Currently, the California Employment Development Department, (EDD), through employee payroll deductions, provides for family temporary disability insurance benefits to workers who need to care for a seriously ill "family member" – specifically, children, spouses, parents, or domestic partners. Effective July 1, 2014, Senate Bill 770 expands the definition of "family member" to include a grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or parent-in-law. Employers should note that employee eligibility for PFL is determined by the EDD rather than employers, and this law does not impact employee eligibility or leave rights under the California Family Rights Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, or other laws protecting the employment status of employees who to take time off to care for family members.
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