ERA sponsors 3 bills to support CA workers through pandemic

May 22. 2020
ERA Staff

Equal Rights Advocates is proud to officially sponsor three bills on the 2020 Stronger California Advocates Network Agenda, which would help workers across the state weather the pandemic and its economic impacts.

We join our network partner organizations in supporting all of the bills and budget requests on the 2020 Stronger California Agenda! View the full agenda.

AB 3216 (Kalra & Gonzalez): Paid sick leave, job-protected family leave

• This bill creates statewide emergency paid sick leave, expanded access to unpaid, job-protected family leave, and right of recall for workers in certain industries during states of emergency. Importantly, it ensures that workers left out of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act – up to 12 million Californians – have access to leave when they need to care for themselves or a family member without risking their job and financial security

AB 1947 (Kalra): Protection for whistleblowers

• This bill extends from 6 months to 1 year the filing deadline for workers to file retaliation complaints through the administrative process with the California Labor Commissioner. It would also provide attorneys fees to workers who prevail in a whistleblower retaliation complaint, thereby enabling these claims, which benefit the broader workforce, to be brought in the first place.

AB 3999 (Low): Bereavement Leave 

• This bill would provide all California workers with up to 10 days of unpaid, job-protected bereavement leave upon the death of a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. This bill will fill a gap in California law to ensure workers are able to take time off work to grieve the loss of a family member without fear of losing their job. 

View the entire Stronger California 2020 Agenda for women and families.