Assembly Passes Gonzalez’s #MeToo and Paid Leave Bills

Last week, a package of legislation that was pushed by California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-Sand Diego) moved through the State Assembly which was aimed to offer support to working women.

The bills include preventing sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace and to make paid family leave within reach of more women.

“The workplace remains an unfair playing field for women in California,” said Assemblywoman Gonzalez, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Women in the Workplace. “Forced arbitration agreements and the threat of retaliation have allowed toxic workplaces to thrive. Meanwhile, working women are unable to access paid leave when they decide to start a family. We as lawmakers can do more.”

The bills package include:

• Assembly Bill 51: End forced arbitration as a condition of employment. Requires that employees are able to choose whether to sign such agreements without the threat of job loss or other retaliation.
• Assembly Bill 171: aims to prevent workforce retaliation. This bill would establish a rebuttable presumption of unlawful retaliation if an employer in any way discriminates against the employee within the 90-day period after the complaint is filed.
• Assembly Bill 196: ensures paid family leave is accessible for all workers by guaranteeing 100 percent wage replacement.
• Assembly Bill 500: provides paid leave for k-14 school employees. Requires school districts, charter schools and community colleges to provide certificated, academic and classified employees at least six weeks of fully paid leave due to pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth and recovery.

Bill Votes:

• AB 51 – passed in 47-20 vote
• AB 171 – passed in 57-5 vote
• AB 196 – passed in 66-7 vote
• AB 500 – passed in 68-3 vote

In this package, Assemblyman Jim Frazier failed to cast a vote in AB 51, AB 171 or AB 500. He voted no on AB 196.  Assemblyman Tim Grayon did not vote on AB 51, but supported the other 3 bills. Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan supported all four bills.