use the state’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program. The outreach campaign will highlight important life moments where new parents and caregivers can use the partial wage-replacement benefits for paid time off from work to bond with or care for loved ones.“California is proud to be the first state in the nation to offer its residents paid time off to bond with a new child or care for an ill family member,” said California EDD Director Patrick W. Henning, Jr. “More Californians need to know that they can access these benefits, they’ve already paid for them, and they can use them during some of life’s most important and memorable moments.”
EDD has processed more than 2 million PFL claims and paid more than $5.3 billion in benefits since the program was made available on July 1, 2004. However, current research shows that many of the 18.1 million eligible Californians are either unaware or misinformed about California’s PFL program.
To increase the awareness of the PFL program, EDD was provided with funding by Governor Brown’s appropriation in the state budget for extensive public education and outreach. A coalition of family, community, labor, and business organizations, along with the State Legislature, have been working closely with the EDD in the development of this educational campaign.
The first ads launching, target new and potential fathers – one of the groups where participation in the PFL program is particularly low according to the research. These spots, titled “Rock-a-Bye Baby,” will air on Univision and Fox Sports West in Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Imperial and Palm Springs.
English and Spanish-language radio and digital ads targeting new parents are also launching in the Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, Fresno, and Kern County media markets. Later, the “Moments Matter” campaign will launch statewide ads targeting new adoptive and foster parents, as well as caregivers. The campaign also will include ads targeting the African American, Armenian, Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Latino, Vietnamese, and LGBTQ populations.
A preview of some of the PFL public education campaign video elements can be found here. In addition, the EDD is unveiling a newly developed California Paid Family Leave microsite and an online calculator to help potential claimants learn more about what they could potentially collect in PFL benefits.
About California’s Paid Family Leave
Established by state legislation in 2002, California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) provides up to six weeks of partial pay to employees who take time off from work to care for a seriously ill family member (child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or registered domestic partner) or to bond with newborn, newly-fostered or adopted children.
Approximately 18.1 million California workers are covered by the PFL program, which is entirely funded through mandatory employee payroll contributions to the State Disability Insurance program. Eligible workers can receive up to 55 percent of their previous weekly earnings for up to six weeks within any 12-month period. The program offers between $50 and $1,173 in weekly benefits. For more information, visit www.CaliforniaPaidFamilyLeave.com.
Source: EDD
