Today's Law As Amended


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AB-65 School and community college employees: paid disability and parental leave.(2025-2026)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 44965 of the Education Code is amended to read:

44965.
 The (a)  (1)   governing board of any school district A public school employer  shall provide for a  leave of absence from duty for any a  certificated employee of the district  public school employer  who is required to be absent from duties because of  duty because the employee is experiencing or has experienced  pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery therefrom.  termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions.  The length of the leave of absence, including the date on which the leave shall commence and the date on which the employee shall resume duties, shall be determined by the employee and the employee’s physician. Except as provided in paragraph (2), the leave of absence shall be with full pay, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks. A leave of absence taken under this section shall not be deducted from any other leaves of absence available to the employee pursuant to state or federal regulations or laws. The paid leave may begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions. 
(2) For part-time certificated employees, the amount of paid leave per week, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks, shall be calculated in accordance with the following:
(A) If the part-time employee works a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay for the total number of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work for the public school employer.
(B) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), if the part-time employee does not work a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the six-month period immediately preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(ii) If the part-time employee has been employed for less than six months, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the entire period of that employment preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a public school employer shall maintain group health coverage for an employee who takes a leave of absence under this section for the duration of the leave of absence at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had not taken a leave of absence.
(b)  Disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery therefrom  termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions  are, for all job-related purposes, temporary disabilities disabilities,  and shall be treated as such under any health or temporary disability insurance or sick leave plan available in connection with employment by any  a public  school district. employer. 
(c)  Except as provided herein,  in this section,  written and unwritten employment policies and practices of any  a public  school district employer  shall be applied to disability due to pregnancy or childbirth on the same terms and conditions applied to other temporary disabilities.
(d) Except as provided in this section, there are no eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, minimum hours worked or length of service, before an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions is eligible for a paid leave of absence under this section.
This (e)  Nothing in this  section shall be construed as requiring the governing board  to diminish the obligation  of a public  school district employer  to grant leave with pay only when it is necessary to do so in order that leaves of absence for disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, or childbirth be treated the same as leaves for illness, injury, or disability. comply with any collective bargaining agreement entered into by a public school employer and an exclusive bargaining representative pursuant to Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code that provides greater disability or parental leave rights to employees than the rights established under this section. 

SEC. 2.

 Section 45193 of the Education Code is amended to read:

45193.
 The (a)  (1)   governing board of any school district may provide for such A public school employer shall provide for a  leave of absence from duty as it deems appropriate for any female  for an  employee in the classified service of the district  public school employer  who is required to be  absent herself  from her duties because of pregnancy or convalescence following childbirth, and may adopt rules and regulations prescribing the manner of proof of pregnancy, the time during pregnancy at  duty because the employee is experiencing or has experienced pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions. The length of the leave of absence, including the date on  which the leave of absence shall be taken, and the length of time for which  shall commence and the date on which the employee shall resume duties, shall be determined by the employee and the employee’s physician. Except as provided in paragraph (2),  the leave of absence shall continue after birth of the child. The board may also provide in the rules and regulations whether leave granted  be with full pay, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks. A leave of absence taken  under this section shall be with or without pay and, if with pay, the amount, if any, to be deducted from the salary due the employee for the period in which the absence occurs. However, nothing in this section shall be construed so as to deprive any employee of sick leave rights under other sections of this code for absences due to illness or injury resulting from pregnancy. not be deducted from any other leaves of absence available to the employee pursuant to state or federal regulations or laws. The paid leave may begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions. 
(2) For part-time employees in the classified service, the amount of paid leave per week, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks, shall be calculated in accordance with the following:
(A) If the part-time employee works a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay for the total number of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work for the public school employer.
(B) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), if the part-time employee does not work a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the six-month period immediately preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(ii) If the part-time employee has been employed for less than six months, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the entire period of that employment preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a public school employer shall maintain group health coverage for an employee who takes a leave of absence under this section for the duration of the leave of absence at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had not taken a leave of absence.
(b) Disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions are, for all job-related purposes, temporary disabilities, and shall be treated as such under any health or temporary disability insurance or sick leave plan available in connection with employment by a public school employer.
(c) Except as provided in this section, written and unwritten employment policies and practices of a public school employer shall be applied to disability due to pregnancy or childbirth on the same terms and conditions applied to other temporary disabilities.
(d) Except as provided in this section, there are no eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, minimum hours worked or length of service, before an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions is eligible for a paid leave of absence under this section.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish the obligation of a public school employer to comply with any collective bargaining agreement entered into by a public school employer and an exclusive bargaining representative pursuant to Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code that provides greater disability or parental leave rights to employees than the rights established under this section.
(f)  This section shall apply to school  districts that have adopted the merit system in the same manner and effect as if it were a part of Article 6 (commencing with Section 45240) of this chapter. 45240). 

SEC. 3.

 Section 87766 of the Education Code is amended to read:

87766.
 (a)  (1)  The governing board of a community college district shall provide for a  leave of absence from duty for any an  academic employee of the community college  district who is required to be absent from duties because of  duty because the employee is experiencing or has experienced  pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery therefrom.  termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions.  The length of the leave of absence, including the date on which the leave shall commence and the date on which the employee shall resume duties, shall be determined by the employee and the employee’s physician. Except as provided in paragraph (2), the leave of absence shall be with full pay, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks. A leave of absence taken under this section shall not be deducted from any other leaves of absence available to the employee pursuant to state or federal regulations or laws. The paid leave may begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions. 
(2) For part-time academic employees, the amount of paid leave per week, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks, shall be calculated in accordance with the following:
(A) If the part-time employee works a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay for the total number of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work for the community college district.
(B) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), if the part-time employee does not work a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the six-month period immediately preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(ii) If the part-time employee has been employed for less than six months, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the entire period of that employment preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a community college district shall maintain group health coverage for an employee who takes a leave of absence under this section for the duration of the leave of absence at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had not taken a leave of absence.
(b)  Disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery therefrom  termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions  are, for all job-related purposes, temporary disabilities disabilities,  and shall be treated as such under any health or temporary disability insurance or sick leave plan available in connection with employment by any school  a community college  district.
(c)  Except as provided herein,  in this section,  written and unwritten employment policies and practices of a community college district shall be applied to disability due to pregnancy or childbirth on the same terms and conditions applied to other temporary disabilities.
(d) Except as provided in this section, there are no eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, minimum hours worked or length of service, before an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions is eligible for a paid leave of absence under this section.
This (e)  Nothing in this  section shall be construed as requiring the governing board  to diminish the obligation  of a community college district to grant leave with pay only when it is necessary to do so in order that leaves of absence for disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, or childbirth be treated the same as leaves for illness, injury, or disability. comply with any collective bargaining agreement entered into by a community college district and an exclusive bargaining representative pursuant to Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code that provides greater disability or parental leave rights to employees than the rights established under this section. 

SEC. 4.

 Section 88193 of the Education Code is amended to read:

88193.
 (a)  (1)  The governing board of any a  community college district may shall  provide for such a  leave of absence from duty as it deems appropriate for any female  for an  employee in the classified service of the community college  district who is required to be  absent herself  from her duties because of pregnancy or convalescence following childbirth, and may adopt rules and regulations prescribing the manner of proof of pregnancy, the time during pregnancy at  duty because the employee is experiencing or has experienced pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions. The length of the leave of absence, including the date on  which the leave of absence shall be taken, and the length of time for which  shall commence and the date on which the employee shall resume duties, shall be determined by the employee and the employee’s physician. Except as provided in paragraph (2),  the leave of absence shall continue after birth of the child. The board may also provide in the rules and regulations whether leave granted  be with full pay, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks. A leave of absence taken  under this section shall be with or without pay and, if with pay, the amount, if any, to be deducted from the salary due the employee for the period in which the absence occurs. However, nothing in this section shall be construed so as to deprive any employee of sick leave rights under other sections of this code for absences due to illness or injury resulting from pregnancy. not be deducted from any other leaves of absence available to the employee pursuant to state or federal regulations or laws. The paid leave may begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions. 
(2) For part-time employees in the classified service, the amount of paid leave per week, subject to a maximum of 14 weeks, shall be calculated in accordance with the following:
(A) If the part-time employee works a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay for the total number of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work for the community college district.
(B) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), if the part-time employee does not work a fixed number of hours per week, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the six-month period immediately preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(ii) If the part-time employee has been employed for less than six months, the employee shall receive weekly pay in an amount equaling the employee’s average weekly pay during the entire period of that employment preceding the date that the employee began their paid leave.
(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a community college district shall maintain group health coverage for an employee who takes a leave of absence under this section for the duration of the leave of absence at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had not taken a leave of absence.
(b) Disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions are, for all job-related purposes, temporary disabilities, and shall be treated as such under any health or temporary disability insurance or sick leave plan available in connection with employment by a community college district.
(c) Except as provided in this section, written and unwritten employment policies and practices of a community college district shall be applied to disability due to pregnancy or childbirth on the same terms and conditions applied to other temporary disabilities.
(d) Except as provided in this section, there are no eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, minimum hours worked or length of service, before an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions is eligible for a paid leave of absence under this section.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish the obligation of a community college district to comply with any collective bargaining agreement entered into by a community college district and an exclusive bargaining representative pursuant to Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code that provides greater disability or parental leave rights to employees than the rights established under this section.
(f)  This section shall apply to community college  districts that have adopted the merit system in the same manner and effect as if it were a part of Article 3 (commencing with Section 88060) of this chapter. 88060).