• A bill by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to strengthen job protections for Californians using their Paid Family Leave benefits passed out of the Legislature Sept 11. The bill now heads to the governor.
The vote on the Assembly floor was 41-29. The vote on the Senate floor was 23-16.
Senate Bill 406, which was narrowed in recent weeks, aligns California’s family leave laws to better reflect the caregiving responsibilities of California’s diverse and multi-generational families. It strengthens the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) to ensure that when accessing the Paid Family Leave Program to care for seriously ill grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, in-laws, or children, regardless of age, Californians don’t risk losing their jobs and can take job-protected leave. Current law already provides job-protected leave to care for a parent, spouse, domestic partner, or minor or dependent child.
California has the second highest percentage of multi-generational households in the country. A recent survey of caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients found that more than 40 percent of caregivers were not covered under the narrow definition of family in the CFRA.
“No one should have to choose between caring for a seriously ill loved one and keeping their job,” Jackson said. “This bill will help ensure that more Californians can attend to their family responsibilities and access a benefit they’re already paying into without fear of losing their jobs. This bill shows that we are a state that cares about its people and its extended families and the role they play in building a stronger California.”
Since its implementation in 2004, almost 2 million Californians have taken Paid Family Leave. Yet still far too few Californians know about the program and are taking it. According to a 2011 study, among those who were aware of PFL and needed leave but did not apply for it, 37 percent said they did not apply because they feared they would be fired or face other consequences at work.
Last July, Jackson’s SB 770 took effect. It strengthened California’s Paid Family Leave Program by expanding it to include care for seriously ill grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, and in-laws to more accurately reflect the caregiving responsibilities of California families. However, until SB 406 is signed into law, Californians using the Paid Family Leave Program to care for these extended family members will have benefits but no job protection. The governor has until Oct. 11 to act on this bill.
This article appears in Sep 17-24, 2015.