SF Paid Parental Leave Ordinance

San Francisco's Paid Parental Leave Ordinance requires employers to provide up to 6 weeks of supplemental compensation to employees who receive California Paid Family Leave benefits to bond with a new child. Employers with 20 or more employees are covered by the law.

PPLO On-Demand Webinar

San Francisco's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) has an on-demand webinar that goes over the requirements of the Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO). It was recorded on Monday, May 7, 2018: Register to view The OLSE presentation includes:

• Employee notification requirements
• Employee eligibility
• Employee application process
• Benefit calculation instructions

What is the PPLO?

Requires employers to supplement an employee’s California PFL benefits

The San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO) requires employers who have employees working in San Francisco to provide Supplemental Compensation to employees who are receiving California Paid Family Leave (PFL) so that the employees receive up to 100% of their normal weekly wages during 6 weeks of parental leave.

Provides employees working in San Francisco with 6 weeks fully paid leave

There are two different parental leave benefit laws that employees may access:

1. The California Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, paid by the State of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD); and
2. The San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO), paid by Covered Employers.

In order to receive the San Francisco parental leave benefits, an employee must apply for both the CA PFL benefits (by applying to EDD) and the SF PPLO benefits (by submitting the documentation to the employee’s employer).

Covered Employer

(Government entities are not covered employers)

• As of January 1, 2018, employers with 20 or more employees are covered by PPLO.
• Employer size is calculated based on employees in any location and applies to those who work in San Francisco City’s geographic boundaries (ie SFO is not covered)
• It includes all employees regardless of status (FT, PT, contracted directly/indirectly, on paid/unpaid leave).

Employer Responsibilities

1. Give notice to employees.
   • Post notice created by the OLSE
   • Include a description of the right to Supplemental Compensation under the PPLO in an employee handbook, if applicable
   • Provide employee with the SF Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Form as soon as employee asks about parental leave or tells you they are expecting a newborn, adopted or foster child.
2. Determine employee’s eligibility. An employee is covered if s/he:
   • Commenced work for your at least 180 days before leave period;
   • Works at least 8 hours/week and 40% of weekly hours are in San Francisco; and
   • Has applied for and is eligible for California Paid Family Leave (PFL)
3. Calculate & pay Supplemental Compensation
   • The employer must provide Supplemental Compensation in the amount of the difference between the employee’s normal weekly wage and the CA PFL benefit amount, up to a cap (tips/gratuities are not included as wages).
   • 2018 maximum weekly wage capped at $2,027
   • You will need the employee’s normal weekly wages and EDD weekly benefit amount.
   • This information should be on the SF PPL Form and EDD Notice of Computation (DE 429D), which the employee receives from EDD.
   • The Supplemental Compensation calculation varies if the employee has more than one employer.