SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's Paid Family Leave Program is being expanded to include workers who take time off to care for seriously ill grandparents, grandchildren, siblings and in-laws, under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Jerry Brown.
The California Paid Family Leave Program allows eligible employees to take up to six weeks of partially paid leave from their jobs each year, but until now it covered only those workers needing time off to care for a child, spouse or registered domestic partner.
"Our state's Paid Family Leave Program will now more accurately reflect the broader range of caregiving responsibilities that families have in our state," said state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, who introduced SB 770.
"This will put families on a stronger footing by preventing workers from having to make the terrible choice between putting food on their table and caring for a seriously ill grandparent," Jackson added.