Compliance Stuff

California lawmakers introduced  Assembly Bill 1940  ( AB 1940 ) in February 2026 to expressly include perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause within the definition of “sex” under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). If enacted, the bill would remove any ambiguity as to whether menopause-related conditions are covered and would put employers on clear notice that discrimination, harassment, or failure to accommodate employees experiencing these conditions may constitute unlawful sex-based discrimination. What AB 1940 Does The bill would make three primary changes to California law. Expands the Definition of “Sex” Under FEHA . AB 1940 would amend Government Code section 12926 to add perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause, and related medical conditions to FEHA’s existing definition of “sex,” which currently includes pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Employers with five or more employees would be expressly prohibited from taking adverse actions, inc...

California employers can now get a first look at the state’s key workplace-related legislative proposals in 2026. The state’s deadline for introducing new legislation in the current session was February 20, and lawmakers introduced nearly 1,800 bills – including many that cover significant labor and employment issues you’ll want to know about. Catch a teaser below and  register  for our upcoming  California Legislative Preview 2026  webinar on March 13 to get the full scoop. Table of Contents Antidiscrimination Protections Artificial Intelligence + Workplace Surveillance Employee Leaves and Accommodations Immigration Privacy and Cyber Wage and Hour Workplace Safety Antidiscrimination Protections Expansion of Ban-the-Box Requirements ( AB 2095 ).  In addition to  existing requirements under California’s Fair Chance Act , employers would be prohibited from refusing to hire an applicant or taking other adverse action solely or in part because of the individual...

California lawmakers recently introduced AB 1940 (Calderon), a bill that would explicitly add perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause, and related medical conditions to the definition of “sex” under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Although FEHA already protects against sex discrimination and covers pregnancy- and childbirth-related conditions, AB 1940 would make menopause-related conditions unmistakably part of that framework. If enacted, the message to employers is clear: menopause-related workplace issues will be treated as protected-status matters under FEHA. The Key Provisions AB 1940 would: Amend Government Code section 12926             The bill adds perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause, and related medical conditions to FEHA’s definition of “sex.” That means adverse action, harassment, or failure to accommodate related to menopause symptoms could trigger sex discrimination claims. Require a poster ...