Legal Question in Employment Law in California

Generally, failure to refusal to engage in interactive proces and honor a reasonable accommodation request is against the law. The employer still may choose to do so for a variety of reasons, one of which is ignorance of the law, which appears to be the case in your situation.

Thanks, and feel free to follow up.

Arkady Itkin

San Francisco & Sacramento Employment Lawyer

If and when you are refused accommodation, or you are denied legally protected leave, or are illegally terminated, discriminated or retaliated against because of requesting or taking the leave, then you may have legal claims.

If your CA employer has at least 5 employees, they can not fire you because you are pregnant, must allow you to continue working as long as you are able, must 'reasonably' accommodate your disability, must allow up to 4 months of unpaid pregnancy leave under FEHA, and return you to the same or an equivalent job upon return to work, with accrued benefits.

If your CA employer has at least 50 employees, and you are employed for at least 12 months, have at least 1,250 hours worked in the 12 months prior to the leave, then you would be eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA / CFRA maternity / medical leave when you are unable to work [or must care for an immediate family member] because of a �SERIOUS health condition� [that is properly confirmed and documented by the doctor], continuation of group health benefits, restoration to the same or an equivalent job upon return to work, with accrued benefits. The employer can require you to use all accrued unused vacations and leave[s] as part of the 12 weeks, so as to make that portion 'paid'. The leave may be taken on reasonable intermittent basis if that need is properly documented by your medical provider. Being out sick with minor illness or injury does not fall within the protections.

An employer is obligated to provide 'REASONABLE' accommodation of a legally recognized life altering disability upon proper medical certification of your disability and specific medical requirements necessary to accommodate you, IF accommodation can be done without substantial burden to the company, and IF such accommodation will allow you to still perform ALL the essential functions of your job. Violation and failure to accommodate is grounds for a lawsuit. Every case is determined upon its merits and all the facts.

If you think you can prove they failed to do so under those rules, feel free to contact me.