Department of Fair Employment & Housing v. Verizon California, Inc.

Opinion

SILLS, P. J.

I

Our state’s family leave act 1 allows employees in firms over a certain size to have up to 12 weeks off a year to care for an immediate family member with a “serious health condition,” or simply because of the employee’s own serious health condition. 2 The right is for time off without fear of losing one’s job, 3 but not necessarily paid time off. The family leave act is quite explicit that, with one exception, an employer is not required to pay for time off for leave taken under the act.

The one exception is if the employee would have the right to be paid for the time…