SB 1383 Passed 3 Minutes Before the Deadline
Oakland, CA—Members of the California Work & Family Coalition celebrate the passage of SB 1383 (Jackson) which will extend job protection to 6 million more workers when they take time to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member, or heal from their own serious health condition.
Yesterday, just minutes before midnight, the bill passed off the state Assembly floor with 41 votes (more Assemblymembers added on later bringing the final total to 46). It will proceed to Governor Newsom’s desk for his signature. Since leading the campaign to pass Paid Family Leave (PFL) in 2002, the California Work & Family Coalition has championed multiple attempts to pass job protection so more California workers can take PFL without facing retaliation or termination.
According to Coalition Director, Jenya Cassidy, the passage of this bill represents not only a hard-won victory for California families, but a huge step that gives a meaningful boost to the larger national movement for Paid Family Leave. “This victory gets us closer to realizing the dream of every California worker, and some day every US worker, having the right to take the time they need to bond with a new child or care for a loved one without risking their livelihood. So many people have fought hard for this. It’s a great day.”
Parents, caregivers, workers, healthcare professionals, and non-profit organizations rallied together to advocate for SB 1383 over the last few months, speaking to their elected representatives about how important job-protected leave is to all sectors of our state and to our public health.
Melissa Jones, Executive Director of the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, said, “SB 1383 will help address the pandemic’s devastating impacts on our workforce—making our state safer, more equitable, and better positioned for a resilient recovery.”
“NARAL Pro-Choice California and our 295,000 members statewide applaud our champions in the state Assembly for passing this long-overdue bill,” said NARAL Pro-Choice California Director Shannon Hovis. “Advocates of reproductive freedom know that a right without access is no right at all. Meaningful, job-protected access to paid family leave is a critical component of reproductive freedom, and SB 1383 is essential for ensuring that no Californian is forced to risk their job and livelihood in order to care for their family. We look forward to Governor Newsom swiftly signing SB 1383 into law.”
Joel Simonds, Executive Director of the Jewish Center for Justice, said, “As a Jewish community, we know that to save a life is to save the world. With this bill, we are helping to save lives by allowing the most vulnerable to take the time they deserve to care for themselves and their loved ones."
Nancy McPherson, AARP California State Director, said, “SB 1383 by Senator Jackson was a top priority for AARP because it will allow family caregivers to take paid time off to care for their loved ones, which is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Six million more Californians who already pay into the PFL program will now get to use their benefits without risking their jobs. This could not have happened without the countless hours of advocacy that people poured into this campaign while also juggling the challenges and stressors of living and working during a pandemic. This bill was clearly a priority for so many people,” adds Mia Hemstad, paid leave advocate and mother of two children.
The Coalition hopes that the passage of SB 1383 sends a clear message to our legislators and the rest of our country that people need paid leave, and that together, the voices and advocacy of the collective are a powerful force for change.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2020
CONTACT: Mia Hemstad, mia@workfamilyca.org
