March 2026 Newsletter

Announcing the California Work & Family Coalition’s 2026 Legislative Priorities

We are excited to announce our 2026 CAWFC Legislative Priorities! Thank you to all the members and partners who joined us for our quarterly membership meeting to discuss how the California Work & Family Coalition can make an impact in this difficult year by supporting new legislation and strengthening current laws.

This year our top priority will be SB 1149 (Durazo) Bereavement Leave for Chosen and Extended Family which we will cosponsor. Due to the passage of AB 1949 (Low) in 2022, most California workers can take up to five days of unpaid, job-protected bereavement leave following the death of an immediate family member. However, under current law, workers are not protected if they need bereavement leave following the death of a chosen or extended family member. SB 1149 would ensure that workers can use bereavement leave and are not forced to choose between mourning a loved one and keeping their job.

We will also be advocating for:

California Workplace Outreach Program (CWOP) Budget Ask
AB 65 (Aguiar-Curry): Pregnancy Leave for Educators
Protecting Access to Healthcare: Budget Asks
- Health4All: Healthcare for Immigrant Communities
- Justice in Aging: Healthcare for Older Adults and In Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
- Equality California: Protecting Access to Transgender Healthcare
Investing in Our Future: Equitable Revenues:
- AB 1790 (Connolly): Close the "Water's Edge" Corporate Tax Loophole
- AB 1633 (Haney): Tax on Private Detention Facilities

Click Here to read our 2026 Policy Priorities

Join us for our Bilingual Virtual Advocacy Day!

We’re excited to invite you to participate in the California Work & Family Coalition’s 2026 Virtual Advocacy Day on Wednesday, May 6th from 10am to 2pm.

Please join us to advocate for improved bereavement leave and other protections for California workers. We'll be meeting with State Assemblymembers’ and State Senators’ offices to educate them about the importance of our 2026 Legislative Priorities.

Event Details:

Virtual Advocacy Day, May 6th from 10am - 2pm on Zoom
- We will be meeting with California state legislators to educate them about the importance of our 2026 legislative priorities
- This will be a bilingual English-Spanish event with interpretation
Advocacy Training, April 23rd 12pm - 1:30 pm on Zoom
- We’ll be hosting a training for both new and experienced advocates
- This will be a bilingual English-Spanish training with interpretation

Please register here before April 27th!

Register Here

¡Acompáñenos para nuestro Día de Abogacía virtual bilingüe!

Nos complace invitarlos a participar en el Día de Abogacía virtual de 2026 de California Work & Family Coalition el miércoles, 6 de mayo de 10 a.m - 2 p.m.

Por favor únase a nosotros para abogar por mejorar el Permiso por Duelo y otras protecciones para los trabajadores de California. Nos reuniremos con asambleístas y senadores estatales para defender nuestras prioridades legislativas para 2026.

Detalles de los eventos:

Día de Abogacía virtual, 6 de mayo de 10 a.m - 2 p.m en Zoom
- Nos reuniremos con legisladores del estado de California para educarlos sobre la importancia de nuestras prioridades legislativas para 2026
- Este será un evento bilingüe en inglés con interpretación en espanol

Entrenamiento de abogacía, 23 de abril de 12 p.m - 1:30 p.m en Zoom
- Este entrenamiento es para participantes de todo nivel de experiencia con la abogacía.
- El entrenamiento será bilingüe en inglés con interpretación en español.

Por favor regístrese aquí antes del 27 de abril

Regístrese aquí

IAM Shop Stewards Learn to Navigate Paid Leave Laws

On Wednesday, March 11th, Coalition staff led an in-person paid leave training for 30 shop stewards from IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) Local 1781 at their headquarters in Burlingame. The training brought together shop stewards from United and Alaska Airlines for an interactive session focused on understanding and navigating California’s family leave laws.

This session featured a role play focused on using paid leave for caregiving for a sick family member which gave participants the opportunity to practice real-world advocacy skills, such as helping a coworker make the case to their employer for taking leave. We’re grateful to IAM Local 1781 for hosting this training and for their ongoing partnership in building worker power through education.

Learn more about our Education and Training Program

California Work & Family Coalition is in the News!

Coalition Director, Jenya Cassidy, was quoted in a recent LAist article by Ely Yu entitled “Californians Using Paid Leave at Record Levels.” Read the article here. It covers the uptick in claims since Coalition priority legislation SB 951 was enacted in 2025. Because of this law, those who take Paid Family Leave for bonding or caregiving or for those who take SDI for their own serious health condition now receive either 70% or 90% of their regular income (up from 60% or 70% before 2025).

The article includes great information on how California’s paid leave law works and how it fits in the national trend towards passing and implementing inclusive paid family leave.

Coalition Members to Take Part in Immigrant Day of Action

Please join California Immigrant Policy Center for California’s largest annual immigrant rights mobilization from April 14-15th in Sacramento, California. Coalition members and staff will take part in this two-day statewide gathering, where community members will come together to learn, connect, build power, and take collective action to support immigrant communities.

Please register here. If you have any questions, please contact Daniela Alvarenga at dalvarenga@caimmigrant.org.

California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice Issues Coalition-Wide Call

The California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice (formerly known as the Safety Net for All Coalition) is convening its partners on Thursday, April 2nd from 10-11:30 am to provide updates on their work. This meeting will be the launch of their efforts under their new name. They will share their new legislative focus and will inform partners and allies of how they can show up for immigrant workers.

Please register for the upcoming call here. If you have any questions, please contact Bárbara Suárez Galeano at barbara.suarezgaleano@cniwj.org.

CBDIO Hosts "Cultivating Indigenous Knowledge" Conference

Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO) is happy to host the “Cultivating Indigenous Knowledge Conference” on April 13, 2025, in Fresno, California. The conference will include topics that facilitate understanding of Indigenous communities' culture, migration patterns, and best practices the CBDIO team uses when serving their community.

Please register here. If you have any questions, please contact Judith Martinez at judith@centrobinacional.org.