California is expanding and can apply for family vacations and higher taxes on inheritance applications.
CALIFORNIA, USA – With most people waiting for the end of 2020, 2021 will reshape California family vacations and inheritance-related property taxes.
The state also increases the minimum wage at the beginning of the new year. Companies with 25 or fewer employees pay their employees $ 13 an hour, while companies with 26 or more employees pay $ 14 an hour.
Here’s what you need to know about the new laws coming on the books January 1st.
Summary: Extends family leave so that employees can look after a partner, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or in-law with severe health.
What’s new: SB-1383 is a change that extends who can request family leave. This would make it illegal for a business owner with more than 50 employees to reject a request for family leave from an employee who has logged on at least 1,250 hours in the previous year.
This change prohibits employers with five or more employees from rejecting a request to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave within a year to care for a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner.
Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, the author of the bill, said family vacations related to the coronavirus pandemic, which expires later this year, will cut off about 80% of the workforce.
She argues that this is why this bill is necessary to protect California workers affected by the pandemic and to look after their families.
A coalition of 200 advocacy groups and trade unions argues that the purpose of wage replacement and occupational health and safety laws is to enable families to have a baby, parent who dies of cancer, or a partner who has had a stroke. They argue that current law is inconsistent with these values.
Proponents also said that paid family leave does not currently appeal to the LGBTQ community, those who care for loved ones with disabilities, veterans, and an increasing number of people living in multi-generational homes.
According to proponents, low-wage workers are less affected by family vacations under current law. Many people work for a company with fewer than 50 employees.
Summary: Extends family vacation to military personnel
What’s new: This law extends an existing law that requires employers to provide wage replacement benefits for up to eight weeks if an employee needs time off to look after a family member in the military.
According to an argument in the analysis of the California Senate bill, members on active duty can find it difficult to see their families.
“AB 2399 recognizes the fact that reuniting our soldiers and families is important,” the argument reads. “It is very admirable, therefore, to give workers paid family vacations so they can reconnect with their family members.”
Summary: Raises taxes on inheritance to benefit the elderly, the disabled, and victims of forest fires and disasters.
What’s new: California real estate owners pay the same taxes based on the price they originally paid after California passed a law in 1978 to keep property taxes down.
According to Proposition 19, if people move California up to three times, people will retain their tax base and only pay higher property taxes on the difference.
According to an argument in support of Ballotpedia’s Prop 19, this would allow forest fire victims to move around the state without facing massive tax hikes.
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