July 2026 Newsletter
Protect and Expand State Paid Leave Programs: Advocates and Administrators Convene in DC
Advocates, state administrators, funders, and national partners from across the country gathered in Washington, DC, from June 20–22 to focus on the implementation, expansion, and protection of new and existing state paid leave programs. Organized by Family Values at Work (FV@W) and the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), the biennial convening brings together the leaders and organizers responsible for turning paid leave laws into programs that workers can access and use.
Coalition Director Jenya Cassidy attended the convening, sharing lessons and recent breakthroughs in the Coalition’s work on implementation with the Employment Development Department (EDD). She and colleagues from the FV@W network participated in discussions focused on equitable access, program administration, and the importance of implementation work in building public trust. “This work stemmed from the early days of state paid leave advocacy when we recognized that passing a law was only the first step and effective implementation is essential work that makes paid leave real in people’s lives,” she said.
If you’re interested in getting involved in the Coalition’s implementation work, see here for more information.
IAM Shop Stewards Learn to Navigate Paid Leave Laws
On Wednesday, July 8th, Coalition staff led their second in-person paid leave training of the year for 33 shop stewards from IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) Local 1781 at their headquarters in Burlingame. The training brought together unionized shop stewards working at SFO airport for an interactive Q&A session focused on understanding and navigating California’s family leave laws. Some takeaways from the session: Military Deployment falls under Paid Family Leave, and workers can apply and qualify for caregiving leave to care for family members outside of CA, even overseas!
We’re grateful to IAM Local 1781 for hosting this training every year and for their ongoing partnership in building worker power through education.
Learn More About AB 495, the Family Preparedness Act
Every family should have a plan for what happens if a parent is suddenly temporarily unavailable, whether due to illness, detention, incarceration, or any other unexpected circumstance. AB 495, which went into effect in 2025, makes it easier for California parents to put that plan in place.
AB 495 builds on a 1994 law that established the Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit, a legal tool that allows a trusted adult who is already caring for a child to communicate with schools and medical providers on that child's behalf. AB 495 expands and strengthens that tool in several important ways, while making clear that parents retain full rights to make decisions and can override those of the temporary caregiver at any time.
What Does AB 495 Do?
Expands who can serve as a caregiver
Creates a new joint guardianship process
Protects families at schools and childcare facilities
Requires schools to share family preparedness resources
Visit our blog to read more.
Coalition Members Release Statements on 2026-2027 California State Budget
On June 29th the 2026-2027 state budget was finalized between state legislators and Governor Newsom. Thank you to the Coalition members that have led budget advocacy work, which was a part of the California Work & Family Coalition strongly support priorities. View the budget statements of Coalition members below:
Health4All - Governor Signs Budget that Provides Short-Term Health Care Relief for Millions of Californians
EQCA - Coalition Celebrates Historic State Investments to Protect Access to Transgender Health Care in California
CA Worker Power - The California Coalition for Worker Power Statement on Governor Newsom's 2026-27 signed budget agreement
California Work & Family Coalition is in the News!
“New dads now make up more than 50% of paid family leave claims” by Elly Yu for LAist
Elly Yu reports in a new LAist article that more fathers than mothers applied for paid family leave to bond with their newborn child in California for the first time recently. In 2025, the Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance income wage replacement rate was increased due to California Work & Family Coalition priority legislation SB 951. Before then, most workers would get 60% of their pay. Now, they can get 70% or 90% of their income when they take Paid Family Leave or State Disability Insurance.
Coalition Director, Jenya Cassidy, was quoted highlighting the importance of this change saying “ We definitely heard from a lot of fathers that they went out to take bonding leave, then came back [to work] when they got their first check because they realized [that] 60% just wasn't going to cover their bills. I do think that the expanded wage replacement, especially for low income fathers is part of that — that they're able to take the time.” Read the full article here.
To learn more about Paid Leave, visit our resource hub here.
Introducing CNIWJ’s Policy Priorities
The CA Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice’s (CNIWJ) voted to adopt a support position on five priority bills, including the Coalition’s top priority bill, SB 1149 (Durazo): Bereavement for Chosen Family. Please see here for the full list of CNIWJ’s priority bills. We’re excited to see SB 1149 included in these priorities to advance worker rights in California. We highly encourage our members and partners to support these bills.
AB 1655 (Bryan) - CalWORKS: Temporary Absence: Immigration Detention
AB 1790 (Connolly) - Closing the Water’s Edge Corporate Tax Loophole
AB 2227 (Connolly) - Farm Labor Contractors
AB 2495 (Kalra) - Unlawful Immigration-related Practices
SB 1149 (Durazo) - Bereavement Leave for Chosen or Extended Family
Watch New Paid Leave Short Documentary Lifelines
Lifelines, directed by Hannah Rosenzweig and Robin Honan, is a short documentary following two families whose lives are transformed overnight when they find themselves needing to care for vulnerable family members. In one of the only countries in the world without any form of national paid leave, these families represent the stories of millions who struggle to get by when a new baby or a sick loved one needs care.
Through their experiences, we see how having time to heal, care, and connect can change everything. What would it mean if every family had this lifeline?
Learn more about the importance of a national paid leave policy and watch Lifelines!
Coalition of California Welfare Rights Orgs (CCWRO) is joining CAWFC!
We are excited to welcome the California Coalition of California Welfare Rights Orgs (CCWRO) to the California Work & Family Coalition!
The CCWRO offers consultation, technical assistance, co-counseling, and advocate training about California and federal public benefits programs. The substantive areas CCWRO covers include CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), Welfare-to-Work, In Home Supportive Services, Unemployment Insurance, and State Disability Insurance. CCWRO's services also include assistance with, and trainings about, administrative hearings, writs of mandate, and other litigation about public benefits programs.
CCWRO staff is available for consultation and technical assistance Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CCWRO will provide individual office training free of charge upon request. To learn more about CCWRO, visit their website here.
