SB 654 - New Parent Leave Act

• Prohibits employers from refusing to allow employees with more than 12 months of service and at least 1,250 hours of service in the previous 12 months to take up to 6 weeks of parental leave to bond with a new child within one year of birth, adoption, or foster care placement.

• Requires employers to maintain and pay for group health plan coverage during parental leave at the same level as if the employee continued working, for a maximum of 6 weeks over a 12-month period.

• Applies to employers with 20 or more employees within 75 miles of the worksite, as well as state government, political subdivisions, and cities (excluding school districts, county offices of education, and community college districts).

• Employees may use accrued vacation pay, paid sick time, or other paid or unpaid time off during parental leave; parental leave runs concurrently with any parental leave under Education Code Section 44977.5.

• Becomes operative on January 1, 2018; does not apply to employees subject to both state disability leave and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.