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Washington State provides time off to its employees, including surrogates and intended parents, due to pregnancy, childbirth, or parenting. Under Washington's Paid Family Medical Leave Act (PFMLA), an employee may be eligible for up to 18 weeks per year of paid maternity or paternity (parental) leave. Compared to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, Washington's PFMLA provides extra protection for employees who work in Washington. Most significantly, Washington’s PFMLA

What the PWFA Is and Why It Matters for Surrogacy The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is a new law that was signed by President Biden last December 29, 2022 and into effect on June 27, 2023. This law requires covered employers to provide “reasonable accommodations” to a worker’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an “undue hardship.” How does this employment law affect surrog

Recently, the 68-year-old Spanish celebrity spurred a debate in Spain after her picture carrying her surrogate-born baby came to light. Ana Obregón revealed contracting with a gestational surrogate in Miami to have a baby, but later announced in a magazine interview that the baby was the daughter of her son who died of cancer in 2020. Surrogacy in Spain is not legal. Obregón said that the doctors had encouraged her son, Aless Lequio García, to preserve samples of sperm befor

Recently, California has implemented a law which will have an impact on anonymous sperm, egg and embryo (“gamete”) donations in the future. Effective January 1, 2020, the new Health and Safety Code section 1644.2-1644.3 will require gamete banks (defined as sperm and egg banks and IVF clinics) to (1) provide each donor with information regarding the donor’s choice regarding identity disclosure; (2) obtain a declaration regarding identity disclosure; and (3) maintain identify

With the compensation egg donors receive usually described in an egg donation contract as payment for pain and suffering, time and inconvenience rather than for the eggs retrieved and donated, you may be wondering if the donor’s compensation from egg donation reportable income on your annual taxes is. The simple answer to this question is yes. In the eyes of the Internal Revenue Services (IRS), egg donation is considered to be compensation for services rendered, thus the paym