California’s Paid Family Leave Program Has Been Amended To Include More Family Members
Under existing law, Paid Family Leave insurance program provides up to 6 weeks of wage replacement benefits to workers who take time off work for their own serious health condition or to care for
a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, domestic partner, or
to bond with a minor child within one year of birth or placement of the child in connection with foster care or adoption.
On July 1, 2014, California’s Paid Family Leave insurance program has expanded the scope of the family members to include time off to care for
a seriously ill grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or parent-in-law.
The family members added are defined as:
“Grandparent” means a parent of the employee’s parent.
“Grandchild” means a child of the employee’s child.
“Sibling” means a person related to another person by blood, adoption, or affinity through a common legal or biological parent.
“Parent-in-law” means the parent of a spouse or a domestic partner.
The Legislature found that it is in the public benefit to provide Paid Family Leave Family benefits to workers to care for their family members. It also found that the need for these benefits has intensified as the participation of parents in the work force has increased and the population of those needing care increased in relation to the number of working age adults. It is the intent to expand the definition of family members to help reconcile the demands of work and family.
Please contact your Labor Law Counsel for more information.
Author: Linda Baldwin Jones
