The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) revised the Certification of Health Care Provider, which is used for an employee requesting leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). CFRA is California’s version of FMLA. It previously applied to employers with 50 or more employees. However, effective January 1, 2021, the law and its requirements apply to employers with five or more California employees. The law provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for an eligible employee with a serious health condition (except for maternity related disability, which is covered by Pregnancy Disability Leave, or PDL), to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for an employee to bond with a newly born or adopted child.
The certification form has been changed to reflect the revised definition of a family member, which was effective January 1, 2021, and includes the employee’s child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling and spouse. Child and parent include those satisfying the loco parentis status.
Employers should begin using the revised form immediately.
Revised “Certification of Health Care Provider,” 2022 »