.

Eligible employees have the right to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave from work, with potentially 8 of those weeks partially paid under California’s Paid Family Leave program. You’ll need to give 30 days’ advance notice to your employer if possible (or tell them as soon as you can). If your employer requests documentation like a letter from a foster care or adoption agency, you should provide that. Learn more about how this works.

California workers can also take sick time and leave to care for chosen family. As of 2023, employees can take time off to care for a “designated person,” someone who is a blood relative or someone else they consider like family. If you are an LGBTQ+ parent or have a nontraditional family structure, you might find this useful. Family caregivers can use California’s Paid Family Leave program to care for relatives.

What rights do I have to pump breastmilk at work?

A 2020 law requires employers to give employees the break time they need to pump at work. You can decide the amount of time you need, since it varies for each person. Your employer doesn’t need to pay for this time, except if you pump during your normal break times.

Your work must also provide an adequate space to express milk. It must:

• Be shielded from view, and free from intrusion
• Be safe, clean, and free from hazardous materials
• Contain a surface to place a breast pump and personal items 
• Contain a place to sit and have access to electricity or alternative devices including, but not limited to, extension cords or charging stations 
• Have access to a sink with running water and a refrigerator suitable for storing milk
• Not be a bathroom!

These are basic things, but Wutchiett says she has heard from people whose bosses told them to pump in, like, a chilled wine room or hallway or a supply closet. Not cool!

And also, as it turns out, not legal.

Your employer is also required to have a lactation policy and affirmatively distribute it to employees when they hire them.

How do I talk to my boss about pregnancy?

Like we previously wrote for LAist in a guide to sick leave, for starters, these things are key:

• Get it in writing. It's fine to request leave over the phone or in person, but follow up in writing. That way you have a record of your conversation.
• Include the details. Make sure you include the dates you anticipate needing leave, when you expect to be able to return to work, and the reason you are not able to work. 
• Name drop the law. It can be helpful to include the name of the law or laws that provide the leave you’re requesting. That way, says Wutchiett, if the employer is unfamiliar with the law, they can look it up.

And to finesse the conversation …

• Give as much notice as you can. For pregnancy leave, the laws require a 30-day notice if possible.
• Rehearse. Run your email or text by a friend to double check it. It can make you feel more prepared.
• Take a buddy. Cassidy has seen it work with people who are talking to their employer about lactation accommodations. Also, approach your supervisor in a friendly way to educate them. You know your boss, so you probably have a good idea about what approach would work best.

Most importantly, says Wutchiett, remember: “It’s against the law for people to treat people worse because they try to assert any of these rights.”

If your employer is telling you something that is incorrect or doing something against the law, see some tips.

What time off can I use for pregnancy loss or miscarriage?

Experiencing a pregnancy loss is rough. In addition to potential physical recovery, there’s also the need to process grief and make meaning out of your experience. The time and space you need can be difficult to come by in a world that continues to move fast.

Time off from your job is protected under these laws:

• Reproductive Loss Leave, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, covers five days of unpaid leave for a failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, stillbirth, or an unsuccessful assisted reproduction. 
• The Pregnancy Disability Leave Act also covers up to four months of job-protected, unpaid leave for health conditions related to pregnancy. This can include physical recovery as well as mental health issues. 
• If you need more time because you are disabled, the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Fair Employment and Housing Act may allow you to take more time as a reasonable accommodation.

To receive pay during this time, you can use five days of sick leave available in California — or more, depending on the city where you live. You may also be eligible to receive 70% or 90% of your income while you are disabled and recovering through California’s State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. You’ll have to consult with your doctor about how much time is necessary in your case. A typical recovery from a live birth is six to eight weeks.

All of these protections and benefits are available regardless of immigration status.

As with the other leave laws I mention here, these laws are the minimum required under state law. Your employer may have additional bereavement time and you can talk with them about other special arrangements — just make sure to document any agreements that you make!

Legal Aid at Work breaks down all of your rights after reproductive loss in this helpful fact sheet.

New laws and making change

California’s laws around pregnancy and work don’t cover everyone — if you work at a workplace with four or fewer employees or are an independent contractor, many of these laws may not apply to you. Many public sector workers, like teachers and city employees, also aren't eligible for the state's paid leave program because they don't pay into the state's disability insurance fund. You may find that you have challenges submitting your application when many of the forms are available only in English. You may experience delays as EDD processes your claim.

And, of course, just because you have rights does not mean your employer will make it easy for you to enjoy them.

Cassidy suggests that if you are running into problems accessing paid leave and you don’t have a union, you should call your state representative. Yes, really! She says that representatives have successfully helped elevate cases that they have flagged for them, and it also lets elected representatives know the policies as they stand aren’t working. And don’t be intimidated. It’s literally their job to listen to you.

Also, as Cassidy said previously to LAist, “It can be very satisfying, when you're frustrated about something, to at least know that you're doing what you can.”

LAist senior reporters Mariana Dale and Elly Yu contributed to this guide. It was also informed by the Hey bb review committee: Maternal and Child Health Access parent coach and psychotherapist Denise Cervantes, California Black Women’s Health Project senior manager of maternal and reproductive health Raena Granberry, licensed clinical psychologist and birth doula Sayida Peprah, and Legal Aid at Work staff attorney Sela Steiger.

This article was updated on Aug. 1 to include new California laws and updated resource links.

In Los Angeles, volunteers have been painting their own crosswalks, reasoning that safer streets shouldn’t be held up by red tape.

Now, a group of them is channeling that same DIY energy to another everyday need: public seating.

“We just want to build a bunch of benches and hopefully people have some cool places to sit,” said Jonathan Hale, founder of People’s Vision Zero.

Hale, a Sawtelle resident and UCLA law school student, is leading a session next weekend to build public benches. The plan is to bypass the permitting process , set out the seats and create more third spaces.

“There’s not that many places where you can go that aren’t work or home,” Hale said. “Benches, parks [and] open, inviting public spaces are a way that we can rebuild that in L.A.”

For Hale, the gathering is just as important as the finished product.

“The point of the labor is that we form stronger bonds with our neighbors and we have a healthy discussion about the use of public space," he said.

A growing bench movement

That conversation is part of a larger one across the country, where residents are making small but impactful changes to improve public space — from pop-up bike lanes to guerrilla gardens in what's described as "tactical urbanism."

Unpermitted public benches have been popping up in cities from Chattanooga, Tenn. to Kansas City, Mo. and San Francisco.

Over the last couple years, the San Francisco Bay Area Bench Collective has installed more than 100 benches at bus stops that draw the most riders.

“Bus riders deserve to be treated with respect and to have a place to rest as they wait for the bus,” said Mingwei Samuel, an Oakland-based programmer who founded the group.

Samuel, who learned woodworking from his father, built and installed his first public bench in San Francisco in 2023.

The San Francisco Bay Area Bench Collective has placed more than 100 benches in the last couple years.

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SF Bay Area Bench Collective

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Bench locations chosen by the collective are usually located near bus stops.

“It’s sort of a revolt against the trend of hostile architecture,” he said. “Cities trying to remove benches just because they don’t want people to gather in public spaces.”

The Bay Area collective is seeing real change. More than 100 benches now dot the region, from Berkeley to Petaluma.

Last year, the city of Richmond approved a permit program allowing residents to add their own benches.  

Sawtelle resident Johnathan Hale is expanding the work of People's Vision Zero to include bench building.

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Dañiel Martinez

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From crosswalks to benches 

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Hale’s group had already been gaining traction with its crosswalk projects.

Volunteers with People’s Vision Zero last year painted more than a dozen DIY crosswalks, taking a page from another volunteer group The Crosswalk Collective.

Most of the crosswalks have been left intact by the city. But in December, while volunteers were striping a street in Westwood, Hale was arrested and cited in an incident that went viral on social media.

Afterward, Hale met with the office of Mayor Karen Bass. In a statement to LAist, the mayor’s office said Bass was once a former community activist like Hale and wants to “explore solutions that are innovative and will expedite crosswalk installations across Los Angeles.”

The office did not respond to follow-up questions about what those solutions may look like or when they would be rolled out.

For now, Hale said he’s taking a hiatus from painting crosswalks “in the interest of working with them in good faith.”

That’s opened the door for more bench projects. Hale did a test run of sorts last summer in Sawtelle.

Drawing from skills learned as an Eagle Scout, he built four benches that he placed at the West Los Angeles Civic Center and Stoner Park, using the same design as those made by the Bay Area collective. All but one of the benches at the civic center are still there.

“When I’m just walking along and there’s people sitting on my bench, and they don’t even know that I built it, I get to feel like Batman or something,” Hale said. “It’s my little secret.”

Now he’s ready to scale up – and artists and woodworkers are answering the call. So many people have RSVP’d to the upcoming bench build next weekend that capacity has already been reached. Hale anticipates hosting more events.

He says Los Angeles should become a national leader in grassroots urban problem-solving or — as he puts it — “getting stuff done.”

Community volunteers say one of the first lesson they learned during ICE raids is to make as much noise as possible.

When they see people being detained by ICE, they use their voices, megaphones and, most effectively, whistles to signal danger.

One workshop being held in Downtown L.A. today will teach people how to use this tool.

Make some noise

Rain Skau is an organizer with the L.A. chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, he said the idea to hand out whistles came from community organizers in Chicago where they’ve been using them to alert neighborhoods of ICE presence.

Skau said his group had already been doing outreach to businesses across the city on how to better protect their workers from immigration raids, but they wanted to do more.

They plan to give out these kits in their future outreach.

The back and front of hotline cards included in the whistle kits.

The cards details what to do and who to call when a person has been detained or is being detained by ICE.

A hotline card with information on who to call when a person has been detained by ICE.

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A hotline card with instructions on what to do when encountering a person being detained by ICE.

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“This wasn't something that we were doing previously. We want to make sure that people have whistles and they have the hotline information,” said Skau.

The whistles are 3D printed and come with a phone number to advocacy group Unión del Barrio’s community hotline to report ICE sightings and those who might have been detained.

Amplify

Skau says there are two specific whistle patterns — one to alert people if ICE is nearby. The other to signify when someone is being detained.

In that event whistle-blowers are also instructed to “form a crowd, stay loud, and stay nonviolent.” 

But Skau said they’ve mostly been telling people to whistle as loud as possible, no matter the pattern, to raise awareness.

Jack Bohlka organizes Home Depot Patrols for DSA-LA, he said the whistles are tiny but mighty.

Jack Bohlka (center) poses with other members of DSA-LA during a recent "Know Your Rights" business walk.

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“It's a whole lot better than trying to yell. It's instantly recognizable, they're very effective,” Bohlka said.

Jack Bohlka's personal whistle he uses for Home Depot patrols.

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Spreading the sound

Some 300 people signed up for today's workshop, more than Skau and Bohlka anticipated. They had to end RSVPs early to keep attendance manageable. But Skau says more workshops are in the works (check their Instagram for new events).

Participants today will assemble and take home whistle kits with instructions on how to use them, what to note if someone is being detained, and who to call during a raid.

DSA-LA said lately immigration enforcement agents have changed their tactics, targeting specific areas, striking quickly and leaving. It’s part of why Skau thinks getting whistle kits to as many people as possible is critical.

“So that if you just happen to be walking down the street," Skau said. "And you see something happening right in front of you, you're not just standing there shocked and aghast, and unsure of how to respond."

In just four days, the Los Angeles Official Martin Luther King Day Parade will take over South L.A.

The LA Local recently spoke with Sabra Wady, the parade’s lead organizer, who said this year’s parade will look much the same as recent years.

So, whether you’re attending the parade or watching it on TV, here’s everything you need to know about Monday’s parade:

The procession will begin at 10 a.m., with ABC7 set to begin a broadcast at 11 a.m.

What time does the parade start? How can I watch? Is anything happening after?

Wady said the best place to catch the parade in person is the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. King Boulevard, or “camera corner,” where the parade will culminate and organizers are planning a live preshow. Bleacher seats, though, will be limited.

The Metro K Line runs directly to the intersection, dropping people off at the Martin Luther King Jr. Metro station.

Onlookers can also post up along the parade route with folding chairs and other self-arranged seating, Wady said.

The parade broadcast will run until 1 p.m., but Wady said the procession is expected to keep going until mid-afternoon.

“After the cameras stop rolling, it’s the people’s parade,” Wady said.

LA City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Councilmembers Curren Price and Heather Hutt – who represent council districts 8, 9 and 10, respectively — will organize the annual MLK Freedom Festival in the Leimert Park Plaza from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What route will the parade take?

The route will remain the same, running down King Boulevard from Western Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard before turning south down Crenshaw and heading to Leimert Park. Much of the route will be closed to traffic overnight before the parade.

More than 150 groups, including bands, floats, horseback riders and marchers, will trek down the boulevard. Wady said organizers cut off new sign-ups weeks ago in order to keep the parade manageable.

What will road closures look like?

Colin Sweeney, a spokesperson for the LA Department of Transportation, said in an email that the department will close off traffic down the main parade route overnight.

Here are the roads that will be closed to all vehicles for the duration of the parade and festival.

• King Boulevard from Vermont Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard 
• Crenshaw Boulevard from King Boulevard to 48th Street
• Leimert Boulevard from 8th Avenue to Leimert Park 
• Degnan Avenue between 43rd Street and Leimert Park

Sweeney said only residents will be allowed to drive into the band of neighborhoods directly along the length of the parade route. That includes the blocks from 39th Street to 42nd Street along King Boulevard and the blocks between McClung Drive and Victoria Avenue along the Crenshaw closure.

The transportation department will allow traffic to cross the parade route at major intersections — including Western Avenue, Arlington Avenue and Stocker Street — but those crossings will be shut down at 10 a.m. All closed roads will stay blocked off until the parade and festival wrap up and transportation officials determine crowds have sufficiently dispersed, Sweeney said.

Wady said the parade is expected to peter out around mid-afternoon. The festival at Leimert Park Plaza is scheduled to end at 5 p.m.

Vehicles parked in the parade assembly area, parade route and disbanding area will be subject to impound or tickets, Sweeney wrote.

Topline:

By the numbers: Film and television shoot days totaled 4,625 in the final three months of 2025, up 5.1% in that timeframe. But overall last year, there were 19,694 shoot days, which is down 16.1% from 2024's total of 23.480.

Why it matters: Production in Los Angeles has been slow to rebound since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood writers and actors strikes in 2023. There is also increased competition from other states that offer appealing film tax credits and other incentives for productions that decide to take their shoot outside of California. This summer, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded California's Film and TV Tax Credit Program in an effort to lure productions back to the Golden State.

What's next: Film L.A.'s Phil Sokoloski says that many of the productions approved under the expanded tax credit program are just now getting underway, and he hopes the industry will start to see the effects of not only the tax incentive expansion in 2026, but also L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' directives to streamline the permitting and shooting process in the city.