paid family leave

California was the first state to offer paid leave to parents and caregivers. But many lower-paid workers can’t take advantage, even though money for the program gets taken from their paychecks.

In publishing its annual list of "job killer" bills, the California Chamber of Commerce ignites a new phase of a perpetual political conflict.

1. California widens mental health conditions insurers must cover In the past, state law only required treatment for nine serious mental illnesses. Even before the pandemic, more than half of Californians said most people with mental health conditions couldn’t get the help they needed. Some families even dropped private insurance to qualify for treatment in […]

As we head into the new year, it’s important to take stock of what rights and protections California workers won – and lost.

A small part of almost every paycheck in California goes into the state’s paid family leave program, which allows workers to receive partial pay when they take time off to care for a new child or sick family member. But many people don’t take leave because the law doesn’t ensure they can go back to […]

California’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care is a “starting point,” but many advocates point to serious gaps that need to be fixed.

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, December 3. Calls to prioritize teacher vaccines It’s the question on everyone’s minds: When will Gov. Gavin Newsom announce a new stay-at-home order? The governor hasn’t made a public appearance since Monday, when he said he planned to be “ubiquitous” during “an incredibly important week in the history of this […]

Why did a lawmaker need to bring her newborn to the COVID-exposed state Capitol to do her job? To help pass a new family leave law.

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, August 21. From prime time to Santa Cruz forest Gov. Gavin Newsom was set to make the biggest appearance of his political career Thursday night — but things didn’t go as planned. Newsom backed out of his prime-time speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention Thursday morning, citing the need […]

The pandemic has revealed a schism between progressive Democrats and moderates, wrestling with the needs of hard-hit businesses and working parents and caregivers.