Californians Have Access to First Paid Family Leave Program in the Country

Californians Have Access to First Paid Family Leave Program in the
Country
Tuesday June 29, 1:00 pm ET
Statewide Study Shows Broad Support for Law, Lack of Knowledge About
Accessing Benefits

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 1, California's
new Paid Family Leave Law goes into effect, providing most
Californians six weeks of partial pay when taking leave from work to
care for a seriously ill parent, spouse, child, or domestic partner,
or to bond with a new baby, foster, or adopted child. A recent study
by the California Family Leave Research Project shows that, despite
extensive public support for paid leave, only 22 percent of
Californians are aware that they are eligible for the benefits.

Introduced by Senator Sheila Kuehl, sponsored by the California Labor
Federation, and signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis, this
groundbreaking legislation creates the first comprehensive paid leave
program in the nation. (While the federal Family Medical Leave Act
grants 12 weeks of unpaid family leave to eligible employees at large
companies, many working families cannot afford to take the time off
work without pay.) Paid Leave benefits are entirely employee-funded
through California's State Disability Insurance (SDI) program and
allows employees to collect up to 55 percent of their salary, up to a
maximum of $728 per week, while caring for their loved ones. Employers
will pay nothing.

"I am immensely proud to have authored this historic legislation. Paid
family leave will make it possible for thousands of Californians to
meet their family responsibilities while keeping their jobs," said
Senator Kuehl. "Employers will be able to retain skilled employees
without having to pay for their time off. Families will be stronger,
workplaces will be stabilized and, as families are more secure,
communities will be strengthened, as well."

A statewide study by the California Family Leave Research Project,
headed by Ruth Milkman at the University of California, Los Angeles,
reveals that slightly more than half of California employers already
provide family and medical leave benefits beyond what is required by
the current federal law and those that do may benefit from higher
employee retention rates and reduced costs associated with recruiting
and training new employees. The study also found that while 85 percent
of adults surveyed favored a law guaranteeing partially paid leave,
only 22 percent were aware of California's new Paid Family Leave Law.

Paid Family Leave comes at a critical time when there are more
families that depend on two incomes than ever; more single-parent
households; and a growing number of workers who need to care for
ailing family members. Studies indicate that of the thousands of
caregivers under age 65 in California who are juggling caregiving and
job responsibilities, 15 percent had to reduce their work hours and
another 15 percent were forced to quit their jobs to handle family
responsibilities. Paid family leave will allow these family
caregivers, the unsung heroes of the nation's healthcare crisis, to
care for elderly parents without losing their jobs and will help new
parents give their children the time and attention they need for a
healthy adulthood.

"Study after study tells us what we already know, that the
parent-child bond during the first few months is vital to a child's
healthy development," said Rob Reiner, chair of First 5 California, a
state commission dedicated to improving the lives of children ages
0-5. "Now parents will have the opportunity to strengthen that
critical bond."

California is leading the nation by demonstrating that paid family
leave is crucial to a healthy society. For further information about
these benefits, qualifications and how to apply, visit:
http://www.paidfamilyleave.org or www.edd.ca.gov.
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