Going back to work after pregnancy loss:
the words, the tools, and your rights.

California provides up to five days of reproductive loss leave, separate from sick leave (Civil Rights Department factsheet). Your employer cannot require details. The guide covers who qualifies, how to ask, and the exact words to use with HR.

No: how much you share is your choice. California’s reproductive loss leave doesn’t require you to disclose details, and the guide includes exact words you can use with HR or your manager, from full openness to none at all.

California’s SB 848 gives eligible employees up to five days of reproductive loss leave after a miscarriage, stillbirth, failed IVF, failed adoption or failed surrogacy. It can be taken non-consecutively within three months. Your employer may not require you to explain the details.

You can keep it to one line—that you have had a pregnancy loss and are taking leave. You do not owe medical detail to an employer. The guide includes a note you can send as it is, if writing it yourself is more than you can do right now.

That is completely understandable. Five days may not feel like enough time after a loss. Depending on your situation, a phased return, reduced hours, additional sick leave, or other accommodations may be available. A therapist can also help you think through what support would feel most helpful as you return to work.

A due date can bring grief back to the surface, sometimes more strongly than you expect. If you can, give yourself some space around the day, whether that means taking time off, keeping your schedule lighter, or simply planning for a little more support. There is no right way to spend the day, and finding it difficult does not mean you are moving backward.