California was the first state to enact a paid family leave program in 2002, and now, the Golden State is continuing to serve as a model of progress by expanding its paid leave program to cover time off to care for a chosen family member!
Earlier this month, Governor Newsom signed SB 590 into law, which expands the state’s paid family leave program – which provides up to eight weeks of paid time off work to care for a seriously ill family member – to now allow workers to use the time to care for a “designated person,” which includes more extended family relationships and chosen family. The law currently covers only spouses and domestic partners, children, siblings, parents, and grandparents and grandchildren, and this new expansion will take effect in July 2028.
As we have long highlighted, inclusive definitions of family that recognize bonds beyond the rigid, nuclear family model are an essential part of strong paid leave policies. As part of our This Is My Family campaign, we shared the story of Dannie and Yvette, two Californians who were excluded from accessing the state’s paid leave program due to limitations in how the law defined family. Yvette was unable to take time off work to care for Dannie after he experienced health complications following gender confirmation surgery. “I am her chosen child, she is my chosen mom,” Dannie said. “She can’t take time off work because I’m not blood family.”
The way our paid leave laws define “family” should accurately recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach lets too many American families like Dannie and Yvette’s fall through the cracks. Expansive family definitions in paid leave policies provide important protection for members of the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities in particular, who often disproportionately rely on loved ones to whom they aren’t legally or biologically related. Inclusive family definitions are also a lifeline for many multigenerational and immigrant families, who frequently have extended care networks – many of whom call California their home state.
We are thrilled to see California expand its landmark paid leave program to better meet the needs of even more Californians caring for their loved ones, and congratulate our longtime partners at California Work & Family Coalition and Legal Aid At Work on this important win for families of all shapes and sizes.