Governor Jerry Brown recently signed Senate Bill 63, extending provisions of the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) governing parental leave to workplaces of 20 or more employees.  Previously the parental leave provisions of the CFRA only applied to employers of 50 or more employees.  The parental leave provisions of the CFRA require an employer to grant an employee 12 weeks of unpaid leave for child bonding within one year of the birth, foster care placement, or adoption of a child, and to continue any paid health insurance during the twelve week leave.  In order to qualify for the CFRA leave, the employee must work 1250 hours or more in the 12 months preceding the leave.  Teachers are exempted from the 1250 hour requirement under the California Education Code.  It is illegal for an employer to interfere with, delay, or deny any right under the CFRA.  Until January 1 2020, litigation for a violation of this section is not allowed until, if requested by the employer, the parties complete a mediation program through the Department of Fair Housing and Employment .  The changes in this law take effect January 1, 2018.  Feel free contact us if you believe that your employer is restricting your use of parental leave. See the text of Senate Bill 63.