California Employees to Receive Five Days of Unpaid Bereavement Leave

California Employees to Receive Five Days of Unpaid Bereavement Leave

Effective January 1, 2023, employers with at least five employees will be required to supply five days of unpaid bereavement leave to employees who have reached at least 30 days’ employment with the employer. Qualified decedents for the employee to take bereavement time include parent, spouse, child, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, and domestic partner. Eligible employees can use sick, vacation, or other available paid leave for bereavement, and employers may not retaliate for or interfere with an employee’s use of bereavement leave. The bereavement law excludes employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement so long as it provides for its own bereavement leave as equally generous as this new law, employees receive any overtime due to them, and the employees’ regular wage rate equals at least 30% above minimum wage.