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Kings County updates employee leave policy to reflect AB 2499 and AB 406, effective Jan. 1, 2026
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Summary
The Kings County Board of Supervisors approved revisions to county policy 10‑23 to align Family and Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act rules with state laws AB 2499 and AB 406, clarifying eligibility, pregnancy disability interactions and tracking of 'safe time' leaves; the board recorded affirmative votes and the policy is effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Ashley Hernandez, a human resources analyst, told the Kings County Board of Supervisors that the county should update its FMLA and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) policy to reflect recent state law changes and operational clarifications.
Hernandez recommended the board approve revisions to policy 10‑23 (FMLA/CFRA) effective Jan. 1, 2026, saying the policy—first adopted in 1995—needed updates to reflect state and federal changes, to clarify employee eligibility and pregnancy‑related disability leave interactions, and to streamline administrative processes.
Why it matters: Hernandez said the revisions incorporate two recent California assembly bills that expand protections commonly known as "safe time" for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and certain qualifying crimes. She said the updates will allow the county to track safe time leave concurrently with FMLA/CFRA where appropriate and will not affect the county general fund.
What the board did: After Hernandez’s presentation there were no questions from board members or the public. The chair called for a motion and the board voted to approve the policy updates; the clerk recorded affirmative votes from those present and the chair announced, "Motion passes."
Details in the policy: Hernandez told the board the revisions clarify when pregnancy disability leave (PDL) is a separate statutory entitlement and when PDL may run concurrently with FMLA/CFRA if an employee is eligible. She also said the policy incorporates statutory requirements tied to Assembly Bill 2499 (signed Sept. 29, 2024, effective Jan. 1, 2025) and Assembly Bill 406 (signed Oct. 1, 2025, with some provisions effective immediately and others effective Jan. 1, 2026) related to safe time leaves.
Next steps: The board’s approval implements the policy updates effective Jan. 1, 2026. Hernandez said staff are available to answer follow‑up questions and that the county will continue to monitor state and federal changes that affect employee leave rights.
