New California Law Allows Working Parents To Tend Their Children's School And Care Needs

A new state law was taken into effect on Jan. 1, 2016, in California. The law concerns working parents to have a leave from their work to attend to their children school and care matters. 

Parenting.com shared that in this new law, the working parents or the employees could have a vacation of up to 40 hours per year and not to surpass 8 hours per month to cater matters about their children schooling and care. These include looking for the new school, enrolling their children and finding a qualified care provider.

The law also involves school emergencies and child care emergencies such as unexpected occurrences like when their children get sick or if there is a threat of violence that forces the school to close. If these things happen, the parents could use their leave and attend to the emergency needs of their children without fear of getting terminated, according to SCPR.org.

"A horrible thing like that- and let's hope it never happens again-this law would cover," Kelly Scott, the head of the Employment Law Practice at Ervin, Cohen said. The new law is addressed to biological parents, foster parents, step-parent, grandparent, or anyone who serves as guardian to the child.

Meanwhile, Parenting.com  stated that there is over 50 percent of fathers and more than 75 percent of mothers in the United States who are quitting their jobs, changing jobs or missing up employment opportunities to attend to their children's needs.

The report also stated that the poll is a sign that reliable and inexpensive child care will be an important discussion this 2016. Politicians are starting to voice out their views regarding these matters. According to the poll, about 43 percent said that the Democrats can solve the problems and 22 percent said the Republicans can unravel the matters.