October 2025 Newsletter
Coalition Priority Bills SB 590 and SB 578 Signed by Governor Newsom!
The California Work & Family Coalition is thrilled to share with you that Governor Newsom signed Coalition priority bills SB 590 and SB 578 into law! SB 590 (Durazo) will ensure that qualifying workers can use Paid Family Leave to care for seriously ill chosen and extended family members, effective July 1, 2028. As a result, California’s Paid Family Leave program will be more inclusive and equitable for older adults, LGBTQ+ and immigrant workers, all of whom are more likely to rely on chosen and extended family for care. This has been a long-time priority for the Coalition.
SB 578 (Smallwood-Cuevas) writes the California Workplace Outreach Program (CWOP) into California’s Labor Code and extends CWOP’s scope to include information on benefits administered by EDD, like paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance. Thank you to the California Coalition for Worker Power for their leadership and partnership with us on this bill!
Congratulations to all for your continued support and advocacy over the years! We are especially grateful to the many community members who spoke up about their personal experiences caring for a chosen or extended family member. Your advocacy makes a difference.
Click here to read our press release featuring Coalition members and allies about SB 590!
Join Us: The Annual Statewide Meeting is Coming Up!
Join us on Friday, November 14th from 10 AM – 4 PM in downtown Oakland for our Annual Statewide Meeting! This one-day gathering brings together Coalition members and allies from across California to reflect on the past year, build connections, and chart our direction for 2026.
This year, we’ll be assessing how we responded to current political conditions, reflecting on our work this past year, and setting our direction for 2026. Together, we’ll ask: How do we plan moving forward? Where are the opportunities? What have we learned?
Whether you’re a longtime member or new to the Coalition, this is a chance to share your voice, deepen relationships, and help shape the work ahead.
If you are interested in attending for the first time and would like more information, please contact us at info@workfamilyca.org.
Help Us Share Resources for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Did you know that paid leave is essential for survivors and for the prevention of domestic violence?
For Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are sharing this video featuring Melodie Kruspodin, Coalition member with The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, to raise awareness of SB 951 and for Paid Family Leave. Increasing the wage replacement rate for Paid Family Leave prevents economic instability and power imbalances within a relationship and also strengthens safety nets for survivors to help them find ways to leave abusive relationships.
To Learn more about Paid Family Leave, click here. If you or a loved one are experiencing domestic violence and need assistance, click here.
RSVP for Caregiver Film Festival 2025 at USC!
Join the Caregiver Film Festival 2025 at the USC Andrus Gerontology Center on November 8th for their screenings of Taking Care (2024) directed by James Keach and produced by Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen, Caregiving (2025) directed by Chris Durrance and Executive Produced by Bradley Cooper, and Familiar Touch (2024) directed by Sarah Friedland.
Coalition Staff joined BreastFeedLA for "Boobs, Brew, & 90’s Grooves" - an event which celebrated three decades of championing health equity, lactation justice, and community wellness across Los Angeles. Pictured Left to right: Coalition Staff, Natasha Castro and Katie Duberg posing at a photobooth. Brenda Vieyra, BreastFeedLA and CAWFC Steering Committee member, Katie Duberg, and Natasha Castro.
Katie Duberg presented at the California Federation of Business and Professional Women (CFBPW) Fall Board Public Policy Conference earlier this month, discussing the connection between Paid Family & Medical Leave, Paid Sick and Safe Days, and Family Food Security. Pictured: Katie Duberg, CAWFC Political Organizing Director, presenting at the Fall Board Public Conference.
