New Baby Bonding Law For California Small Business Employers

Effective January 1, 2018, California small business owners will be required to provide 12 weeks of baby bonding leave to employees. On October 12, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 63 expanding on parental leave rights of California small business employees. Currently, the California Family Rights Act and Family and Medical Leave Act requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide up to 12 weeks of leave to an employee within one year of an adoption, child’s birth, or foster care placement. Employees who worked for more than 12 consecutive months for at least 1,250 hours can take up to 12 weeks of CFRA or FMLA leave. Upon returning to work, employees can return to their former position or be placed in a comparable one. Employers are also prohibited from retaliating against employees taking CFRA or FMLA leave. As of January 1, 2018, SB 63 now requires employers with 20 to 49 employees to allow up to 12 weeks of baby bonding leave.  The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has created a pilot program to provide mediation services between employers and employees for disputes that may arise regarding the new requirements.