{"id":89929,"date":"2023-01-10T17:13:31","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T15:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/?p=89929"},"modified":"2025-09-16T10:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T08:13:08","slug":"california-family-rights-act-cfra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/","title":{"rendered":"California Family Rights Act (CFRA): Complete guide for HR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is a state leave law that enables eligible employees to take <\/span><b>unpaid, job-protected medical leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Although it has been in effect since 1993, California has updated the act <\/span><b>a number of times, most recently in 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As a result, many employers are unclear whether their business is covered by the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CFRA<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and if so, what their obligations are.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your business is based in California, then read on to find out everything you need to know about CFRA leave. We will discuss <\/span><b>CFRA eligibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and take a look at the <\/span><b>differences between CFRA vs FMLA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We will also explain what you need to consider in order to <\/span><b>ensure compliance with the California Family Rights Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what-does-CFRA-mean\">What is the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Covered-employers\">Covered employers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#requirements\">Employee eligibility requirements<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Reasons\">Reasons for CFRA leave<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#responsibilities\">Employer responsibilities and obligations<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Do-you-have-to-pay\">Do you have to pay an employee taking CFRA leave?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#How-to-request\">How to request CFRA leave<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#conditions\">Important California Family Rights Act (CFRA) conditions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Is-CFRA-independent-from-FMLA\">Is CFRA independent from FMLA?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#compliant\">Staying compliant under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Factorial\">California Family Rights Act (CFRA): How Factorial can help<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/holidays-leaves-software\">Process leave requests with leave management software \ud83d\ude80<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<a name=\"what-does-CFRA-mean\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What is the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A company\u2019s HR department is responsible for handling a range of leave requests from employees. This includes requests for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/maternity-leave-laws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">maternity leave<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, time off to care for a sick family member, personal <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">paid sick leave<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stress leave from work<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. There are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/usa-federal-employment-laws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">US federal employment laws<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that offer employees certain protections in these circumstances, such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/agencies\/whd\/fmla\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But many states also have their own regulations that govern medical and family leave. And the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is one such example.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what is CFRA leave?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is an <\/span><b>employment law <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the state of California that <\/span><b>guarantees eligible workers up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave during a 12-month period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Administered by <\/span><b>California\u2019s Civil Rights Department (CRD)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing), this form of leave applies to eligible employees of covered employers who are experiencing <\/span><b>certain family or medical situations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These situations include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The birth and care of a newborn child.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A newly placed foster or adopted child.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caring for a family member who has a serious medical condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When an employee has a serious health condition that prevents them from working.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/request-demo\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-123788\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124136\/track-hr-software-demo-300x103.png\" alt=\"automate hr\" width=\"821\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124136\/track-hr-software-demo-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124136\/track-hr-software-demo-768x263.png 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124136\/track-hr-software-demo.png 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a name=\"Covered-employers\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Covered employers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two factors to consider in order to determine CFRA eligibility. This includes <\/span><b>whether or not an employer is covered, and whether or not an employee is eligible<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s start with covered employers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Which employers are required to abide by CFRA?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">California employment law defines covered employers as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Private employers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who are engaged in any business in California that employs five or more workers (this figure was 50 before the recent expansion).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Public employers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including state governmental agencies, regardless of size.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-employment-laws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California Labor Laws Explained<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"requirements\"><\/a>Employee eligibility requirements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are a covered employer, then the next step before you can authorize an employee\u2019s request for CFRA leave is to determine if they are eligible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eligible employees:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Must have worked for a covered employer for at least <\/span><b>12 months<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prior to requesting leave.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Must have worked for at least <\/span><b>1,250 hours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> within the same 12-month time frame.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can be full-time or part-time workers, provided they meet the first two requirements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before accepting a request for CFRA leave, employers can ask employees to submit a <\/span><b>medical certificate from a healthcare provider to verify a serious health condition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They can also request verification of when the condition started, the anticipated duration of the condition, and a medical statement that an employee is unable to perform essential job duties. However, <\/span><b>employees are not required to disclose specific information relating to the nature of the condition itself<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the law has been in effect since 1993, the state added certain extensions in 2021 and 2022. These include the obligation to <\/span><b>provide employees disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition with unpaid, job-protected leave (PDL) and\/or certain accommodations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The state also expanded the definition of a \u201cdesignated person\u201d. As a result, <\/span><b>eligible employees can now request CFRA leave to care for any &#8220;designated person&#8221; with a serious illness, not just an immediate family member<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The <\/span><b>age restriction for the definition of a child has also been removed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so children do not have to be 18 years or under for an employee to be eligible for parental leave. <a href=\"https:\/\/calcivilrights.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2023\/02\/Expanded-Family-And-Medical-Leave_ENG.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Employers have the right<\/a> to limit employees to using CFRA leave to care for <strong>one designated person per 12-month period<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/request-demo\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-123787\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124048\/collect-documents-more-demo-300x103.png\" alt=\"collect cfra documents\" width=\"818\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124048\/collect-documents-more-demo-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124048\/collect-documents-more-demo-768x263.png 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20124048\/collect-documents-more-demo.png 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a name=\"Reasons\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Reasons for CFRA leave<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to California employment law, the <\/span><b>CFRA now guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for eligible employees for the following reasons<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Birth of a child, including the child of the employee&#8217;s domestic partner.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Placement of a child for adoption or foster care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caring for a child, parent, parent-in-law, spouse, registered domestic partner, sibling, grandparent or grandchild with a serious health condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If an employee is suffering from a serious health condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>The CFRA defines a serious health condition as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Serious health conditions include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any amount of time that an employee or their family member cannot work or receives treatment due to (or as a result of) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any period of incapacity that makes an employee unable to come to work for more than 3 consecutive days. This involves the time needed to receive treatment from a healthcare provider or to be under their supervision.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The continuance of treatment or supervision by a healthcare provider because of a chronic or long-term health condition that will become serious (result in incapacity of more than 3 consecutive days) if not treated, including prenatal care (excluding routine medical appointments).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Restorative dental or plastic surgery if it is related to an accident, injury, or for the removal of cancerous growths. Voluntary or cosmetic surgeries are not serious health conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"responsibilities\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Employer responsibilities and obligations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) establishes a number of <\/span><b>responsibilities and obligations for covered employers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you run a business with at least 5 employees, then you need to be aware of these obligations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firstly, <\/span><b>California employment law requires you to determine whether a requesting employee is eligible for CFRA leave within 5 days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You must also inform the employee of their eligibility status<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0within this time frame.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If an employee meets the conditions required for CFRA eligibility, then <\/span><b>leave must be designated retroactively to the first day of the employee&#8217;s absence for the CFRA-qualifying condition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You must provide the employee taking leave with an <\/span><b>explanation of their rights and responsibilities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> while they are absent, together with a guarantee that they will be reinstated in the same or an equivalent position after the period of CFRA leave has ended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you deny an employee\u2019s request for CFRA leave, then you must provide them with a valid reason. However, if your status as an employer meets all of the CFRA criteria and an employee is considered eligible according to California employment law, then you <\/span><b>cannot refuse a request for CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You also cannot refuse to reinstate an employee upon return from CFRA leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you fail to meet your obligations as an employer, then a requesting employee can report you to <\/span><b>California\u2019s Civil Rights Department<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CRD) for <\/span><b>violation of the CFRA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"Do-you-have-to-pay\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Do you have to pay an employee taking CFRA leave?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), <\/span><b>you are not obligated to pay an employee who is taking CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, <\/span><b>you are required to continue providing benefits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you need to provide CFRA-eligible employees on leave with continued access to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health and dental insurance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pension and retirement benefits<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accident insurance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-term and long-term disability insurance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supplemental unemployment benefits<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Continued accrual of seniority<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, <\/span><b>you must provide an employee on leave with healthcare coverage for up to a maximum of 12 weeks in a 12-month period, starting from the first day that they take CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can only recover health insurance premiums during a period of CFRA leave if:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The employee fails to return from leave at its expiration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (an employee is deemed to have failed to return from leave if he or she works less than 30 days after returning from leave).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The employee&#8217;s failure to return from leave is for a reason other than the continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition that entitled the employee to CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or other circumstances beyond the control of the employee.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, if you do not offer pay to employees on CFRA leave, you can choose to allow employees to use <\/span><b>accrued sick or vacation days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> whilst they are absent. However, this will depend on your internal policies and the terms of their employment contract.<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"How-to-request\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to request CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now let\u2019s take a look at how to apply for CFRA leave.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If one of your employees wishes to request CFRA leave, you should get them to follow certain guidelines. You should <\/span><b>make sure you detail these guidelines in your employee handbook so that employees understand what\u2019s expected of them<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firstly, employees should use a <\/span><b>CFRA leave request form<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ask for time off. This will ensure you have all requests in writing. You can design this form yourself and there are no guidelines for what you should include. However, you should <\/span><b>make sure you collect all the information you need to determine whether or not an employee is eligible for CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If an employee is requesting leave for a serious health condition, then you may require them to <\/span><b>submit a medical certification<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> within 15 days of their request for leave. The employee&#8217;s healthcare provider must sign this certificate. You should not use the U.S. Department of Labor medical certification form for this (WH-380). This is because this form asks the healthcare provider to list medical facts justifying the employee&#8217;s need for leave (you cannot request medical facts under California law). Instead, you can use the form appearing in <\/span><b>Title 2, Section 11097 of the California Code of Regulations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You cannot challenge the validity of a medical certificate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, if an employee refuses to provide one, then you can refuse their request for CFRA leave. You can also terminate their employment due to being absent without leave. Be mindful, though, that this should always be a last resort.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"conditions\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Important California Family Rights Act (CFRA) conditions <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The are a few other conditions of the CFRA that you need to be aware of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>You have a right to hire a temporary employee to cover an employee\u2019s duties while they are on CFRA leave.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> However, the employee is entitled to return to the same job or a similar one after their period of leave. The only exception is if the company closes down or you eliminate their role due to layoffs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) establishes certain obligations for both employers and employees. For example, <\/span><b>an employee requesting leave for a serious medical condition must provide you with notice where possible<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You as the employer, in turn, must grant them leave in these situations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the event of CFRA leave for serious medical conditions, <\/span><b>you can request a medical certificate from the employee to support their claim<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This certificate must confirm in writing that they are suffering from a serious medical condition. It should also provide the date when the condition started, and the estimated length of the condition. However, <\/span><b>you cannot request specific medical information without an employee\u2019s written consent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to California employment law, <\/span><b>employees must provide a minimum of 30 days&#8217; notice before taking a leave of absence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, the law does permit <\/span><b>shorter notice periods for emergency situations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"Is-CFRA-independent-from-FMLA\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Is CFRA independent from FMLA?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is, in many ways, similar to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, although California modelled the CFRA on the FMLA, they are separate laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essentially, <\/span><b>the differences between CFRA vs FMLA leave are that<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FMLA is a federal program, whereas the CFRA is a state law that is only applicable in California.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both laws protect employees who need time off from work for medical or family-related reasons. However, the FMLA requires much more documentation and proof of eligibility than the CFRA.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FMLA covers pregnancy, whereas the CFRA only covers time off for pregnancy complications.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FMLA applies to employers with 50 or more employees. The CFRA applies to employers with 5 or more employees.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the FMLA, you can ask for a diagnosis of an employee&#8217;s serious health condition when necessary. However, you cannot request that employees disclose the specific nature of their condition under the terms of the CFRA.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"compliant\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Staying compliant under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a number of steps you can take to <\/span><b>ensure compliance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the California Family Rights Act (CFRA):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Review your formal leave policies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ensure CFRA compliance requirements are clearly detailed. Make sure all employees are aware of their rights and obligations. The best way to do this is to include all information in your employee handbook. You can also post a notice at your place of work.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you hire employees from a range of states including California, you should <\/span><b>create a California-specific employee handbook<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When an employee in California requests leave, make sure you <\/span><b>inform them of their eligibility status within 5 days of their request<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that <\/span><b>you cannot lawfully deny an eligible employee CFRA leave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. An eligible employee is one who meets the requirements of the CFRA, as detailed above.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although you are not obliged to pay an employee who has taken CFRA leave, <\/span><b>you must continue to pay their benefits for the duration of their leave of absence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/templates\/hr-compliance-calendar-template-2024\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-119836\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/26170005\/hr-compliance-calendar-300x103.png\" alt=\"hr deadlines 2024\" width=\"801\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/26170005\/hr-compliance-calendar-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/26170005\/hr-compliance-calendar-768x263.png 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/26170005\/hr-compliance-calendar.png 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a name=\"Factorial\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>California Family Rights Act (CFRA): How Factorial can help<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using the right tools and software is another highly effective way to ensure CFRA compliance in your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>With Factorial\u2019s all-in-one HR software solution, you get access to a range of features that can help you manage your CFRA leave requests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you can use our <\/span><b>document management system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>create and share your leave management policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that all your employees understand their rights and responsibilities when requesting CFRA leave. That way, all information is clear and the process for requesting time off runs smoothly and efficiently. What&#8217;s more, you can use our document management system to <\/span><b>create and share your CFRA leave request forms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also use our <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/leave-management-system\/\"><strong>online leave management system<\/strong> <\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to process requests for leave digitally. This makes the procedure far easier to manage compared to traditional paper request forms. Plus, you can synchronize all absences with your shift schedules. That way, your managers will know who will be off in advance and they can plan workloads accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, our software includes the ability to sign documents with an <\/span><b>electronic signature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which helps you create a much more streamlined approval process. This enables you to review and approve requests for CFRA leave within the established legal time frames. You also get <\/span><b>increased data security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with our encrypted system, which is vital when you are handling sensitive medical information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All this makes it much easier to design and implement a system for requesting and approving CFRA leave that <\/span><b>ensures your business is compliant with the obligations and requirements of the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/request-demo\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-123784\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20123330\/demo-time-off-document-e-sign-1-300x103.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"807\" height=\"277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20123330\/demo-time-off-document-e-sign-1-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20123330\/demo-time-off-document-e-sign-1-768x263.png 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20123330\/demo-time-off-document-e-sign-1.png 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 807px) 100vw, 807px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is a state leave law that enables eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected medical leave. Although it has been in effect since 1993, California has updated the act a number of times, most recently in 2023. As a result, many employers are unclear whether their business is covered by<a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/\" class=\"read-more\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":123781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[146],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal-hr"],"acf":{"topics":"time-time-off"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.5 (Yoast SEO v21.9.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>California Family Rights Act (CFRA): Complete guide for HR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"California Family Rights Act (CFRA): employee rights and employer obligations relating to family and medical leave requests in California.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"California Family Rights Act (CFRA): Complete guide for HR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"California Family Rights Act (CFRA): employee rights and employer obligations relating to family and medical leave requests in California.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Factorial\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Factorial\/100064908455810\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-10T15:13:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-16T08:13:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/20122653\/California-Family-Rights-Act-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Cat Symonds\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@factorialapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@factorialapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Cat Symonds\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Cat Symonds\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/39a0e312e3aae9ac2b6461196e8b1620\"},\"headline\":\"California Family Rights Act (CFRA): Complete guide for HR\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-10T15:13:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-16T08:13:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/california-family-rights-act-cfra\/\"},\"wordCount\":2584,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Legal &amp; 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