In August 2026, San Francisco amended its Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO) to lower the length of service requirement for employee eligibility from 180 days to 90 days of employment. Originally enacted in 2016, San Francisco’s PPLO requires employers to pay supplemental compensation for up to eight weeks to employees who receive California Paid Family Leave (PFL) for bonding with a new child.
Covered Employers (By Date)
Under the amended PPLO, covered employers must provide PPLO to eligible employees after the employee’s 90th day of work. This amendment takes effect for employers at different times, depending on the employer’s size:
- 100 or more employees: January 1, 2027
- 20-99 employees: January 1, 2028
Businesses determine their employee count based on the total number of employees it has in any location worldwide, not just in San Francisco.
Because the PPLO contains notice requirements, covered employers will want to update their notice poster when the updated poster becomes available.
PPLO Refresher
In addition to the length of service, to be eligible under the PPLO, a covered employee must:
- Perform at least eight hours of work per week for the employer in San Francisco;
- Work at least 40 percent of their total work hours in San Francisco; and
- Receive PFL benefits under California’s PFL program for the purpose of bonding with a new child.
The PPLO does not apply to employees covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement, if the ordinance requirements are explicitly waived in clear and unambiguous terms.
To receive this supplemental benefit, the employee must apply for and receive PFL from EDD, and then apply for the benefit by submitting a San Francisco Paid Parental Leave form to their employer, who must provide this form to the employee when notified they’re expecting a new child.
When a covered employee takes bonding leave and receives PFL benefits, the PPLO requires employers to provide supplemental compensation in an amount equal to 100 percent of the employee’s gross weekly wages, less the amount of PFL benefits. The PPLO benefit is capped at a maximum benefit for high-wage earners. Use the Paid Parental Leave Calculator to determine how much is owed to a covered employee.
As a reminder, PPLO and PFL are wage replacement programs — not forms of protected leave.
Shannon Claire, J.D., Employment Law Expert, CalChamber
CalChamber members can read more about San Francisco’s Paid Parental Leave, Paid Family Leave Benefit Payments, Pregnancy Disability Leave, and managing family and medical leave, as well as FMLA and CFRA Qualifying Reasons in the HR Library. Not a member? Learn how to power your business with a CalChamber membership.
