California Baby Bonding Leave Expanded To Employees At Smaller Worksites
Beginning January 1, 2018, the New Parent Leave Act will permit employees working at sites employing at least 20 employees within 75 miles to take up to 12 weeks of leave to bond with a new child. The new law expands the California Family Rights Act, which currently only applies to employees working at sites with 50 or more employees within 75 miles. This expansion is limited to employees who need leave to bond with a newborn, newly adopted, or newly placed foster child. In order to be eligible for leave for other CFRA-protected reasons, such as an employee's own serious medical condition, an employee must still work at a site with the higher number of employees.
As with other forms of CFRA leave, the new law provides for job protection and continued group health coverage but the leave is unpaid. Employees may be able to use accrued vacation or paid time off, or entitled to partial wage replacement benefits under the state Paid Family Leave program. Employers of San Francisco employees may be required to supplement the state's Paid Family Leave benefits under the City's new Paid Parental Leave Ordinance.
Also effective January 1, 2018, benefits under California's Paid Family Leave program will increase from 55% of an employee's weekly wages to 60% to 70%. In addition, the seven day waiting period will be eliminated.
Reposted from LinkedIn. See original article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/california-baby-bonding-leave-expanded-employees-smaller-hartley/.