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Trump tells Justice Dept. to seek release of Epstein grand jury testimony; NV education advocates blast freeze on federal funds; and VA leaders push EV adoption as economic, national security imperative.

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An asylum case sparks alarm, protests invoke the late John Lewis, Trump continues to face backlash over the Epstein files and the Senate moves forward with cuts to foreign aid.

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The Trump administration's axe to clean energy funding could hit rural mom-and-pop businesses hard, cuts also jeopardize Alaska's efforts to boost its power grid using wind and solar, and a small Kansas school district engages new students with a focus on ag.

CA Lawmakers Vote Today on Expanded Paid Family Leave as Part of Budget

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Monday, June 15, 2020   

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Paid leave may become a lot easier to take under a proposal in the state budget that is set for a final vote today.

Currently, more than 11 million full-time private-sector employees pay into the paid family leave system, but only those who work for companies with more than 20 employees are guaranteed to get their job back if they take leave.

David Rattray, president and CEO of the nonprofit Unite-LA, is part of a business task force that supports extending the right-of-return to all workers.

"Regardless of the size of the employer, an individual that pays into a plan should have the right to take that leave without risk of loss of their employment," Rattray said.

If passed, the change would likely go into effect in January. Gov. Gavin Newsom is also asking for money to be set aside to help small businesses cover the cost of hiring temporary workers or cross training other employees.

Statistics show low-wage people of color are over-represented in the small-business workforce. Bridget Shea, California campaign manager with the group Paid Leave for the United States, said many black and Latinx new mothers in particular avoid taking paid leave because they have little savings and can't afford to lose a job.

"These are the people that many of us rely on in our daily lives and who continue to be essential in keeping California functioning during this pandemic," Shea said.

A new study from Bay Area Council Economic Institute found small businesses actually benefited in states that already have made this change, as the flexibility tends to motivate employees to work harder and stay with a company longer.

Disclosure: Paid Leave for the U.S. (PL+US) contributes to our fund for reporting on Early Childhood Education, Family/Father Issues, Livable Wages/Working Families, Women's Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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The U.S. Department of Education has frozen grants that support summer learning, teacher professional development, after-school programs, English-language classes, support for children of migrants, school-based mental health and adult education. (Syda Productions/Adobe Stock)

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