Starting January 1, 2027, SB 1149 expands bereavement leave to cover a “designated person”—someone related to the employee by blood or whose relationship is equivalent to family.
Employers with five or more employees must provide eligible employees up to five days of protected leave. Employers may limit employees to one designated person per 12-month period.
Review your handbook and make sure managers understand the expanded coverage before denying a leave request.