California New Parent Leave Act

A new law that goes into effect in California in 2018 will require employers to offer their employees family/parental leave.

Specifically, SB 63 would allow employees who work for a company with 20 or more employees, within a 75-mile radius, to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to care for a new child.

This measure will benefit up to 2.7 million more Californians, but only affect 6 percent of the businesses.

While on leave the employer must maintain the employees’ health insurance. To be eligible for the leave the employee must have worked for the company for at least a year and for at least half- time.

Under current law in California only those who work for an employer of 50 or more are eligible for job-protected parental leave.

Like California these other states also have Family and Parental Leave laws.

DC

The District of Columbia Family and Medical Leave Act (DCFMLA) requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide eligible employees with 16 weeks of unpaid family leave and 16 weeks of unpaid medical leave during a 24 month period.

ME

Private sector employers with 15 or more employees at one location within the state.  Employees who have worked for the same employer for 12 consecutive months are may take up to 10 weeks of unpaid family medical leave in any two-year period. More or less leave may be negotiated between employee and employer. Family medical leave applies to domestic partner relationships as well as married couples.

MA

Private-sector employers in Massachusetts with 50 or more employees must give their employees family leave.  Employers must give their employees up to up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any 12-month period.

MN

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons. Employees are entitled to up to 26 weeks of job-protected leave to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness.  Same-sex married spouse are also entitled to this benefit.

OR

Employers must give their employees up to 12 weeks of family leave within any one-year period. 

RI

Employers are required to give their employees thirteen (13) consecutive work weeks of parental leave or family leave in any two (2) calendar years.  "Parental leave" means leave by reason of (1) the birth of a child of an employee, or (2) the placement of a child sixteen (16) years of age or less with an employee in connection with the adoption of such child by the employee.  "Family member" means a parent, spouse, child, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or the employee him or herself.  "Family leave" means leave by reason of the serious illness of a family member.

WA

Employers who have 50 or more employees with a 75 mile radius have to provide Family and Medical Leave to their employees.  Like the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Washington’s Family Leave Act (FLA) provides up to 12 weeks of protected leave in a 12-month period for eligible employees. To be eligible, an employee must be employed at least 12 months with the employer and must have worked 1,250 hours in the 12-month period preceding the requested leave.

NY

Employers in New York with one or more employees must provide their employees paid time off for 8 weeks in 2018, increasing to 12 weeks by 2021.

Sources:
California New Parent Leave Act

By Wendy Stewart