SB 1123: Disability compensation: paid family leave.

Existing law establishes, within the state disability insurance program, a family temporary disability insurance program, also known as the paid family leave program, for the provision of wage replacement benefits to workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a minor child within one year of birth or placement, as specified. Under existing law, an individual who is entitled to leave under FMLA and CFRA is required to take Family Temporary Disability Insurance leave concurrent with leave taken under FMLA and CFRA.

This bill would, on and after January 1, 2021, expand the scope of the family temporary disability insurance program to include time off to participate in a qualifying exigency related to the covered active duty, as defined, or call to covered active duty of the individuals spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the armed forces of the United States, as specified. The bill would, when an employee for the first time requests leave because of a qualifying exigency arising out of the covered active duty or call to covered active duty, or notification of an impending call or order to covered active duty, of the employees spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the armed forces of the United States, authorize the Employment Development Department to require the employee to provide a copy of the covered active duty orders or other documentation issued by the military that indicates that the employees spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent is in the armed forces of the United States, is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty, and the dates of the covered active duty service.

Under existing law, workers are required to pay contributions to the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund, a special fund in the State Treasury, and those funds are continuously appropriated for the purpose of providing disability benefits and making payment of administrative expenses.

By authorizing expenditure of these funds for a new purpose, this bill would make an appropriation.