Glossary

Term · California: Leave, Money, and Paperwork

bonding leave

Also: bonding time off, CFRA bonding leave

Unpaid, job-protected time off, up to 12 weeks, that California parents can take to bond with a new child. It is separate from pregnancy disability leave.

In plain words

Bonding leave is time off work to care for and bond with a new child. In California it comes from the , usually called . Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks in a 12-month period. The leave protects the job, but the employer does not have to pay wages for it. is a separate program that can provide partial pay during bonding. Both birthing and non-birthing parents can use bonding leave. For a mother who is also recovering from birth, the timing matters. CFRA bonding leave does not run at the same time as . A mother who is eligible may use CFRA after disability leave ends. Employers with five or more workers are covered.

The deeper version

CFRA (Government Code section 12945.2) provides up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period to bond with a new child, for eligible employees of employers with five or more employees. CFRA bonding leave is distinct from Pregnancy Disability Leave, which covers the employee's own pregnancy-related disability under Government Code section 12945. Bonding leave does not run concurrently with PDL, so an eligible birthing parent can take CFRA after PDL ends. Partial wage replacement for bonding is provided by Paid Family Leave, administered by the . Eligibility includes a minimum period of employment and hours worked, as set by current law. Adoptive and foster placements are also covered, and employer policies and collective bargaining agreements can add protections.

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Sources

  • California Civil Rights Department — California Family Rights Act guidance on bonding leave
  • California Employment Development Department — Paid Family Leave: bonding benefits information

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