State Law Increases Pay for New Child and Family Leave

SACRAMENTO, CA- New parents in California will now be eligible for a rate increase during their six-week bonding time following a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday, according to KCRA news.

Assembly Bill 908 expands the California employee funded insurance program reimbursements from the current 55 percent rate, up to 70 percent for lower-waged workers, and to 60 percent for higher-waged workers.

KCRA reports that this bill also includes coverage for people caring for sick family members.

This comes just days after a San Francisco ordinance passed mandating that employers provide new parents six weeks of fully-paid bonding time by supplementing the difference between state insurance wages and their regular pay. The first of its kind in the nation.

Read more about recent family time-off legislation in CA:

San Francisco Mandates Employees Receive Fully Paid Family Leave

CA Lawmaker Proposes 3 Paid 'School Days' Off For Parents

An analysis estimates that the bill will cost the insurance fund $348 million in 2018 and $587 million annually by 2021, however, KCRA reports that the Employment Development Department has enough in savings to cover the costs.

Photo courtesy of Renee Schiavone