EDD Paid Family Leave Advocates Southern CA Regional Meeting
<p>While we have been having quarterly PFL Advocate meetings with the EDD for many years, this is our first regional quarterly meeting with the EDD - we will learn from and build on this. A handful of EDD’s top leaders will be attending in person, and a number of others will be joining remotely. Keep in mind that this meeting is just as important for our own coalition-building as it is for our collaboration/advocacy with the EDD. The EDD is a huge state department that serves millions of Californians (via SDI, PFL and unemployment insurance). They don’t always move as fast as we would like - but any positive changes we can make have a huge reach. Our role is to advocate for the best possible PFL program. Their role is to administer the program. PFL is an entirely worker-funded program, so as advocates, we come to the table to make sure those hard-earned contributions lead to an equitable, effective program for everyone paying into it.</p>
<p>We are excited to have new and longtime partners at the table - this was one of the goals in holding a regional meeting - engaging a wider group of advocates across the state. We’re also excited to have our national partners from Family Values @ Work join us as they have been supporting and learning from our PFL implementation for many years.</p>
<p>The Coalition’s goals for this meeting are:</p>
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<p>Reinforce top issues, proposed solutions, identify new themes to share with the EDD</p>
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<p>Show depth of Coalition, and build unity & momentum among Coalition members</p>
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<p>Improve collaboration between PFL Advocates and the EDD to deliver (measurable) results on our shared goals</p>
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<p>Listen, learn and assess PFL priority issues</p>
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<p>Important Background</p>
<p>About a year ago, we established a shared set of <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SIXBwoOMPGhRCzCkOgblkwuZaBYBlH3i/view&…; target="_blank">desired outcomes</a> with the EDD, which include:</p>
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<p>Increase total PFL claims filed.</p>
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<p>Increase PFL awareness rate overall.</p>
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<p>Increase PFL awareness rate in under-represented groups.</p>
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<p>Increase claims filed by eligible members in under-represented groups (LA county, bio fathers, low income, new immigrant, Latino, adoptive/foster).</p>
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