Understanding the Paid Parental Leave Ordinance

San Francisco law requires employers to provide supplemental compensation in addition to California Paid Family Leave to employees bonding with a child.

If you work in San Francisco and have a new child, you might be able to get a weekly payment from your employer in addition to the California Paid Family Leave.

1. Employers must have the Paid Parental Leave poster posted.
2. Put information about the law in your handbook.
3. Employers shall provide the Paid Parental Leave form to an employee when the employee notifies the employer that they will become a parent:
   • English: Application Form 
   • Chinese: Application Form 
   • Spanish: Application Form 
4. Employers shall pay compensation amounts based on employee’s salary. Here is how it works. California Paid Family Leave benefits + additional employer payment (Paid Parental Leave benefits), up to a cap (in 2023, the cap is $2700).

Employers: The law applies to employers with 20 or more employees worldwide.

Employees:

• Eligible for Paid Family Leave from California to bond with a baby, adopted child, or foster child
• Have worked for the employer for at least 180 days before Paid Family Leave starts
• Work at least 8 hours a week in the geographical boundaries of San Francisco
• Work at least 40% of their total hours worked in the geographical boundaries of San Francisco

• Paid Parental Leave poster (employers are required to print on 8.5 x 14 inch paper)
• Paid Parental Leave Application: 
  • English: Application Form 
  • Chinese: Application Form 
  • Spanish: Application Form 
• Step-by-Step Guides for the PPLO process:
  • English: Employee's Step-by-Step Guide and Employer's Step-by-Step Guide    
  • Spanish: Employee's Step-by-Step Guide and Employer's Step-by-Step Guide    
  • ​Chinese: Employee's Step-by-Step Guide and Employer's Step-by-Step Guide    
• San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Calculator 2023
  2023:
  • Single employer, no tips 
  • Single employer, with tips
  • Multiple employers, no tips
  • Multiple employers, with tips
• San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Calculator 2022
  2022:
  • Single employer, no tips
  • Single employer, with tips
  • Multiple employers, no tips
  • Multiple employers, with tips
• Video Resources​​​​​​​

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the Paid Parental Leave Ordinance on April 12, 2016.

• The full Paid Parental Leave, article 33H of the San Francisco police code
• Paid Parental Leave amendment (updated April 2020)
• Paid Parental Leave rules
• Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions or wish to report a problem, call 415-554-4190 or email pplo@sfgov.org.