California Is Ahead of the Curve; President Obama Wants to Put the Nation on Track

President Obama has laid out proposals for two new employment actions that will bring the nation to the employee protected level California is already in. In fact, the country, if Obama’s initiatives come to fruition, will be more ambitious than California’s measures. First, companies that employ 15 or more people will be required to provide their fulltime workers seven days of sick time per year. Additionally, Obama wishes that states will create more leave opportunities for employees who wish to take time off to be with newborn children and/or tend ailing family members.

For sick leave, California’s newly passed measures allow for 1 hour to be accrued for every 30 hours worked, up to 24 hours. Paid Family Leave through the State Disability Insurance Program allows up to $1,100 for a maximum of 6 weeks.

Obama has charged Congress to create leave programs for those employed with the federal government. In the near future, Obama will propose a $2.2 billion fund request for five states that have not been specified yet. It will be used to administer and pay for family leave programs.  Additionally, the President called upon the Department of Labor to fund $1 million worth of grants to conduct studies on the logistics of family leave programs in various states.

Source: LA Times

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