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• Position: Family leave law - Brief article

Life sometimes gets in the way of work. The birth or adoption of a child, caring for a sick family member, or recovering from a serious illness requires time off from work. The Federal Family Leave Act, passed in 1993, allows 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for these kinds of family events. Many families, however, simply cannot afford to go without a paycheck for very many weeks, if at all.

California is the first, and so far the only, state to provide paid family leave for all employees, both public and private. Passed in 2002, its law allows workers to deduct a small premium from their paychecks to participate in the State Disability Insurance Program.

Under the program, workers are entitled to a maximum of six weeks leave each year for the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a seriously ill parent, child, spouse or registered domestic partner. They receive 55 percent of their weekly wage, up to a maximum of $840. The program is administered by the state and the benefits are paid for by workers, not by employers. Even so, some employers express concerns about lost time on the...