For purposes of this part, the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) “Employee” and “employee benefits” have the same meanings set forth in Section 1501.
(b) “Employer” means any person, partnership, corporation, association, or other business entity that employs 15 or more employees.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 296, Sec. 195. (AB 1023) Effective January 1, 2012.)
(a) Subject to subdivision (c), an employer shall grant to an employee the following paid leaves of absence:
(1) A leave of absence, not exceeding 30 business days in a one-year period, to an employee who is an organ donor, for the purpose of donating the employee’s organ to another person. The one-year period is measured from the date the employee’s leave begins and shall consist of 12 consecutive months.
(2) A leave of absence, not exceeding five business days in a one-year period, to an employee who is a bone marrow donor, for the purpose of donating the employee’s bone marrow to another person. The one-year period is measured from the date the employee’s leave begins and shall consist of 12
consecutive months.
(b) Subject to subdivision (c), an employer shall grant an additional unpaid leave of absence, not exceeding 30 business days in a one-year period, to an employee who is an organ donor, for the purpose of donating the employee’s organ to another person. The one-year period is measured from the date the employee’s leave begins and shall consist of 12 consecutive months.
(c) In order to receive a leave of absence pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) an employee shall provide written verification to the employer that the employee is an organ or bone marrow donor and that there is a medical necessity for the donation of the organ or bone marrow.
(d) Any period of time during which an employee is required to be absent from the employee’s position by reason of being an organ or bone marrow donor is not a
break in the employee’s continuous service for the purpose of the employee’s right to salary adjustments, sick leave, vacation, paid time off, annual leave, or seniority. During any period that an employee takes leave pursuant to subdivision (a), the employer shall maintain and pay for coverage under a group health plan, as defined in Section 5000(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, for the full duration of the leave, in the same manner the coverage would have been maintained if the employee had been actively at work during the leave period.
(e) This part does not affect the obligation of an employer to comply with a collective bargaining agreement or employee benefit plan that provides greater leave rights to employees than the rights provided under this part.
(f) The rights provided under this part shall not be diminished by a collective bargaining agreement or employee
benefit plan entered into on or after January 1, 2011.
(g) An employer may require, as a condition of an employee’s initial receipt of bone marrow or organ donation leave, that an employee take up to five days of earned but unused sick leave, vacation, or paid time off for bone marrow donation and up to two weeks of earned but unused sick leave, vacation, or paid time off for organ donation, unless doing so would violate the provisions of any applicable collective bargaining agreement.
(h) Notwithstanding existing law, bone marrow and organ donation leave shall not be taken concurrently with any leave taken pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 2601 et seq.) or the Moore-Brown-Roberti Family Rights Act (Sections 12945.2 and 19702.3 of the Government Code).
(i) Leave provided for
pursuant to this section may be taken in one or more periods, but in no event shall exceed the amount of leave prescribed in subdivisions (a) and (b).
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 316, Sec. 6. (AB 1223) Effective January 1, 2020.)
An employer shall, upon expiration of a leave authorized by this part, restore an employee to the position held by him or her when the leave began or to a position with equivalent seniority status, employee benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. An employer may decline to restore an employee as required in this section because of conditions unrelated to the exercise of rights under this part by the employee.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 646, Sec. 1. (SB 1304) Effective January 1, 2011.)
(a) An employer shall not interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise or the attempt to exercise a right established by this part.
(b) An employer shall not discharge, fine, suspend, expel, discipline, or in any other manner discriminate against an employee who does either of the following:
(1) Exercises a right provided under this part.
(2) Opposes a practice made unlawful by this part.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 646, Sec. 1. (SB 1304) Effective January 1, 2011.)