California Codes

Cal. Civil Code § 56.20 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a)Each employer who receives medical information shall establish appropriate procedures to ensure the confidentiality and protection from unauthorized use and disclosure of that information. These procedures may include, but are not limited to, instruction regarding confidentiality of employees and agents handling files containing medical information, and security systems restricting access to files containing medical information.

(b)No employee shall be discriminated against in terms or conditions of employment due to that employee’s refusal to sign an authorization under this part. However, nothing in this section shall prohibit an employer from taking such action as is necessary in the absence of medical information due to an employee’s refusal to sign an authorization under this part.

(c)No employer shall use, disclose, or knowingly permit its employees or agents to use or disclose medical information which the employer possesses pertaining to its employees without the patient having first signed an authorization under Section 56.11 or Section 56.21 permitting such use or disclosure, except as follows:

(1)The information may be disclosed if the disclosure is compelled by judicial or administrative process or by any other specific provision of law.

(2)That part of the information which is relevant in a lawsuit, arbitration, grievance, or other claim or challenge to which the employer and employee are parties and in which the patient has placed in issue his or her medical history, mental or physical condition, or treatment may be used or disclosed in connection with that proceeding.

(3)The information may be used only for the purpose of administering and maintaining employee benefit plans, including health care plans and plans providing short-term and long-term disability income, workers’ compensation and for determining eligibility for paid and unpaid leave from work for medical reasons.

(4)The information may be disclosed to a provider of health care or other health care professional or facility to aid the diagnosis or treatment of the patient, where the patient or other person specified in subdivision (c) of Section 56. 21 is unable to authorize the disclosure.

(d)If an employer agrees in writing with one or more of its employees or maintains a written policy which provides that particular types of medical information shall not be used or disclosed by the employer in particular ways, the employer shall obtain an authorization for such uses or disclosures even if an authorization would not otherwise be required by subdivision (c).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 14 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1997–2025 · leading case: Loder v. City of Glendale, 927 P.2d 1200 (Cal. 1997).

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Loder v. City of Glendale, 927 P.2d 1200 (Cal. 1997). · cites it 2× “(Civ. Code, § 56.20, subds. (a), (c).) [5] Instead, plaintiff contends that the drug testing program violates the act insofar as the program automatically disqualifies from employment or promotion any employee who refuses to sign a form (tendered to an applicant prior to…”

Doe v. City of Chula Vista, 196 F.R.D. 562 (S.D. Cal. 1999). · cites it 2× “” Cal. Civil Code § 56.20 . Because the magistrate concluded that Doe had not placed her mental condition at issue in her lawsuit by seeking emotional distress damages, she found that defendants had violated this statute.”

Erhart v. BofI Holding, Inc., 269 F. Supp. 3d 1059 (S.D. Cal. 2017). “agents to use or disclose medical information which the employer possesses pertaining to its employees” unless the employee first signs an appropriate authorization or one Of several statutory exceptions applies.”

Fritsch v. City of Chula Vista, 187 F.R.D. 614 (S.D. Cal. 1999). “The California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, California Civil Code § 56.20, provides: (c) No employer may use, disclose, or knowingly permit its employees or agents to use or disclose medical information which the employer possesses pertaining to its employees…”

Kao v. Univ. of San Francisco CA1/3, 229 Cal. App. 4th 437 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). “Civil Code section 56.20, subdivision (b) provides that “[n]o employee shall be discriminated against in terms or conditions of employment *453 due to that employee’s refusal to sign an authorization under this part.”

Naria v. Trover Solutions, Inc., 967 F. Supp. 2d 1332 (N.D. Cal. 2013). “Cal. Civ.Code § 56.20. Defendant Trover Solutions, Inc.”

(PS) Brown v. LucidWorks (E.D. Cal. 2025). · cites it 2× “]” Cal. Civ. Code § 56.20 (c)(2). 11 The allegations in the complaint that plaintiff’s medical records and private health 12 information were obtained and used in connection with her workers’ compensation case falls 13 squarely within the plain exception to the general…”

Mendez v. WTMG CA3 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023). “(See Civ. Code, §§ 56.20, subd. (c) [an employer generally cannot use or disclose medical information about its employees], 56.”

Franklin v. City of Kingsburg (E.D. Cal. 2022). “20 Cal. Civ. Code § 56.20 (c). Monetary damages are available for violations of Section 56.”

Franklin v. City of Kingsburg (E.D. Cal. 2023). “5, invasion of privacy under California Civil Code § 56.20, Title VII (42 19 U.”

Zazueta-Lara v. Cnty. of Sonoma CA1/3 (Cal. Ct. App. 2024). “, violation of Civil Code section 56.20, subdivision (b).”

Dopak v. Space Expl. Tech. Corp. CA2/4 (Cal. Ct. App. 2025). “5); (10) Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Civ. Code, § 56.20); and (11) unlawful business practices (Bus.”

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— Cal. Civil Code § 56.20(c) — 1 case

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