January Newsletter 2025
Happy New Year - California Paid Leave is now 90%!
January 1, 2025 California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) and State Disability Insurance (SDI) Benefits are 90% of regular wages for low to middle-income workers and 70% for everyone else (up from 60% for most workers). This change will mean that millions of California workers - those earning up to roughly $62,000 per year - will now be able to afford to take paid leave when they need to bond with a new baby or to care for their own or a family member’s serious health condition.
To learn more, register for our webinar, Improvements in California’s Paid Leave Laws: What You Need to Know in 2025, linked at the end of the newsletter, or check out our recent blog post.
SB 951 and Coalition Members in the News!
California increases paid family leave and disability benefits to historic levels - ABC 7
New California law increases benefits for paid family leave - ABC 30
Information and Resources for People Impacted by LA Wildfires
Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the wildfires across LA County. The California Work & Family Coalition staff and members have collaborated to assemble a list of wildfire resources covering workers' rights, leave rights, and more.
Paid Leave is available to support and help Californians during this challenging time. Eligible workers can apply for State Disability Insurance if they were injured, or their physical or mental health was impacted by the fires. Workers can also apply for Paid Family Leave benefits to take time off to care for a family member.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is also available for workers and self-employed people in Los Angeles County affected by the LA wildfires. DUA covers workers who normally are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits. View the Employment Development Department’s website for more information.
We hope to continue to update our own website with information and resources. Thank you to the Coalition members who helped put the resources together!
Introducing the CAWFC 2025 Steering Committee
The California Work & Family Coalition held an election and added five new members to the steering committee at the end of 2024. The steering committee is made up of Coalition members who are leaders of diverse organizations across the state. SC members meet between Quarterly Membership Meetings to move our agenda forward and vote to take positions of support on specific bills and initiatives.
New steering committee members include: Brenda Vieyra, Breastfeed LA; LaKisha Camese, Black Women for Wellness, Mimi Demissew, Our Family Coalition; Nina Weiler-Harwell, AARP California; and Sara Bachez, Children Now. Returning members include: Bianca Blomquist, Small Business Majority; Curtis Chan, California Conference of Local Health Officers; Donna Benton, USC Family Caregiver Resource Center; Humberto Estratalan, UNITE LA; Juliana Franco, Center for WorkLife Law; and Sharon Terman, Legal Aid at Work.
We also want to extend well wishes to former steering committee members: BreastfeedLA Executive Director, Arissa Palmer, is stepping down after many years of service to focus on some exciting new initiatives in LA and Orange County; Jassy Grewal, formerly with UFCW Western States Council, was appointed Deputy Secretary of Legislation at the Labor Workforce Development Agency by Governor Newsom, and Manny Villanueva, formerly of ROC LA, started a new position in Southern California.
If you’re interested in learning more about joining California Work & Family Coalition as an organizational member please email info@workfamilyca.org.
The Coalition Welcomes 2025 UCLA Labor Studies Interns, Maddy and Alexsandra!
Hello everyone! My name is Maddy Gross and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am currently a third-year senior at UCLA, studying Labor Studies on the pre-law track. I am honored to be the president of the Labor Studies Student Union and have a lot of experience advocating for worker’s rights in the film industry. Last year, I interned with the International Documentary Association to fight for disability rights within the film industry.
I am now interning with the California Work & Family Coalition to learn more about paid family leave and its impact on family life. Additionally, my goals include educating the youth and business owners about paid family leave and striving to facilitate more outreach on these topics. My values align strongly with this coalition’s work and goals, which is one of the many reasons I am so excited to work with them.
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Hello, I am Alexsandra Vaca, and I’m thrilled to join as an intern for the Coalition. As a 4th-year UCLA student double majoring in Sociology and Labor Studies, I am passionate about advocating for equitable workplaces and supporting community well-being. My leadership roles, including serving as Vice President of my sorority, Secretary for Bruinhope that served at orphanages in Tijuana Mexico, and Public Relations Chair for UCLA’s Multi-interest Greek Council, have allowed me to champion causes that empower underserved communities. I’m excited to bring my experiences and dedication to this role and contribute to the Coalition’s impactful work.
Register Today: Webinar on 2025 CA Paid Leave Laws
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar Big Improvements in California’s Paid Leave Laws: What You Need to Know in 2025, happening Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 5:00 PM (PST).
In partnership with the California Coalition on Family Caregiving and Legal Aid at Work, this session will cover important updates to California’s Paid Family Leave laws, including key changes that affect working parents, caregivers, and advocates in 2025. You’ll learn about the latest improvements and what they mean for families across the state.
Topic: Big Improvements in California’s Paid Leave Laws: What You Need to Know in 2025
Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (PST)
You can register for this webinar here.
We look forward to seeing you there and helping you stay informed about these important updates!
Katie Joins the California Breastfeeding Coalition Summit!
Katie Duberg, California Work & Family Coalition Political Organizing Director, addressed the California Breastfeeding Coalition summit on January 28th to share important updates on California's Paid Leave laws in 2025, including changes due to SB 951.
Thank you to the California Breastfeeding Coalition for the invitation and for your efforts in educating the public and lawmakers on the important role paid leave plays in breastfeeding outcomes and child and infant health. Your partnership over the years has gone a long way to help improve California's paid leave laws.
