The benefits offered by the Los Rios Community College District for family leave and caregiving are insufficient. Employees are forced to spend an overwhelming amount of their own money on caregiving or sacrifice their time and careers to take on caregiving roles. We believe that our loved ones should be treated with dignity and care, especially in their sick or dying days, and we should have the ability to be there for them without being penalized.

The current LRCCD family leave policy creates financial hardship, anxiety, and family stress for many of its employees. The burden of caring for new children and seriously ill/injured family members disproportionately impacts women, employees of color, and part-time employees without significant financial means to take unpaid leave. The current policy can and must change.

We, the undersigned, support negotiating for more humane and equitable family workplace benefits in our LRCFT contract, including:

• 12 weeks of caregiving, parental, and serious illness leave
• Child- and family-care subsidies each semester
• Job security and preference rights for part-timers who take leave
• Sick leave donation bank
• Improved bereavement leave