SB 1149: Bereavement Leave Covers an Employee's Designated Person From January 1, 2027
What changed
SB 1149 (Chapter 679, Statutes of 2026) lets employees take California bereavement leave for the death of a designated person: anyone related to them by blood or whose association with them is the equivalent of a family relationship. An employer may limit each employee to one designated person per 12-month period. The leave law covers employers with 5 or more employees and public employers. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
Who it applies to
California employers with 5 or more employees, and public employers.
Key dates
- Effective date:
- January 1, 2027
Expanded bereavement leave family member definition takes effect.
What employers may need to do
- Update bereavement leave policies to cover an employee's designated person starting January 1, 2027.
- Decide whether to limit employees to one designated person per 12 months, and say so in the policy.
Official source
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1149Detected by RegWatch monitoring on September 29, 2026. Always confirm details against the official source above — this page is a summary, not legal advice.
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