June and July Newsletter 2024
20 Years of Paid Family Leave: California Celebrates a Milestone
On July 1, 2024 the California Work & Family Coalition held a press conference and party to celebrate the anniversary of the first day Californians could start to take Paid Family Leave to bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill family member.
California was the first state in the country to pass a paid leave law. Since then,13 states and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws and the national movement focused on winning paid leave at the federal level is gaining momentum year by year.
“We have a lot to celebrate!” said Jenya Cassidy at the press conference. “Not only was paid leave a big step forward in 2004, but twenty years later we’re still together working on improving access to Paid Family Leave for California workers.”
To read more about Jenya's reflections on the 20th Anniversary of California Paid Family Leave Program, click here for her recent blog post for Family Values @ Work.
Senator María Elena Durazo joined the Coalition and celebrated the incoming improvement to Paid Family Leave in 2025 through her bill, SB 951.
“Next year, legislation that I authored providing middle and low income Californians 90 percent of their wages when using Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance will go into effect. With that change in the law, more families will be able to afford to take leave when they need to care for a new child, a seriously ill family member or themselves while recovering from serious illness or injury.”
Selam Jaser, Parent Voices Leader, shared why Paid Family Leave is important to her as a mother, “As a new mom I really needed time off work to adjust to having a new child in the family. Having that income while on leave was very reassuring and gave me peace of mind knowing I could pay for my baby’s needs, pay rent and other basic expenses.”
Jaymee Del Rosario, a small business owner and member of the Small Business Majority Network, spoke about the importance of paid leave to both herself and her staff.
Sharon Terman, Director of the Work and Family Program at Legal Aid at Work and long time paid leave advocate, said, “The Paid Family Leave program was groundbreaking when it was implemented 20 years ago because it recognized our common humanity and placed value on care.”
Melissa Stone, Deputy Director of the Disabilty Insurance Branch, Employment Development Department (EDD) and Jessica Bartholow, Director of Government Relations, SEIU also spoke about the role paid leave played in both their personal and professional lives.
It was a great day of celebration with both long-term and new advocates. To view photos and our press release of the event, click here.
California EDD Holds Resource Fair In Celebration of 20 Years of Paid Family Leave Benefits
The California Employment Development Department (EDD), the entity which administers the State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL) programs, held a resource fair in the state Capitol on July 1st, 2024 in celebration of 20 years of paid leave implementation.
Coalition members and partners took part - sharing resources and information on PFL and adjacent laws and rights with the public.
Natasha Castro and Jasmine Amian, CAWFC, tabling and sharing Paid Family Leave resources
The California Supreme Court Removes the Taxpayer Deception Act from the November Ballot
On June 20th, 2024, The California Supreme Court released an opinion ordering the Secretary of State to refrain from putting the Taxpayer Deception Act (named The Taxpayer Protection and Accountability Act by its supporters) on the November ballot. The measure would have risked a dangerous and unconstitutional revision of our state constitution and this decision avoids risking our historic Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance programs, as well as a host of other catastrophic impacts.
Thank you to all the advocates who have mobilized against the Taxpayer Deception Act! As we celebrate this victory, we must also prepare for any future similar attempts to harm vital programs that working families rely on like Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance.
Jarod Caceres and Katie Duberg, CAWFC, Edgar Ortiz, California Immigrant Policy Center, Molly Mauck, Public Counsel, Natasha Castro, CAWFC, Juan Carlos Guerrero, Caring Across Generations
Paid Family and Medical Leave Advocates and Agencies Convene in DC to Talk Implementation
Family Values at Work and the Center for Law and Poverty (CLASP) held a convening of agency leads and state advocates in Washington DC in late June. Leaders from both legacy states with programs in place and new states working on passing paid leave laws met to advance a shared mission of winning and implementing inclusive paid family and medical leave laws.
There were rich discussions focused on best practices in implementing and enhancing existing programs and informing new legislation. Participants really valued getting into the details of effective implementation and learning from each other.
Karen Ben-Moshe, Blue Shield of California Foundtion, Natasha Castro, CAWFC, Katie Wutchiett, Legal Aid at Work, and Jenya Cassidy, CAWFC.
Join the BFLA "Know Your Rights" In-Person Training in LA
The California Work & Family Coalition is excited to be part of the "Birthing Boldly, Fearlessly Feeding: Know Your Rights" training for parents and providers, hosted by Breastfeed LA. This in-person event is taking place at The California Endowment at 1000 Alameda St, Los Angeles, 90012.
This two-day training will unite community members and professionals to discuss crucial topics affecting families, including birthing rights, paid family leave, lactation rights, and more. It's a fantastic opportunity to learn, engage in dialogue, and ensure your voice is heard!
Coalition staff members, Jasmine Amian and Angelica Andrade, will be attending and leading a presentation and interactive role-play session on advocacy. Come say “hello!”
If cost is a concern, we have special offer codes for members and allies in our network:
KYR50: Pay 50% of the registration fee (limited to 100 people).
KYRCOMP: Free registration for those who cannot afford the ticket (limited to 50 people).
Register today and join us on Thursday, August 29th and Friday, August 30th to gain valuable insights and skills to drive positive change in breastfeeding policies and support systems.
Celebrating 20 Years of California Paid Family Leave
Donate to the Coalition today to help us grow and keep winning paid leave and family friendly workplaces for all!
