Workers across California will start the new year with enhanced legal protections and benefits to support themselves and their families.
Beginning January 1, 2025, most workers in California (those earning about $62,000 annually or less) will receive 90% of their income from Paid Family Leave (PFL) and State Disability Insurance (SDI), while other workers can expect to receive 70% of their income. Before 2025, SDI and PFL benefit payments were only 60-70% of an applicant’s income, which made it unaffordable for many workers to take time off to care for a loved one, bond with their new baby, or recover from an illness. This improvement is thanks to SB 951 (Senator Maria Elena Durazo) which passed in 2022 and will take effect on January 1, 2025. For answers to frequently asked questions about this new law, check out this website by First 5 California, the California Work & Family Coalition, UNITE-LA, Our Family Coalition, and Legal Aid at Work, available in both English and Spanish.
Another change effective in 2025 comes from AB 2123 (Assemblymember Diane Papan) which prohibits employers from requiring that employees use up to two weeks of their accrued vacation hours before taking Paid Family Leave. Now, eligible workers can apply for PFL and receive benefits while retaining their accrued vacation time.
Also, survivors of violence and their families will benefit from improved workplace protections under AB 2499 (Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo). Starting in 2025, this new law will enhance leave rights for survivors of violence, provide leave for family members of survivors for reasons related to safety and recovery, and transfer these protections from the Labor Code to the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which governs most leave and discrimination protections and is enforced by the California Civil Rights Department. Read a summary of AB 2499 for more information.
Finally, SB 1090 (Senator Maria Elena Durazo) will allow California workers to submit applications for SDI and PFL up to 30 days before their leave begins. SB 1090 will be implemented at a later date as a part of ongoing improvements through the EDDNext project. The bill will allow California families to prepare for anticipated leaves by applying for SDI and PFL in advance, rather than forcing them to navigate their applications while already on leave and losing income. “You’re recovering from surgery, or maybe you’re bonding with a new baby, or your time is busy taking care of a loved one that has a serious health condition, so it’s not an ideal time to be interacting with state agencies and working on a difficult application,” said Katherine Wutchiett, senior staff attorney at Legal Aid at Work, in this article in the LAist.
Low-income workers in California can call Legal Aid at Work at the Work & Family helpline [800-880-8047] for free and confidential legal counsel on these new laws and other workplace protections for pregnant people, parents, and people caring for themselves and/or their loved ones. Please call this number if your organization is interested in virtual or in-person training on these issues. We also provide technical assistance to healthcare providers and other advocates supporting families. For all the latest updates on our legal advocacy, policy and systems change work, and strategic outreach, sign up for the Work & Family Program’s quarterly newsletter.