California
California increases paid family leave and disability benefits to historic levels
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A new California law aims to ease the financial burden during some of life’s biggest transitions and challenges.
This year, paid family leave and disability benefits increased to historic levels.
“Previously, most workers would only receive 60% of their income,” explained Katherine Wutchiett, a senior staff attorney at the nonprofit organization, Legal Aid At Work.
“The dream of being able to take care of your baby, newborn baby, or being able to take care of a family member that’s ill, you couldn’t do it,” said California Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles.)
What’s the new California parental leave law?
Under the new law authored by Durazo, eligible California workers can now receive between 70% and 90% up to a cap.
“As a mom of two who just recently had a baby, I think increasing it to 90% is really important,” said Savannah Powell, who also stressed parental leave should be available for a longer period of time. “Families need that to stay afloat.”
Under the new law, those who make about 70% of the state’s average weekly wage — about $63,000 or less annually — will receive 90% of their income.
“Folks who make more than that will receive 70% to 90% of their income,” said Wutchiett.
The benefits apply to eligible workers filing for state disability insurance, or paid family leave. That includes those who may be navigating military deployment, adoption or caring for a seriously ill family member.
“We’ve got, in California, 1.3 million individuals that are caregivers,” said Gloria Crockett, the regional vice president and executive director for the California, Southland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
The organization did not take a position on the bill.
Part of what the law does is remove a cap that allowed higher income earners to stop contributing to the fund for these state benefits.
“These are all inequities that we identified and we said, ‘We have to fix this,’” said Durazo.
Legal Aid At Work is one of the organizations that co-sponsored the bill.
Wutchiett explained that while the increase applies only to claims filed beginning in 2025, there are some options.
“If, for instance, somebody hasn’t applied yet, and maybe they started taking time off from work in the last week of December, they could make the decision to date their claim just starting in January,” she said.
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California
UPDATE: Crash at California/Dakota
10:06 PM: Police are arriving at the scene of a two-vehicle crash reported at California/Dakota, with at least two people hurt.
11:06 PM: Police have just reopened the street. We went to the scene after a report that one vehicle had ended up on the lawn of a church – First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – is on the southwest corner – but all we could see was one vehicle on the sidewalk. We’re following up with SFD regarding the people who were hurt.
California
Southern California’s wild weather is not over. Wind gusts of up to 65 mph predicted
Last week’s rain won’t be the end of Southern California’s wild weather as strong wind gusts are forecast through the area until Tuesday.
Gusts of up to 65 mph are expected in mountains and valleys throughout the region, with the National Weather Service warning that power outages were possible and that residents should keep an eye out for downed trees and power lines.
“Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” according to an alert issued by the National Weather Service.
The recent storms that drenched Southern California and soaked the soil could also “increase the likelihood of damage” caused by downed trees and power lines, the agency noted.
The National Weather Service issued the advisory Sunday, warning that the western Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains and the Interstate 5 and Highway 14 corridors could see strong winds starting Sunday evening, lasting until Monday afternoon.
Winds between 20 to 30 mph are expected in those areas until Sunday evening. Wind speeds are then predicted to pick up until Monday afternoon, with northeast winds of up to 40 mph and gusts of up to 65 mph.
A similar alert for strong gusts was issued by the weather service for the San Bernardino and Riverside County mountain and valley regions, as well as the Santa Ana Mountains, where strong winds could linger until Tuesday afternoon.
Northeast winds with speeds of up to 30 mph are expected to hit the area starting this evening, with gusts of up to 60 mph.
The high wind alerts come after the region was drenched for days, causing debris flows that washed through homes in Wrightwood. At least three people were killed in storm-related deaths, including a man in San Diego who was struck by a falling tree. In Boyle Heights, a rare tornado touched down on Christmas morning.
More rain is expected this week, including the possibility of rain on New Year’s Day.
California
Gas line explosion rocks California: Video shows debris clouds filling the sky; residents report ‘jet-like’ roar – The Times of India
A major natural gas pipeline explosion in northern Los Angeles County on Saturday prompted authorities to issue shelter-in-place orders and temporarily shut down a key Southern California highway, officials said.The incident occurred around 4.20 pm local time near Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place in Castaic, close to the southbound lanes of Interstate 5, a critical route linking Southern and Northern California. The damaged pipeline is a 34-inch transmission gas line, located just east of the freeway.
Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Brian Kight said emergency crews received multiple calls reporting the gas leak. While residents described loud noises, Kight stressed that “there were no reports of any explosions from the leak and no reported injuries,” the Los Angeles Times reported.Videos shared on social media showed orange plumes rising from a hillside, which appeared to have partially collapsed, with debris clouds filling the sky.Several residents said they heard loud booms, while NBC 7 San Diego reported that people across the Santa Clarita Valley felt their homes shake. One witness described a “strong sulfur smell and a loud noise resembling a jet engine,” the outlet added.At L.A. County Fire Department Station 149, located about a mile away, Kight said he could smell gas from “20 minutes out.” The Los Angeles City Fire Department also received reports of a strong rotten egg smell from residents as far away as the north San Fernando Valley.In response, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) closed all lanes of Interstate 5 at 5.12 pm, diverting northbound traffic to State Route 126 and southbound vehicles to State Route 138. Traffic came to a near standstill for miles, leaving motorists stranded for hours, the Los Angeles Times reported.A shelter-in-place order was issued at 5.40 pm that covered much of Castaic. Authorities advised residents to close doors and windows, shut off vents, and turn off HVAC systems.By 6 pm, the gas company had shut off both sides of the ruptured line, though firefighters and a hazardous materials task force continued monitoring a residual leak. The CHP announced shortly before 9 pm that Interstate 5 had reopened.The cause of the rupture remains under investigation. While officials said it is unclear what triggered the incident, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies told CBS Los Angeles that it was possibly caused by “a mudslide.”More details awaited.
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