February 2026 Newsletter
The Coalition Cosponsors SB 1149 Updating Bereavement Leave
On February 18th, Senator María Elena Durazo introduced Senate Bill 1149 to update California’s Bereavement Leave laws so workers can take unpaid bereavement leave to grieve the death of a loved one, whether that person is related by blood or is a “chosen” family member. This bill is cosponsored by the California Work & Family Coalition, AARP California, Equal Rights Advocates, the California Employment Lawyers Association, California Coalition on Family Caregiving, Equality California and Californians for Safety and Justice.
“Bereavement leave for chosen or extended family is a reflection of our continued belief that all people should not only be able to care for their chosen family but also have the opportunity to grieve the loss of them. Love isn’t limited to immediate family and grief isn’t either.” said Yvette Cervantes, Orange County Caregiver and California Work & Family Coalition Steering Committee member.
To learn more about SB 1149, click here to read the full press release. Follow the California Work & Family Coalition on Instagram to stay up to date on ways you can support this bill.
The California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice is Joining CAWFC
The California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice (CNIWJ), formerly The Safety Net for All Coalition, is the newest member of the California Work & Family Coalition.
CNIWJ is working on establishing the first state-funded unemployment program in California for excluded workers regardless of immigration status. CNIWJ is comprised of over 120 immigrant & worker rights organizations across California from regions including the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, the Bay Area, Sacramento, and the Southern Border. They organize to financially support excluded workers during unemployment and to build an economy that works for everyone.
We’re excited to welcome CNIWJ and similar groups who organize excluded workers to the Coalition to ensure those voices are heard in our policy and education work.
The Coalition has also joined CNIWJ’s Policy Committee where we will be supporting the legislative aspects of CNIWJ campaigns.
Explore the Coalition’s New Education & Training Page!
We've been updating our website to better reflect the full scope of our work and we're excited to share what's new!
First up, we just launched our Education & Training page! Head over to see the kinds of webinars and trainings we host and learn about the paid leave topics we cover, including Paid Family Leave, State Disability Insurance, Paid Sick & Safe Days, and more. While you’re there, be sure to check out our Resource Hub to see all of the resources we've compiled to help California workers understand and navigate their paid leave rights.
We are also actively fundraising to expand our education programming and are open to funded opportunities or any potential partnerships that would help us in this regard. Please reach out to jasmine.amian@workfamilyca.org for more information. We’d love to connect!
And stay tuned: A dedicated Paid Family Leave Advocates page focused on our implementation work is coming soon. There will be even more ways to get involved and take action.
Natasha Castro Appointed to the MAAC
Great news: The Employment Development Department (EDD) appointed Natasha Castro, Coalition Education and Outreach Organizer, to EDD’s Multilingual Access Advisory Committee (MAAC). The MAAC provides expertise on language accessibility issues and advises EDD on practices that enhance multilingual services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) and Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. Language Justice is one of the top goals of the Coalition's PFL Advocates committee and implementation work.
Join the 38th Annual Great American Write-In
Hosted by Women For: Orange County, the 38th Annual Great American Write-in is coming up on March 14 from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana (505 E. Central Ave). This event is a great way to join others from around Orange County in speaking out on important state and federal issues by writing to lawmakers about civil rights, health care, education, and more!
For more information visit this webpage.
COMMUNITY IMMIGRATION RESOURCES / RECURSOS DE INMIGRACIÓN PARA LA COMUNIDAD
This resource list is an ongoing collaboration between members of California Work & Family Coalition, California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and Immigrants Rising.
If you would like to add a resource please email info@workfamilyca.org.
Esta lista de recursos es una colaboración continua entre los miembros de California Work & Family Coalition,California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) y Immigrants Rising.
Si desea agregar un recurso, envíe un correo electrónico a info@workfamilyca.org.
