Most don’t know law permits paid time off to care for relatives

Los Angeles Times

Anna Gorman

November 16, 2011

The majority of Californians have not heard of a state law that allows many workers to take paid time off to care for a new child or a sick relative, according to the results of a poll released Wednesday.

Just 43% of people surveyed knew about the California Paid Family Leave Act, which is nearly 10 years old, according to the California Field Poll. Latinos and blacks were less aware of the law than whites and Asians.

Los Angeles County residents had the least awareness, with just 31% of residents knowing about the law, according to the poll.

More than 13 million Californians are eligible to take six weeks of leave at 55% of their pay, according to the California Work & Family Coalition, which advocates for paid family leave. The leave is paid through the state disability insurance program.

Nationwide, about half of first-time mothers are able to take paid leave, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.