California employers who have 25 or more employees must allow their employees to take up to 8 hours per month, and a total of 40 hours per year, to address a licensed childcare provider or school emergency. A common qualifying example would be when a school or childcare provider asks parents to pick up a sick child.
Employees must provide reasonable notice to employers of the absence though. Also, employers may require employees to provide a certification from the school or daycare showing the request.
An employee who is fired, threatened with discharge, demoted, suspended, or discriminated against in any other manner for taking time off to pick up a sick child from school or a licensed child care provider has a right to get their job back and all lost wages and benefits.
(See Link: Labor Code Section 230.8)