San Francisco’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement has announced changes to the city’s Paid Parental Leave Ordinance, taking effect January 1, 2027, for employers with 100 or more employees and January 1, 2028, for employers with 20 to 99. The eligibility window for supplemental parental leave pay is being cut in half.
What’s changing
- Eligibility drops to 90 days on the job from 180 days, matching San Francisco’s paid sick leave waiting period.
How the ordinance works
- Paid Parental Leave and Paid Family Leave are not the same thing. California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) is a state benefit that partially replaces wages for several types of family leave, including bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, and military family assistance. San Francisco’s Paid Parental Leave Ordinance is a separate, local requirement that specifically builds on the bonding portion of PFL.
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Covered employers (20 or more employees, regardless of where they work) must top up an employee’s state PFL benefit so they receive their full regular wages, subject to a weekly cap, for up to eight weeks of bonding leave.
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To qualify for the local top-up, an employee must already be eligible for state PFL, work at least 8 hours a week in San Francisco, and have 40% or more of total hours worked in the city.
Compliance dates
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100+ employees: comply with the 90-day rule starting January 1, 2027
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20 to 99 employees: comply starting January 1, 2028
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19 or fewer employees: not covered by the ordinance
The practical impact is that employees who have been on the job between 90 and 180 days when their leave begins will now qualify, so policies, handbooks, and onboarding materials may all need updating.
Our Advice: Pull up your parental leave policy now and confirm it will track the new eligibility timeline before your compliance date arrives. Reach out if you want us to take a look at where you stand.
