Governors Briefs: An Appointment and Newsom Highlights Paid Family Leave Program

Gov. Newsom Announces Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom May 8 announced the following appointment:

Guillermo Martinez, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists where he has served since 2023. Martinez has been a Harbor engineer at the Port of Los Angeles since 2020, where he was a senior transportation engineer from 2004 to 2020. He was a transportation engineering associate at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation from 2001 to 2004. Martinez is a member of Los Angeles Professional Managements Association board of directors, Loyola Marymount University Civil Engineering Alumni advisory board, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association, Project Management Institute, and Institute of Transportation Engineers. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Loyola Marymount University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Martinez is a Democrat

During Mother’s Day Week, Gov. Newsom Highlights Paid Family Leave Program

SACRAMENTO — In recognition of the dedication and strength of mothers and maternal figures across California, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlights California’s Paid Family Leave or PFL program — the first comprehensive program in the nation to financially support mothers who want to take time off to bond with their babies, adopted children, or foster children. Since 2004, PFL has been supporting families for over 20 years, and serves as a foundation for Californians  to be present with their families during life-changing events. 

Managed by the Employment Development Department or EDD, PFL provides up to eight weeks of benefit payments to Californians who take time off work to bond with a new baby (including foster and adopted children), care for a seriously ill loved one, or support a military family member serving abroad.

This past year, PFL also reached a new milestone, receiving more than 482,000 applications — the highest on record. Of those, 41% were from women, specifically for bonding with their new child. Fathers, non-birthing parents, adoptive and foster parents may also qualify for bonding benefits.

To learn more about the PFL for mothers, click here.

Impact by the numbers

• Since its launch in 2004, PFL has paid over $19 billion to support Californians when they need time away to support their families.
• Approximately 4.9 million claims have been processed since its inception with nearly 88% (4.3 million) used for bonding.
• In 2025, California boosted Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance benefits up to 90% of regular pay for many workers.
• Californians can engage with PFL through an enhanced chatbot available in the state’s top eight spoken languages.