Alameda Firefighters Could Get 26 Weeks of Paid Leave
A one-year bridge deal with the firefighters' union guarantees paid leave now, months before California's own law kicks in.
By The Alameda Pulse
Alameda's City Council votes Oct. 6 on a deal that gives eligible firefighters up to 26 weeks of fully paid leave after a pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, months before a new California law requires it statewide.
- Where: Alameda Fire Department
- What: up to 26 weeks of fully paid postpartum and recovery leave, with pay and benefits continuing the whole time
- Who qualifies: firefighters with at least 1,250 hours worked in the 12 months before the qualifying event
- Who agreed to it: the City of Alameda and the International Association of Firefighters, Local 689, whose members have already ratified the deal
- What's next: City Council votes Oct. 6, and the arrangement runs out Jan. 1, 2027, when California's own law takes over
What benefit are Alameda firefighters getting?
Under the Letter of Understanding headed to Council, eligible firefighters get up to 26 weeks of fully paid leave to recover from childbirth or a related medical condition. The city keeps paying their regular salary and benefits the whole time, and they're guaranteed their same position back when they return.
Why is the city doing this now, instead of waiting for the state law?
California's SB 1024 already guarantees this kind of leave, but it doesn't kick in until Jan. 1, 2027. This agreement is a bridge: it takes effect as soon as the governor signs SB 1024, or Oct. 1, 2026, whichever comes first, and it's built to expire the moment the state law replaces it. Without it, an Alameda firefighter with a qualifying medical need this fall or winter would have had no equivalent protection.
Who qualifies for the leave?
Firefighters need at least 1,250 hours of service in the 12 months right before the pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition that triggers the leave. IAFF Local 689 members have already voted to ratify the agreement, so the only step left is the City Council's sign-off.
What happens next?
The item is on the City Council's consent calendar for Oct. 6, which usually means it passes without much debate since the union has already signed off. If the governor doesn't sign SB 1024, the whole agreement is void, since it was written specifically as a bridge to that law. Either way, the arrangement ends automatically on Jan. 1, 2027, when California's statewide protections for new parents in these jobs take over for good. For more on how Alameda City Hall runs, see our Alameda news coverage.
