CALIFORNIA, USA — As of Jan. 1, 2024, certain employers will have to provide leave for reproductive loss.
The bill was authored by state Senator Susan Rubio and approved by Governor Gavin Newsom in October.
Under SB 848, private employers with five or more employees and all public employers have to provide up to five days of reproductive loss leave for qualifying events including: failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, stillbirth or unsuccessful assisted reproduction. The five days don’t have to be consecutive.
According to the author of the bill, reproductive loss is a traumatizing experience and is far too common with as many as half of all pregnancies ending in miscarriage.
In a California senate analysis of the bill, officials said currently family programs don't usually apply to parents experiencing reproductive loss and bereavement leave doesn't include instances of stillbirth, miscarriage fertility or adoption loss events.
The bill's author said other states such as Utah and Illinois passed legislation for reproductive loss events in 2022.
