On September 24, 2013, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 770 into law which expands California’s paid family leave (PFL) to provide benefits to workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling. This law took effect July 1, 2014.
Prior to this change, eligible individuals could receive up to 6 weeks of benefits within a 12 month period to care for a seriously ill child, parent, spouse, or registered domestic partner, or to bond with a minor child.
To be eligible, an employee must:
- Be unable to do their regular work for at least 8 days due to the need to provide care to a seriously ill family member, or to bond with a new child.
- Be employed or actively looking for work at the time the family leave begins.
- Have lost wages due to caring for a seriously ill family member, or bonding with a new child, or having been actively looking for work if unemployed.
- Have earned at least $300 from which State Disability deductions were withheld during the base period.
- Obtain medical certification from a physician/practitioner for claims to care for a seriously ill family member.
- Complete and submit a claim form within 49 days of the first day of their family leave or they may lose benefits.
For more information, see the PFL fact sheet: http://www.edd.ca.gov/pdf_pub_ctr/de8714cf.pdf
