Governor signs legislation to increase paid family leave

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation Monday that will financially help Californians' who have to take time off from work to care a sick family member or new baby.

"We're trying to compensate for the gross inequality that is not an abstraction, but it's growing down the lives of a lot of people who live in California," said Brown.

Under the state's current paid family leave program, families can receive 55-percent of their paycheck for up to six weeks. The new law, which will go into effect in two years, will raise that number-- depending on the level of income-- to either 60 or 70-percent.

New mom Rosanna Cabel has been on maternity leave for 6 weeks and said she's only getting about 50-percent of her income.

"Is it tough to kinda, financially take care of your kid and bills with that amount of money," asked our reporter.

"It really is, because they don't take into account you have student loans you're paying off, rent, mortgages, car insurance," said Cabel.

Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez wrote the bill AB-908. He said it marks a significant victory for all California workers.

"What makes us think a worker, who is already living pay check-to-pay check on 100-precert of their salary, can take up to six weeks off on 55-percent," said Gomez.

Some expecting moms getting ready to take time off for their new bundles of joy just wish the bill had come a little sooner.

"It'll help with bills. You have a baby coming soon, you have a lot of stress working and trying to figure out how I'm going to support my child," said Pamela Grimstead, expecting mom.

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce said, though the funding will come from worker contributions, employers will likely incur some sort of cost down the line.

"Say you have an employee who is out for a certain amount of time, what you have is a lack of output productivity. You may have to bring in temporary employee to cover the balance," said Nathan Ahle, Fresno Chamber of Commerce.