New California FMLA Laws Take Effect
Sacramento, CA: Parents in California now have more flexibility when it comes to their families, thanks to a new California family leave bill. The bill, which took effect as of January 1, increases protections for parents who have to take time off to care for children or enroll children in school.
Senate Bill 579 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in October 2015, and affects employers with 25 or more employees at the same location. Parents can take up to 40 hours per year for the care of a sick child or to tend to a child out of school because of an emergency or other unscheduled school closure. The bill also extends the protection to stepparents, foster parents, grandparents and other guardians.
Under the law, non-exempt employers must provide up to 40 hours per year so parents can deal with school or childcare-related situations. Activities included in the protections are enrolling or reenrolling a child in a school or with a licensed childcare provider; participating in school activities; or dealing with a childcare provider emergency or school emergency.
Under the law, for example, a parent could take a leave day if his or her child’s school was unexpectedly closed.
Furthermore, parents and guardians can use a paid sick day to care for a sick child. So, a parent who has accrued sick leave can now use that sick leave either for his or her illness or to care for a sick family member. This would include treatment of an existing health condition or absence resulting from domestic violence.
Employers are prohibited from discriminating against or terminating employees who take protected leaves. Employees whose rights to family leave or sick leave are violated may be eligible to file a lawsuit against their employer.
In addition to changes to family leave, California also has a new minimum wage law. As of January 1, 2016, California’s minimum wage is set at $10.00 per hour, up from $9.00 per hour. The change also means that employees who make minimum wage will see a bump in their overtime pay.
And there have also been changes to the Fair Pay Act, which expand equal pay to jobs that are “substantially similar,” rather than jobs that are identical, and to jobs for the same employer or company even if those jobs are at different locations. Previously the law only applied to jobs at the same location. The changes also make it illegal for employers to prevent employees from talking about their pay.
Senate Bill 579 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in October 2015, and affects employers with 25 or more employees at the same location. Parents can take up to 40 hours per year for the care of a sick child or to tend to a child out of school because of an emergency or other unscheduled school closure. The bill also extends the protection to stepparents, foster parents, grandparents and other guardians.
Under the law, non-exempt employers must provide up to 40 hours per year so parents can deal with school or childcare-related situations. Activities included in the protections are enrolling or reenrolling a child in a school or with a licensed childcare provider; participating in school activities; or dealing with a childcare provider emergency or school emergency.
Under the law, for example, a parent could take a leave day if his or her child’s school was unexpectedly closed.
Furthermore, parents and guardians can use a paid sick day to care for a sick child. So, a parent who has accrued sick leave can now use that sick leave either for his or her illness or to care for a sick family member. This would include treatment of an existing health condition or absence resulting from domestic violence.
Employers are prohibited from discriminating against or terminating employees who take protected leaves. Employees whose rights to family leave or sick leave are violated may be eligible to file a lawsuit against their employer.
In addition to changes to family leave, California also has a new minimum wage law. As of January 1, 2016, California’s minimum wage is set at $10.00 per hour, up from $9.00 per hour. The change also means that employees who make minimum wage will see a bump in their overtime pay.
And there have also been changes to the Fair Pay Act, which expand equal pay to jobs that are “substantially similar,” rather than jobs that are identical, and to jobs for the same employer or company even if those jobs are at different locations. Previously the law only applied to jobs at the same location. The changes also make it illegal for employers to prevent employees from talking about their pay.
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