Job-protected leave to care for family in California (CFRA)

Caring for a seriously ill family member shouldn’t cost you your job. In California, the California Family Rights Act, or CFRA, lets many workers take unpaid, job-protected time off to care for family. Paired with Paid Family Leave, it can mean time off with partial pay and your job waiting.

How much leave

Up to 12 weeks a year for all CFRA purposes.¹

Who qualifies

Your employer has 5 or more employees, you’ve worked there at least a year, and you’ve worked at least 1,250 hours in the past year.¹

Who counts as family

A child of any age, spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling, and a designated person: someone with a blood or family-like relationship to you.¹

Your job and benefits

You return to the same or a comparable job, except in limited cases unrelated to the leave, such as a layoff.¹ If your employer normally pays for group health benefits, it must keep paying during the leave.¹

Giving notice

Give at least 30 days’ notice when you can.¹ When a loved one’s illness changes suddenly, give notice as soon as you’re able.

Paired with pay

CFRA leave is unpaid. California Paid Family Leave can replace part of your pay during the same time; see our note on Paid Family Leave for caregivers. This note is general information, not legal advice.¹