SACRAMENTO (CBS/AP) — California’s Democratic governor signed legislation Monday that increased the pay employers must contribute to allow workers to take time off to care for their families.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB908 Monday, sponsored by Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, to update the state’s paid family leave law that’s been a model for other states.
“Families should be able to afford time off to take care of a new child or a member of their family who becomes ill,” Brown said in a statement. “This expansion makes sense for employers and employees.”
Californians can currently take up to six weeks off work to bond with a new child or care for sick family members and receive 55 percent of their wages.
The measure will increase that amount to 60 percent of wages starting in 2018 for higher-wage workers. It will create a new classification for low-income workers to receive 70 percent of their pay.
The bill also eliminates the program’s previous one week-waiting period for claims.
San Francisco recently approved full pay during family leave and New York state extended partial pay from six weeks to 12. California became the first state in the nation to establish a Paid Family Leave program in 2002.
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