California residential apartment managers often face unique challenges, balancing the demands of managing properties with their personal and family needs. Understanding their rights under California law is critical for employees navigating pregnancy or family leave. At the Leichter Law Firm, APC, the Los Angeles employment law attorney Aryeh Leichter is dedicated to helping employees, including residential apartment managers, assert their workplace rights.
Understanding Pregnancy Leave Rights in California
California proudly offers some of the nation’s most robust pregnancy leave protections. Under the California Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) law, employees disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions are entitled to up to four months of leave.
This applies regardless of how long the employee has worked for the employer or the number of hours worked per week.
Key aspects of PDL include:
- Eligibility: PDL applies to all employees working for employers with five or more employees.
- Reasonable Accommodation: Employers must provide reasonable accommodations, such as modified duties or additional breaks if the employee’s healthcare provider requests them.
One of PDL’s most comforting aspects is its job protection. Employees are entitled to return to their same or a comparable position after the leave, ensuring their employment status remains secure.
While PDL itself is unpaid, employees may use accrued sick leave and vacation time or apply for state disability insurance (SDI) benefits. To apply for SDI benefits, visit the California Employment Development Department’s website or contact your employer’s HR department for assistance.
Family Leave Rights: The California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
In addition to PDL, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to bond with a new child or care for a family member with a serious health condition.
Important CFRA considerations include:
- Eligibility: To qualify, an employee must have worked for their employer for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours in the past year, and the employer must have at least five employees.
- Parental Leave: CFRA leave can be used by both parents to bond with a newborn, adopted, or foster child within the first year of the child’s arrival.
- Concurrent Leave: CFRA leave can run concurrently with PDL for bonding purposes after the pregnancy disability period ends.
Specific Challenges for California Apartment Managers
Residential apartment managers often live on-site and have nontraditional work schedules, complicating leave arrangements. Employers must still comply with state leave laws, even when the employee resides at the property.
Potential challenges include:
- Housing Considerations: Employers cannot retaliate against employees taking leave by threatening their housing arrangements if the employee lives in a company-provided unit.
- Coverage During Leave: Employers may need to arrange temporary management coverage, but this does not absolve them of their legal obligations.
Remember that you have rights if your employer denies your leave, retaliates against you for requesting leave, or terminates your employment. You may have grounds for a legal claim. Document all communications with your employer and consult an experienced employment law attorney. You are not alone in this, and legal recourse is available.
Navigating pregnancy and family leave laws can feel overwhelming, but understanding your rights is the first step toward ensuring a fair workplace. California law is on your side, and the Leichter Law Firm, APC, is here to help you every step of the way.
Contact Our Employment Law Attorney at Leichter Law Firm, APC
Our Los Angeles County employment law attorney is committed to protecting the rights of California employees, including residential apartment managers. If you believe your pregnancy or family leave rights have been violated, call 818-915-6624 or contact the firm online. You deserve an advocate who understands your job’s complexities and the protections California law provides.