TWO NEW LAWS AID MOMS IN CALIFORNIA

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo credit:  CC by SA

September 24, 2020 (Sacramento) – Two new laws have been signed into law by California Governor Newsom that expand maternity care options and protection for paid family leave. 

The Ensuring Job Protection for Paid Family Leave Act (SB 1383) will extend job protection to the millions of Californians who pay into the Paid Family Leave program, but are unable to access it for fear of losing their job. The Working Family Coalition helped advance this measure after prior similar legislative efforts had failed.

 

California has traditionally led the nation on expanding access to paid leave, but five other states—Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island—were quicker to guarantee universal job protection for paid family leave, according to NARAL, a supporter of both measures.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic also put a spotlight on the glaring gaps in California’s paid leave laws as California workers have been forced to choose between feeding their families and staying healthy.

 

Currently, 40% of California workers do not qualify for job protection when they need to take leave because of an illness or injury or to care for a family member, and 25% have no job protection when they take leave to bond with a new child. SB 1383 will close this gap in coverage so that only 8% of eligible workers are excluded.

 

The Justice and Equity in Maternity Care Act (SB 1237) will remove California’s outdated physician supervision requirement for Certified Nurse-Midwives, improving pregnancy and birth outcomes and expanding access to affordable, high-quality care.

 

Prior to Gov. Newsom signing SB 1237 into law, California remained one of only four states that continue to require physician supervision for nurse-midwives.


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