By Jennifer Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca
California’s Paid Family Leave Insurance (“PFLI”) program provides eligible employees with up to 8 weeks of wage replacement benefits when employees are on leave for certain qualifying reasons, such as caring for a seriously ill family member or bonding with a new child. To assist with the increased costs associated with providing such leave, the California Employment Training Panel and the California Workforce Development Agency funded a grant program for small employers with up to 100 employees.
To be eligible for the grant, the business must:
• Be a small business in California with 1-100 employees who have at least one employee utilizing the Paid Family Leave Program on or after June 1, 2022
• Be registered to do business in the State of California
• Be in active status with the California Secretary of State’s Office
• Have an active California Employer Account Number (CEAN) under which their employees are listed for payroll.
The grant amounts vary depending on employer size.
• Businesses with 51-100 employees may receive up to $1,000 per employee utilizing Paid Family Leave Insurance.
• Businesses with 1-50 employees may receive up to $2,000 per employee utilizing Paid Family Leave Insurance.
Small businesses utilizing a Professional Employer Organization (“PEO”) for payroll services are not eligible to participate in the program.
The grant period is from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2024. Eligible employers interested in applying can apply online at the grant website here.