New State Law Requires Employers to Grant Time Off to Soldiers' Spouses

Recent legislation signed by Governor Schwarzenegger creates new rights for the spouses of deployed soldiers.
Specifically, Assembly Bill 392 requires employers of 25 or more employees to grant up to 10 days of unpaid leave to qualified employees (meaning those who work an average of 20 or more hours per week for the employer and who are married to members of the U.S. armed forces deployed during a period of military conflict to an area designated as a combat theater or zone, or members of the National Guard or reserves deployed during a period of military conflict). Employees are eligible to take this time off only during "qualified leave periods," defined as periods during which the soldier-spouses are on leave from deployment. Employers may not retaliate against employees for requesting or taking the leave provided by this new statute, which goes into effect immediately.