Inside California’s New Paid Family Leave Law

California recently approved a longer paid family leave, allowing workers whose blessed events fall on the right side of the new law to take up to eight weeks off with partial pay to bond with a new baby. How’s that going to work? 

Aug 12, 2019 Laurel Rosenhall

While Needy School Districts Get More Money, Poor Students in Affluent Districts Suffer

California's 5-year-old school finance overhaul is working for disadvantaged students, but a study still finds that poor students aren't being helped in better-off districts

The study’s findings come amid pressure from lawmakers and advocates who have been concerned that the new system isn’t effectively channeling the extra state money to students, and that more progress hasn’t been made on the achievement gap. 

Aug 9, 2019 Ricardo Cano

Poll: Californians Ready to Spend to Thwart Wildfires

Californians want the state to lead the world in fighting climate change — and many are ready to tackle the problem on the road, at the ballot box, and even with their pocketbooks.

The majority of Californians believe global warming is happening now and that it’s a serious threat to the Golden State’s future, according to the results of a recent poll. What’s more, Californians are ready to cast their votes and spend their money to fight it.

Aug 1, 2019 Rachel Becker

Still Going Strong: Catching Up with Eleni Kounalakis

When Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis appeared with her brother, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, on the cover with the headline “Generation Next,” she was president of AKT Development Corporation, a company she joined in 1993, though she actually started working there at a much younger age.

Jul 29, 2019 Tom Couzens

California’s Struggle to Get Food Stamps to the Hungry

The Golden State leaves a lot of federal money on the table as low-income residents struggle to put food on theirs

With full participation in California’s food stamp program, the state’s poor would receive an additional $1.8 billion in federal funds each year. Pending legislation would require the state to close in on that goal. Some say it’s too ambitious for a state where 58 counties manage an arduous application in a variety of ways.

Jul 23, 2019 Jackie Botts, The California Divide

Employers Urged to Find New Ways to Address Workers’ Mental Health

Last year, California passed legislation that made it the first state to establish voluntary standards for workplace mental health. Companies like Sutter Health, Walgreens and Bank of America quickly signed on to address mental health wellness in the workplace. Will others follow suit?

Jul 18, 2019 Brian Rinker, California Healthline