Mother’s Day is supposed to be about gratitude. We celebrate the people who raised us — the ones who stayed up with us at night, juggled work and caregiving and showed up no matter what. But when our parents need us, can we show up for them?

Last year, I took a week off work to help my mom care for my dad after his dementia progressed. Suddenly, she was on her own — navigating medical appointments, bank accounts she’d never handled and big, and emotional decisions about what came next. I flew home to help and it was one of the hardest, most meaningful weeks of my life.

Because of California’s paid family leave program, I was able to be there without giving up my income. Caregiving time shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be something every family can count on.

Thanks to legislation passed in 2022, championed by the California Work & Family Coalition, our state is making progress. Workers earning less than $63,000 a year can now receive up to 90 percent of their regular pay while on paid family leave. Those earning more can get up to 70 percent of their pay. These updates took effect Jan. 1 and are making it easier for Californians to take time off when a loved one needs care.

But here’s the problem: Not enough California caregivers know this benefit exists — or that it’s improved. Many still assume paid family leave is only for new parents and don’t realize it is available to anyone paying into State Disability Insurance (listed as “SDI” or something similar on your pay stub). And few people know that the California Family Rights Act may protect their job during paid or unpaid leave if they’ve worked long enough for a qualified employer.

This Mother’s Day, we should be talking not just about gifts and flowers, but about making sure you can be there if your mom needs you. 

California led the nation two decades ago when it became the first state to offer paid family leave. But the benefit was often difficult for low-income workers to use. Increasing the portion of wages replaced was a crucial step in making the program work for more people.

But there’s more to do. The current benefit only lasts eight weeks, which often isn’t enough. And while the 90 percent wage replacement rate helps more workers, many Californians earning above the $63,000 threshold still receive too little income to take time off. California should extend the duration of leave and increase the income limit for getting 90 percent of your pay. 

We also need to change the culture, so people feel supported in using the benefits they’ve earned.

When I took time off to support my mom, I was lucky to work for an employer who understood. But it was unusual to talk openly about taking leave, especially to help an aging parent. We must make it normal. Taking time to care for a loved one should be expected, accepted and supported — at work, in policy and in our communities.

That means investing in public education and outreach, especially in lower-income communities where awareness remains low. It also means simplifying the application process and delivering information in multiple languages and formats people trust.

And it means continuing to evolve. California should expand the program definition of “family” to include chosen or designated loved ones, not just those related by blood or law.

Caregiving is not a private matter. It’s a public good, and it needs public support. Paid family leave is a crucial tool that supports families, improves health and builds economic stability.

This Mother’s Day let’s celebrate the people who have cared for us — and make sure every Californian knows they have the right to return that care when it matters most.

To find out if you qualify for paid family leave, visit the California Work & Family Coalition at www.workfamilyca.org/resources.

Karen Ben-Moshe, whose parents live in New York, is a policy program officer at Blue Shield of California Foundation, where she works to strengthen economic security and mobility in communities.