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Paid Family Leave is expanding to “chosen family”
SB 590 will let workers take Paid Family Leave to care for a designated person — not only a legal relative. It’s coming in 2028, and it’s worth planning for now.
At a glance
- Extends Paid Family Leave to cover caring for one “designated person.”
- A designated person is related by blood or has a relationship equivalent to family.
- Employees attest to the relationship under penalty of perjury.
- Effective July 1, 2028 — far enough out to plan calmly, close enough to note.
California’s Paid Family Leave program lets workers take partially paid time to care for a seriously ill family member. SB 590 widens “family” to include a designated person — someone the employee identifies as the equivalent of family, whether or not there’s a legal relationship.
It reflects how people actually build support networks. For employers, it’s a heads-up item: the change doesn’t take effect until July 1, 2028, but it will affect leave planning, coverage, and how you talk about family in your policies.
What changed
The definition of who an employee can take PFL to care for expands to include one designated person, supported by an attestation made under penalty of perjury. PFL is a state wage-replacement benefit, so the mechanics run through the state — but your leave administration and policies will need to reflect it.
Who’s affected
California employees who participate in PFL and the employers who manage their leave. Even though PFL benefits are state-funded, employers coordinate the time off and job protection around them.
What to do now
Nothing urgent — but note the 2028 date and plan to update leave policies and manager guidance ahead of it. If you’re revising your handbook anyway, you can pre-position language so the change is a small edit later, not a scramble.
How The HR Meeting helps
We keep your leave policies current across California’s tangle of programs and give managers plain-language guidance so leave is handled consistently and kindly.
Sources & official text
This article is general information for California employers, not legal advice. Rules change and application depends on your facts — confirm against the official text or ask us before acting.