California employer resource
An employee has asked for time off to care for family. What should your team do first?
Start a leave review, not just a schedule change. Use these six steps to coordinate HR, supervisors, and payroll from the first conversation through the employee’s return.
California Family Rights Act (CFRA) leave protects an eligible employee’s job for qualifying reasons. It generally covers employers with five or more employees; eligibility typically requires at least 12 months of service and 1,250 hours worked in the preceding 12 months. Federal FMLA has its own employer, worksite, and employee tests. The two laws may cover the same absence, but not always.
California Paid Family Leave (PFL) provides wage replacement for eligible workers. PFL approval does not by itself guarantee job protection, and an employee does not need an EDD award before HR starts assessing a leave request. Pregnancy disability leave and subsequent bonding leave also need separate review.
A supervisor hears, “I need Tuesdays off to take my dad to treatment.” Record when the supervisor learned of the need, the expected timing, and the employee’s preferred contact method. Send the request to HR promptly, even if the employee never mentions CFRA or FMLA. Do not ask for a diagnosis or promise that the time will be paid.
HR checks the reason for leave, the family relationship, the employee’s worksite, service history, hours worked, and leave already used. Assess CFRA and FMLA separately. For example, caring for a sibling can qualify under CFRA even when that relationship alone does not qualify under federal FMLA. Do not use an FMLA denial as the answer to the whole request.
Name the HR contact responsible for eligibility, rights and responsibilities, and designation notices where applicable. Record when each notice is due, when it was sent, and what information is still needed. Under FMLA, the eligibility notice is generally due within five business days of learning the leave may qualify. Do not wait for an EDD benefit decision to begin the review.
Payroll needs approved dates or hours, time codes, and any arrangements for employer-paid time or benefit contributions. The supervisor needs the coverage schedule and the person to notify if it changes. Keep medical certifications in a confidential HR channel, not in a shared schedule or payroll ticket.
If the employee misses three hours for an appointment, reconcile the scheduled shift, actual time off, payroll code, and leave balance. Identify who fixes a discrepancy before payroll closes. Give the employee a contact for changed dates instead of making them repeat their private circumstances to every supervisor.
Confirm the expected return date, schedule, and applicable reinstatement requirements. If the employee needs more time or reports restrictions, route the request to HR to assess other leave or accommodation obligations. Do not treat a balance reaching zero as an automatic employment decision.
Example: An employee at one of three California locations requests a half day each Friday to care for a parent. The store manager sends the request to HR and arranges temporary coverage. HR assesses eligibility, communicates the decision to the employee, and gives the manager only the schedule information needed. Payroll records the actual approved time, not an automatic full day each Friday.
If the appointments stop or move to another day, the employee contacts the assigned leave coordinator. HR updates the tracker and payroll instruction together. That prevents the supervisor’s calendar and the employee’s leave balance from telling different stories.
No. Route the leave request to HR promptly. Provide benefits information separately; EDD’s process does not decide the employer’s notice, tracking, or reinstatement responsibilities.
Do not assume the employee has no protected leave. CFRA has a different employer threshold from federal FMLA. Check California coverage, individual eligibility, and any other applicable protections.
Use one intake point and one leave record. Train supervisors to recognize and refer requests, then have HR give scheduling and payroll instructions specific to each case. EG’s Leave of Absence Management service can help review how those handoffs work across locations.
Tell us how many locations you support and where requests tend to stall. Please do not share employee names, diagnoses, or medical records in chat.
This checklist is general employer guidance, not legal advice or an eligibility determination.
