PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

SF-LABOR pt. DIVISION I: PROTECTION OF WORKERS IN THE CITY, art. 14

in effect

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.1 TITLE.

SEC. 14.1. TITLE. This Article 14 shall be known as the “Paid Parental Leave Ordinance.” (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.1 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.2 FINDINGS.

SEC. 14.2. FINDINGS. (a) In 2004, California became the first state in the United States to create a family leave insurance program (referred to herein as “California Paid Family Leave”) that provides partial wage replacement to eligible employees on leave for family caregiving or bonding with a new child. Under the program, codified at Unemployment Insurance Code Section 3300 et seq., employees who contribute to the California State Disability Insurance (SDI) fund are entitled to six weeks of partial pay each year while taking time off from work to bond with a newborn baby, newly adopted child, or new foster child, or to care for a seriously ill family member. (b) As of January 2016, workers eligible for California Paid Family Leave can take up to six weeks of paid time off at 55% of their weekly wages up to a maximum weekly benefit amount to bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill family member. The weekly benefit amount is determined by using the employee’s highest-earning calendar quarter during an approximately 12-month base period. As of January 2016, the maximum weekly benefit amount is $1,129. To qualify for this maximum weekly benefit amount, an individual must earn at least $26,070.92 in a calendar quarter during the base period. In April 2016, the State Legislature enacted legislation that will increase the wage replacement rate to 70% for lower-income workers and 60% for higher-income workers, for periods of leave commencing after January 1, 2018 but before January 1, 2022. (c) California Paid Family Leave is available to nearly all private sector workers who pay into the SDI program, either through payroll deductions or voluntarily. (d) Through 2014, approximately 1.8 million California Paid Family Leave claims were approved by the State of California Employment Development Department (“EDD”) for a total of $4.6 billion in payments. According to EDD, approximately 90% of claims are for bonding with a new child. (e) Babies whose mothers work during the first three months of the baby’s life are less likely to be breastfed, taken to the doctor for well-baby visits, or be up to-date on immunizations. According to a 2015 study, rates of breastfeeding through infancy in California increased by 10-20 percentage points after development of the California Paid Family Leave program. (f) Experts have found that it takes at least several months for a pattern of interaction to begin to develop between parent and child where they recognize and learn to respond to each other’s distinct cues. Short-changing this time for parents to learn to be responsive caregivers may have impacts for children’s cognitive as well as social and emotional development. (g) A 2012 survey by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the main reason employees in the United States do not take unpaid leave under the federal Family Medical Leave Act is that they cannot afford to take it. Further, studies show that low-wage workers in particular would benefit from expanded paid family leave policies. (h) According to a 2014 report by the California Senate Office of Research, the number of California Paid Family Leave claims filed by individuals in the lowest income bracket consistently is much smaller than the number filed by those in the highest income bracket, and claims in the two lowest income brackets decreased gradually over the prior nine years. Numerous factors may contribute to this declining participation rate, including the current California Paid Family Leave wage-replacement rate of 55%, which may provide insufficient income, particularly for low-income households. (i) This Article 14 is intended to supplement the California Paid Family Leave partial wage replacement by providing compensation that, in combination with the California Paid Family Leave payment, will total 100% of an employee’s weekly salary, subject to a weekly maximum benefit amount, to help ensure that concern over loss of income does not preclude parents in San Francisco from bonding with their new child. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.2 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; amended by Ord. 181-16, File No. 160719, App. 9/14/2016, Eff. 10/14/2016; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.3 DEFINITIONS.

SEC. 14.3. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Article 14, the following definitions apply: “Agency” means the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement or any successor department or office. “California Paid Family Leave” means the State of California’s partial wage replacement insurance plan for paid family leave codified at California Unemployment Insurance Code, Division 1, Part 2, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3300), as that law may be amended from time to time with respect to eligibility for, duration of, or amount of paid family leave compensation, or any other matter pertaining to paid family leave under that law. “City” means the City and County of San Francisco. “Covered Employee” means any person, including but not limited to part-time and temporary employees, who is employed by a Covered Employer (1) who commenced employment with the Covered Employer at least 180 days prior to the start of the leave period, (2) who performs at least eight hours of work per week for the employer within the geographic boundaries of the City, (3) at least 40% of whose total weekly hours worked for the employer are within the geographic boundaries of the City, and (4) who is eligible to receive paid family leave compensation from the State of California under the California Paid Family Leave law for the purpose of bonding with a new child. Where a person’s weekly work hours fluctuate from week to week, the Agency shall determine whether the person meets the eight-hour and/or 40% threshold requirements in the preceding sentence by using an average of the person’s weekly hours worked for the Covered Employer during the three monthly pay periods, six bi-weekly or semi-monthly pay periods, or 12 weekly pay periods immediately preceding the start of the person’s California Paid Family Leave period. If the person was on leave during any of the aforementioned pay periods, such pay period(s) shall not be counted towards the average referenced in the preceding sentence; rather, the Agency shall consider additional earlier corresponding pay periods for that person in order to satisfy the above designated number of pay periods, but in no case shall the Agency, in calculating the average, consider pay periods earlier than 26 weeks prior to the California Paid Family Leave period. “Covered Employer” means any person, as defined in Section 18 of the California Labor Code, including corporate officers or executives, who directly or indirectly or through an agent or any other person, including through the services of a temporary services or staffing agency or similar entity, employs or exercises control over the wages, hours, or working conditions of an employee and who regularly employs the following number of employees, regardless of location: (1) commencing with January 1, 2017, 50 or more employees; (2) commencing with July 1, 2017, 35 or more employees; and (3) commencing with January 1, 2018, 20 or more employees. Covered Employer shall not include the City or any other governmental entity. “New Child Bonding” means bonding with the Covered Employee’s minor child during the first year after the birth of the child or after placement of the child with the Covered Employee through foster care or adoption, per Section 3301 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code. “State” means the State of California, including the State of California Employment Development Department. “Supplemental Compensation” means a Covered Employer’s obligation to pay a Covered Employee’s partial weekly salary in accordance with Section 14.4. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.3 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; amended by Ord. 181-16, File No. 160719, App. 9/14/2016, Eff. 10/14/2016; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.4 SUPPLEMENTAL PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.

SEC. 14.4. SUPPLEMENTAL PAID PARENTAL LEAVE. (a) Applicability. This Article 14 applies to Covered Employees who receive California Paid Family Leave benefits for the purpose of New Child Bonding. (b) Supplemental Compensation. (1) General. (A) Except as stated in subsection (b)(2), when a Covered Employee receives California Paid Family Leave compensation for the purpose of New Child Bonding, a Covered Employer shall supplement the California Paid Family Leave weekly benefit amount that the employee receives by paying the employee Supplemental Compensation in an amount such that the total of the California Paid Family Leave compensation the employee receives and the Supplemental Compensation provides, but does not exceed, 100% of the employee’s current normal gross weekly wage. (B) If the Covered Employee’s weekly wage fluctuates, the employee’s normal gross weekly wage shall be calculated based on an average of the employee’s weekly earnings from the Covered Employer during the three monthly pay periods, six bi-weekly or semi-monthly pay periods, or 12 weekly pay periods immediately preceding the start of the employee’s California Paid Family Leave period. If the employee was on unpaid or partially paid leave during any of the aforementioned pay periods, such pay period(s) shall not be counted towards the average referenced in the preceding sentence; rather, the average shall be calculated using additional earlier corresponding pay periods in order to satisfy the above designated number of pay periods, but in no case shall pay periods earlier than 26 weeks prior to the California Paid Family Leave period be considered. (C) If the California Paid Family Leave weekly benefit amount that the Covered Employee is receiving from the State is based on earnings from a calendar quarter during which the employee did not work for the Covered Employer, or during which the employee earned a higher weekly wage from the Covered Employer than the employee is receiving at the time of his or her leave, the Supplemental Compensation amount shall be calculated to provide 100% of the employee’s normal gross weekly wage in his or her current position; provided, however, that reducing a Covered Employee’s wages during the leave period or within 90 days of the employee’s having notified the Covered Employer of his or her intent to apply for and/or use California Paid Family Leave shall raise a rebuttable presumption that such wage reduction was made to reduce the Covered Employer’s Supplemental Compensation obligations under this Section 14.4. Unless the Covered Employer rebuts the presumption with clear and convincing evidence that the reduction was solely for a reason other than reducing its obligation to pay Supplemental Compensation, the employer shall be obligated to pay Supplemental Compensation during the leave period based on the employee’s prior wage rate. (D) Multiple Employers. (i) Where the Covered Employee works for more than one employer, the Supplemental Compensation amount shall be apportioned between or among the Covered Employers based on the percentage of the Employee’s total gross weekly wages received from each employer. For example, if the Employee earns $800 per week from Covered Employer A, and $200 per week from Covered Employer B for a combined total of $1,000, Employer A shall pay 80% of the Supplemental Compensation amount and Employer B shall pay 20% of the Supplemental Compensation amount. If the Employee’s weekly wage for a given Employer fluctuates, the percentage referenced in this subsection shall be calculated by averaging the employee’s weekly wages earned from the Employer during the three monthly pay periods, six bi-weekly or semi-monthly pay periods, or 12 weekly pay periods immediately preceding the leave period. If the employee was on unpaid or partially paid leave during any of the aforementioned pay periods, such pay period(s) shall not be counted towards the average referenced in the preceding sentence; rather, the average shall be calculated using additional earlier corresponding pay periods in order to satisfy the above designated number of pay periods, but in no case shall pay periods earlier than 26 weeks prior to the California Paid Family Leave period be considered. (ii) In cases where the Covered Employee works for a Covered Employer and a non-Covered Employer, the Covered Employer shall be responsible only for its percentage of the Employee’s total gross weekly wages. For example, if the Employee earns $800 per week from the Covered Employer, and $200 per week from the non-Covered Employer for a combined total of $1,000, the Covered Employer shall pay 80% of the Supplemental Compensation amount and the Non-Covered Employer shall pay nothing. Accordingly, in such cases, the Employee will not receive 100% of the Supplemental Compensation amount. (iii) In cases of multiple employers, the Covered Employee shall, as a precondition of receiving Supplemental Compensation, provide the Covered Employer(s) with information pertaining to wages received from all employers during the 90 days prior to the leave period on a form prepared by the Agency and signed by the employee under penalty of perjury. A Covered Employee’s failure to comply with this requirement shall relieve the Covered Employer(s) of their obligation to provide the employee with Supplemental Compensation. (2) Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount. In the case of a Covered Employee who is receiving the maximum weekly benefit amount under the California Paid Family Leave law, the Supplemental Compensation shall not be calculated to reach 100% of the employee’s total normal gross weekly wage. Rather, the amount of Supplemental Compensation shall be calculated based on the gross wage that is derived from dividing the State’s maximum weekly benefit amount by the percentage rate of wage replacement provided under the California Paid Family Leave law. (3) Termination During Leave Period. A Covered Employer’s obligation to provide Supplemental Compensation under this Section 14.4 applies only when the Covered Employee is receiving California Paid Family Leave benefits for New Child Bonding; provided, however, that if a Covered Employer terminates a Covered Employee during the leave period, the employer’s obligation to pay Supplemental Compensation shall continue for the remainder of the period the Covered Employee is receiving California Paid Family Leave benefits. (4) Termination Prior to Leave Period. Terminating a Covered Employee prior to the employee’s leave period but within 90 days of the employee’s having notified the Covered Employer of his or her intent to apply for and/or use California Paid Family Leave shall raise a rebuttable presumption that such termination was taken to avoid the Covered Employer’s Supplemental Compensation obligations under this Section 14.4. Unless the Covered Employer rebuts the presumption with clear and convincing evidence that the termination was solely for a reason other than avoidance of its obligation to pay Supplemental Compensation, the employer shall be obligated to pay the terminated employee Supplemental Compensation. (5) Unused Vacation Leave. To be eligible to receive Supplemental Compensation under this Section 14.4, a Covered Employee must agree to allow a Covered Employer, in the employer’s discretion, to apply up to two weeks of unused vacation leave that the employee has accrued as of the start of the leave period to help meet the employer’s obligation under this Section to provide Supplemental Compensation during the leave period. If the Covered Employee does not agree, the Covered Employer is not required to provide Supplemental Compensation under this Section 14.4, but such lack of agreement shall have no effect on the Employee’s eligibility for California Paid Family Leave benefits or other benefits under the law. The preceding sentence shall not prevent a Covered Employer, in the employer’s discretion, from requiring a Covered Employee to take up to two weeks of earned but unused vacation leave prior to the employee’s initial receipt of California Paid Family Leave compensation as allowed under subsection (c) of Section 3303.1 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code, as amended, in addition to or in lieu of exercising the option provided in the foregoing sentence. (6) Voluntary Plans. A Covered Employer who has received State approval to pay California Paid Family Leave compensation through a voluntary disability insurance plan in accordance with California Unemployment Insurance Code, Division 1, Part 2, Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 3251) must comply with the Supplemental Compensation requirements of this Section 14.4 either by providing the Supplemental Compensation through the approved voluntary plan or by paying Supplemental Compensation directly to the Covered Employee. (c) Integration/Coordination of Benefits. In accordance with California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 2656, a Covered Employee who is receiving California Paid Family Leave benefits may not receive Supplemental Compensation under this Article 14 which would result in the employee’s receiving total compensation while on paid parental leave that is greater than the employee’s normal gross weekly wages. As a precondition of receiving Supplemental Compensation, a Covered Employee must either (1) provide the Covered Employer with a copy of the employee’s Notice of Computation of California Paid Family Leave Benefits from the State or other legally authorized statement, or (2) at the time of applying for California Paid Family Leave, provide the State with written authorization to disclose the weekly benefit amount to the employer so that the Covered Employer may request and obtain that information from the State. A Covered Employee’s failure to comply with this requirement shall relieve the Covered Employer of its obligation to provide the employee with Supplemental Compensation. (d) Existing Paid Parental Leave Policies. This Article 14 does not require a Covered Employer to provide Supplemental Compensation under Section 14.4 to a Covered Employee if the employer’s existing policy provides the employee with fully paid parental leave for at least the number of weeks paid leave is required by the California Paid Family Leave law, as amended from time to time, within any twelve-month period for purposes of New Child Bonding, whether or not such paid leave includes California Paid Family Leave benefits. Unless the Employee elects otherwise, the fully paid parental leave referenced in the prior sentence must be provided as consecutive weeks. (e) Reimbursement. As a precondition of receiving Supplemental Compensation, a Covered Employee must agree, by signing a form prescribed by the Agency, to reimburse the full amount of Supplemental Compensation received from any Covered Employer(s) if the employee voluntarily separates from employment with the Covered Employer(s) within 90 days of the end of the Employee’s leave period and if the Employer requests such reimbursement in writing. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.4 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; amended by Ord. 181-16, File No. 160719, App. 9/14/2016, Eff. 10/14/2016; Ord. 54-20, File No. 191282, App. 4/3/2020, Eff. 5/4/2020; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.5 NOTICE AND POSTING.

SEC. 14.5. NOTICE AND POSTING. (a) The Agency shall, by the operative date of this Article 14, publish and make available to Covered Employers, in all languages spoken by more than 5% of the San Francisco workforce, a notice suitable for posting by employers in the workplace informing employees of their rights under this Article. The Agency shall update this notice on December 1 of any year in which there is a change in the languages spoken by more than 5% of the San Francisco workforce. In its discretion, the Agency may combine the notice required herein with one or more other notices it is required to publish and make available to employers under other provisions of City law. (b) Every Covered Employer shall post in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where any Covered Employee works the notice required by subsection (a). Every Covered Employer shall post this notice in English, Spanish, Chinese, and any language spoken by at least 5% of the employees at the workplace or job site. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.5 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.6 EMPLOYER RECORDS.

SEC. 14.6. EMPLOYER RECORDS. (a) Covered Employers shall retain records documenting Supplemental Compensation paid to employees as required by this Article 14, for a period of three years, and shall allow the Agency access to such records, with appropriate notice and at a mutually agreeable time, to monitor compliance with the requirements of this Article 14. (b) When an issue arises as to an employee’s entitlement to Supplemental Compensation under this Article 14, if the Covered Employer does not maintain or retain adequate records documenting Supplemental Compensation paid to the employee, or does not allow the Agency reasonable access to such records, it shall be presumed that the employer has violated this Article, absent clear and convincing evidence otherwise. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.6 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.7 EXERCISE OF RIGHTS PROTECTED; RETALIATION PROHIBITED.

SEC. 14.7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS PROTECTED; RETALIATION PROHIBITED. (a) It shall be unlawful for a Covered Employer or any other person to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of or the attempt to exercise, any right protected under this Article 14. (b) It shall be unlawful for a Covered Employer or any other person to discharge, threaten to discharge, demote, suspend, or in any manner discriminate or take adverse action against any person in retaliation for exercising rights to Supplemental Compensation protected under this Article 14. Such rights include but are not limited to the right to Supplemental Compensation pursuant to this Article; the right to file a complaint or inform any person about any employer’s alleged violation of this Article; the right to cooperate with the Agency in its investigations of alleged violations of this Article; and the right to inform any person of his or her possible rights under this Article. (c) Protections of this Section 14.7 shall apply to any person who mistakenly but in good faith alleges violations of this Article 14. (d) Taking adverse action against a person within 90 days of the person’s filing a complaint with the Agency or a court alleging a violation of any provision of this Article 14; of informing any person about an employer’s alleged violation of this Article; of cooperating with the Agency or other persons in the investigation or prosecution of any alleged violation of this Article; of opposing any policy, practice, or act that is unlawful under this Article; or of informing any person of his or her rights under this Article, shall raise a rebuttable presumption that such adverse action was taken in retaliation for the exercise of one or more of the aforementioned rights. Unless the Covered Employer rebuts the presumption with clear and convincing evidence that the adverse action was solely for a reason other than retaliation, the employer shall be deemed to have violated this Section 14.7. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.7 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.8 IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT.

SEC. 14.8. IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT. (a) Implementation. The Agency shall be authorized to coordinate implementation and enforcement of this Article 14 and may promulgate appropriate guidelines or rules for such purposes. Any guidelines or rules promulgated by the Agency shall have the force and effect of law and may be relied on by employers, employees, and other persons to determine their rights and responsibilities under this Article. Any guidelines or rules may establish procedures for ensuring fair, efficient, and cost-effective implementation of this Article, including supplementary procedures for helping to inform employees of their rights under this Article, for monitoring employer compliance with this Article, and for providing administrative hearings to determine whether an employer or other person has violated the requirements of this Article. (b) Administrative Enforcement. (1) The Agency is authorized to take appropriate steps to enforce this Article 14. The Agency may investigate any possible violations of this Article by an employer or other person. Where the Agency has reason to believe that a violation has occurred, it may order any appropriate temporary or interim relief to mitigate the violation or maintain the status quo pending completion of a full investigation or hearing. (2) Where the Agency, after a hearing that affords a suspected violator due process, determines that a violation has occurred, it may order any appropriate relief including, but not limited to, the payment of any Supplemental Compensation unlawfully withheld, and the payment of an additional sum as an administrative penalty to each employee or person whose rights under this Article 14 were violated. If any Supplemental Compensation was unlawfully withheld, the dollar amount of Supplemental Compensation withheld from the employee multiplied by three, or $250.00, whichever amount is greater, shall be included in the administrative penalty paid to the employee. In addition, if a violation of this Article resulted in other harm to the employee or any other person, or otherwise violated the rights of employees or other persons, such as a failure to post the notice required by Section 14.5, or an act of retaliation prohibited by Section 14.7, this administrative penalty shall also include $50.00 to each employee or person whose rights under this Article were violated for each day or portion thereof that the violation occurred or continued. (3) Where prompt compliance is not forthcoming, the Agency may take any appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance, including initiating a civil action, except where prohibited by State or Federal law, requesting that City agencies or departments revoke or suspend any registration certificates, permits, or licenses held or requested by the employer or person until such time as the violation is remedied. In order to compensate the City for the costs of investigating and remedying the violation, the Agency may also order the violating employer or person to pay to the City a sum of not more than $50.00 for each day or portion thereof and for each employee or person as to whom the violation occurred or continued. Such funds shall be allocated to the Agency and used to offset the costs of implementing and enforcing this Article 14. (4) An employee or other person may report to the Agency any suspected violation of this Article 14. The Agency shall encourage reporting pursuant to this subsection (b)(4) by keeping confidential, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable laws, the name and other identifying information of the employee or person reporting the violation. Provided, however, that with the authorization of such person, the Agency may disclose his or her name and identifying information as necessary to enforce this Article or for other appropriate purposes. (5) The Agency shall not proceed with administrative enforcement under this subsection 14.8(b) during the pendency of a civil action brought under subsection 14.8(c). (c) Civil Enforcement. (1) The City, or any person or entity acting on behalf of the public as provided for under applicable State law, may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against the employer or other person violating this Article at any time. (2) No person aggrieved by a violation of this Article 14, or any entity a member of which is aggrieved by a violation of this Article, may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against a Covered Employer or other person violating this Article without first serving a written notice to the Agency and the City Attorney of intent to bring an action, including a statement of the grounds for believing one or more violations have occurred. No aggrieved person or entity may bring a civil action under this subsection 14.8(c)(2) if, within 90 days after service of the notice, the City brings a civil action alleging a violation or the Agency informs the person or entity in writing that (A) it has found probable cause to believe a violation has occurred and it intends to initiate administrative enforcement under subsection 14.8(b), or (B) it has determined that no violation occurred. If the City fails to file suit and the Agency fails to provide written notice within the aforementioned 90-day period, the person or entity may bring a civil action for violation of this Article. The statute of limitations for filing a civil action under this subsection 14.8(c)(2) shall be tolled during the aforementioned 90-day period. (3) Upon prevailing, any party that has brought a civil action under this subsection 14.8(c) shall be entitled to such legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to remedy the violation including, but not limited to, reinstatement, back pay, the payment of any Supplemental Compensation unlawfully withheld, the payment of an additional sum as liquidated damages in the amount of $50.00 to each employee or person whose rights under this Article were violated for each day or portion thereof that the violation occurred or continued, plus, where the Covered Employer has unlawfully withheld Supplemental Compensation to a Covered Employee, the dollar amount of Supplemental Compensation withheld from the employee multiplied by three; or $250.00, whichever amount is greater; and/or injunctive relief; and, further, shall be awarded reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. Provided, however, that any person or entity enforcing this Article on behalf of the public as provided for under applicable State law shall, upon prevailing, be entitled only to equitable, injunctive or restitutionary relief, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. (d) Interest. In any administrative or civil action brought under this Article 14, the Agency or court, as the case may be, shall award interest on all amounts due and unpaid at the rate of interest specified in subdivision (b) of Section 3289 of the California Civil Code. (e) Remedies Cumulative. The remedies, penalties, and procedures provided under this Article 14 are cumulative. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.8 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.9 WAIVER THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

SEC. 14.9. WAIVER THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. All or any portion of the applicable requirements of this Article 14 shall not apply to employees covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement if (1) such requirements are expressly waived in the collective bargaining agreement in clear and unambiguous terms, or (2) the agreement was entered into before the effective date of the ordinance enacting this Article 14, on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors in File No. 160065. The exception designated (2) in the preceding sentence shall not apply to any such agreement once it has been extended or has expired. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.9 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.10 OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.

SEC. 14.10. OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. (a) This Article 14 provides minimum requirements pertaining to paid parental leave as provided herein. This Article shall not be construed to preempt, limit, or otherwise affect the applicability of any other law, regulation, requirement, policy, or standard that provides for greater parental leave, whether paid or unpaid, or that extends other protections to employees. (b) This Article 14 provides minimum requirements pertaining to paid parental leave and shall not be construed to prevent employers from adopting or retaining leave policies that are more generous than policies that comply with this Article. (c) This Article 14 is intended to supplement other available sources of income during specified periods of leave to which the employee is otherwise eligible. Nothing in this Article shall be construed to expand, reduce, or otherwise affect the total amount of parental or other leave time available to employees under federal, state, or local law. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.10 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.11 UNDERTAKING FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE.

SEC. 14.11. UNDERTAKING FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE. In enacting and implementing this Article 14, the City is assuming an undertaking only to promote the general welfare. It is not assuming, nor is it imposing on its officers and employees, an obligation for breach of which it is liable in money damages to any person who claims that such breach proximately caused injury. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.11 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.12 SEVERABILITY.

SEC. 14.12. SEVERABILITY. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this Article 14, or any application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications of the Article. The Board of Supervisors hereby declares that it would have passed this Article and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, and word not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any other portion of this Article or application thereof would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.12 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.13 NO CONFLICT WITH FEDERAL OR STATE LAW.

SEC. 14.13. NO CONFLICT WITH FEDERAL OR STATE LAW. Nothing in this Article 14 shall be interpreted or applied so as to create any requirement, power, or duty in conflict with any federal or state law. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.13 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.14 EXPIRATION OF ARTICLE.

SEC. 14.14. EXPIRATION OF ARTICLE. This Article 14 shall expire by operation of law if the Legislature amends the California Paid Family Leave program such that the benefits provided under that program amount to 100% of an eligible employee’s wages, as capped by any maximum benefit amount under the State law. Upon certification from the City Attorney to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors that such a change in State law has occurred, the City Attorney shall cause the Article to be removed from the Labor and Employment Code. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.14 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

SF Labor and Employment Code § 14.15 CHANGE IN FEDERAL LAW.

SEC. 14.15. CHANGE IN FEDERAL LAW. Within 90 days of final enactment of any federal law requiring private employers to provide paid parental leave to employees or providing governmentally funded paid parental leave, the Controller shall provide a report to the Board of Supervisors analyzing the impact of the newly adopted federal law on employers and employees subject to this Article 14, as well as any overlap between the federal benefits and benefits required under this Article 14. In the report, the Controller may, in his or her discretion, recommend changes to this Article 14. (Added as Police Code Sec. 3300H.15 by Ord. 54-16, File No. 160065, App. 4/21/2016, Eff. 5/21/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)

Source: City and County of San Francisco, Charter and Municipal Codes (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_laboremployment/0-0-0-596Fetched: 11/1/2026