California: bereavement leave can cover a designated person

What changed

SB 1149 lets employees use California’s bereavement leave, up to five days, after the death of a “designated person”: anyone related by blood or whose association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship, whom the employee may name when requesting leave. Employers may limit it to one designated person per 12 months.

Who this affects

Private California employers with five or more employees and public employers of any size, the ones California’s bereavement leave law already covers, and their employees with at least 30 days of service who lose a designated person.

Exceptions that matter:

• Private employers with fewer than five employees are outside California’s bereavement leave law; public employers are covered at any size.
• You may limit employees to one designated person in a 12-month period.

What to do

If you have five or more employees, update your bereavement leave policy before January 1, 2027, and decide whether to limit employees to one designated person per 12 months.

Primary source: California Legislature, September 27, 2026. Part of Compliance Watch, Issue 04 (November 2, 2026). Last reviewed November 2, 2026.

Questions about this update?

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