Bill > AB65

This bill amends the Education Code to require public school employers and community college districts to provide up to 14 weeks of paid leave for certificated, academic, and classified employees who are absent due to pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions. The bill eliminates previous discretionary language that allowed governing boards to decide whether to provide such leave and instead mandates full pay for these types of medical leave, even for part-time employees. The paid leave can begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is disabled by pregnancy-related conditions, and critically, the bill prohibits this leave from being deducted from other available leaves. Additionally, the legislation requires employers to maintain group health coverage for employees during their leave at the same level as if they had not taken leave, and removes any minimum hours worked or length of service requirements that might have previously prevented employees from accessing this benefit. The bill also explicitly states that it does not diminish any greater leave rights established through collective bargaining agreements, ensuring that employees can still benefit from more generous existing policies.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB65