Home California Gonzalez Proposes U.S.’s First 100% Income Replacement Paid Family Leave Program

Gonzalez Proposes U.S.’s First 100% Income Replacement Paid Family Leave Program

by ECT
Lorena Gonzalez

AB 196 gives working class Californians financial security when they need to take leave.

SACRAMENTONew legislation introduced by California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) last week will empower lower and middle class workers to use the state’s Paid Family Leave program by guaranteeing 100 percent wage replacement.

Assemblywoman Gonzalez introduced Assembly Bill 196 following the unveiling of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first state budget proposal, which focuses on improving participation in the Paid Family Leave program and includes funding to extend the timeframe for family leave to up six months.

“Workers on family leave absolutely deserve more time off, but first they deserve to afford to take that time off beginning day one,” Assemblywoman Gonzalez said. “Many working class Californians aren’t able to use our Paid Family Leave program because they can’t afford to receive only a portion of their paycheck. A worker shouldn’t have to choose between meeting their household budget and taking necessary time off during critical moments in life.”

Paid family leave ensures workers a portion of their wages when they take time off to care for a new child, recover from a serious illness, or care for an ill family member. California was the first state to establish a Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, allowing 18.7 million workers to receive 60 to 70 percent income replacement, depending on their income, for up to six weeks within a year.

Studies have shown paid family leave policies have a positive impact on infant and maternal health, resulting in increased wages for some women because they are able to retain jobs into their pregnancy and return to work after giving birth.

The reality is many lower and middle class Americans don’t have access to enough savings to offset being out of work for an extended period of time.

About one-in-six American adults have not taken the family leave they need because of concerns over a loss in wages. This figure rises to 30 percent among those household incomes under $30,000. More than a third of workers who reported using paid family leave say they have had to use savings set aside for a different purpose, take on debt, put off paying bills or cut their leave time short.

AB 196 will give working families the financial security they deserve during moments in life when they need it most.

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4 comments

Grace Jan 14, 2019 - 12:02 pm

So, the taxpayer is again stuck with paying the mother’s salary? For how long? What’s the employer to do when the woman goes on leave? How many times will she be doing that? A kid popping out every other year? Nice!

Jerry Fox Jan 14, 2019 - 1:11 pm

Here we go again! More fleecing of the tax-payer! With nonsense like this, no wonder so many tax-payers are leaving this state. Who can blame them?

Jenni Jan 14, 2019 - 9:06 pm

Taxes are intended to pay for lots of things. Roads you may never drive on, parks you may never visit, or services you may never use. There’s plenty of money to go around, especially since our states has more of it than many developed nations. Get over your middle-class existence and deal with the repercussions accordingly.

Barefoot and Pregnant Jan 15, 2019 - 11:03 am

So in actuality a women can get 6 months paid annually for as long as she has a birth. When you include holidays, vacation, and sick days only 5 month work year for moms. The male gay community is going to be really ticked off. What a scam on businesses.

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