California has enacted Senate Bill 590, which amends existing law to expand access to the state’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program. Beginning July 1, 2028, workers will be eligible to receive wage replacement benefits when taking time off to care for a “designated person.”
Under current law, the PFL program provides up to 8 weeks of benefits to workers who take leave to care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a new child, or participate in qualifying military events. Benefits are funded through employee payroll contributions to the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund.
Starting in 2028, this bill will allow workers to also claim benefits to care for a designated person, defined as:
- Any care recipient related by blood, or
- Any individual whose association with the worker is considered equivalent to a family relationship.
To qualify for benefits for a designated person, a worker must:
- Identify the designated person in their initial claim, and
- Attest under penalty of perjury to the nature of the relationship either by blood or by family-like association.
You can access Senate Bill 590 here.