AB 1940: Unlawful practices: discrimination: menopause.

(1)Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), establishes the Civil Rights Department to enforce civil rights laws with respect to housing and employment, as prescribed. The FEHA recognizes and declares to be a civil right the opportunity to seek, obtain, and hold employment and housing without discrimination because of a specified characteristic. The FEHA makes certain discriminatory practices based on those characteristics unlawful. The FEHA also declares that its purpose is to provide effective remedies that will eliminate these discriminatory practices.

The FEHA defines terms used in connection with unlawful practices. These include sex, which includes pregnancy or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to childbirth, and breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding.

This bill would include perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause or other related medical conditions within the above definition of sex.

(2)Existing law requires the Civil Rights Department to provide a poster on discrimination in employment to an employer or a member of the public upon request. Existing law requires the poster to be available at each office of the department and requires each employer to post the poster in a prominent and accessible location in the workplace, as prescribed.

This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, to update the poster to notify women people of their rights and protections in regard to perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause, or related medical conditions.

(3)Existing law creates the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls within state government and requires the commission to study specified policy areas, including gender in the workplace and employment and the health and safety of women and girls.

This bill would require the commission, beginning July 1, 2027, to raise awareness of the employment rights of women experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause by taking specified actions, including developing and distributing public education materials that explain workplace protections applicable to employees experiencing menopause-related symptoms.