It’s the end of the year and while everyone is busy, employers in California should be aware of new laws and regulations that go into effect on January 1, 2019. In the spirit of the season, we are using the next “12 days of the holidays” to blog about one California law a day and that law’s impact on California employers. On the tenth day of Christmas, my Labor and Employment attorney gave to me – ten pipers piping and SB 1123.

SB 1123 provides that family leave will include time off to participate in a qualifying exigency related to the covered active duty or call to covered active duty of the individual’s spouse, domestic partner, child or parent in the armed forces.  If leave is requested, this bill authorizes the Employment Development Department (EDD) to require the employee to provide a copy of the covered active duty orders or other documentation that indicates that the spouse, domestic partner, child or parent is in the armed forces, is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty and the dates of such service.  This will allow a qualified person to collect EDD benefits during the dates of service as partial wage replacement.