What’s the California Legislature Doing for Workers?
We know that worker protections and labor law can be complex; on top of that, understanding what the California legislature is planning to support workers in this unprecedented time can be overwhelming. That’s why Hannah is breaking down everything you need to know about the Silenced No More Act (SB 331), the Paid Family Leave Expansion Act (AB 123), and the Broadband for All bills (SB 4 + AB 14). Check out the video below, or keep scrolling for a topline summary.
Here’s what you need to know about 3 major pieces of legislation intended to protect working Californians.
Silenced No More Act (SB 331)
SB 331 is a bill intended to protect workers from restrictive non-disclosure agreements. If you’ve been following the news, you’ve seen former employees from major tech companies speaking out against racial discrimination and other forms of harassment that they’ve experienced. Many of them have signed non-disclosure agreements that prevent them from speaking about their experiences.
The Silenced No More Act builds upon current policy and extends the protections to cover all forms of discrimination, including race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, among others. Full time workers and contractors alike would no longer have to fear retaliation if they speak out publicly out abuse at work.
Paid Family Leave Expansion Act (AB 123)
This year, more than ever, Californians were taking time away from work to take care for loved ones. If you needed to take paid family leave to care for a loved one, you are likely only making between 60 and 70% of your wages. If you’re already a low-wage worker, that’s not a lot of money to support you and your family. Expanding the paid family leave program would mean that we would all earn up to 90% of our wages when we need to take time away from work to care for loved ones.
Broadband for All (including SB 4 & AB 14)
If we learned anything this year, it is that we rely on the internet for nearly everything we do. From teaching our kids to showing up for work, the internet is a necessary tool that not everyone has access to. We’re supporting bills that expand connectivity and critical infrastructure to ensure that the internet is accessible for everyone.
If you want to learn more about any of these bills, check out our priority legislation page.
