PROFESSIONAL IN HUMAN RESOURCES - CALIFORNIA (PHR-CA) BENEFITS & LEAVES OF ABSENCE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW: 300+ PRACTICE QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS | HRCI CERTIFICATION EXAM 2025-2026

Covered Employers (Cal-Cobra)

Covers non-govt. organizations with 2-19 ees who offer group health insurance coverage but are not covered by COBRA.

Qualifying Event (Cal-Cobra)

Death of ee, termination, divorce/legal separation, reduction in hours, ee becomes eligible for medicare, or dependent losing dependent status.

Covered Employers (CFRA)

Ers who directly employee 50 or more ees with in US or territories, engaged in business in CA. No requirement that the 50 ees work at same location or full time. Ees must all work in 75-mile radius.

Qualifying Leave Reason (CFRA)

Birth of child or adoption or foster-care placement of a child; a serious health condition of ee, a serious health condition of spouse, child, or parent; or qualifying circumstance related to spouse child, or parent being on active duty or called to active duty; caring for a injured covered service member.

Eligible Employee (CFRA)

Ee must work in CA and have been employed with the er for more than 1 year & have worked 1,250 hours in CA during the 12 mth period immediately prior to date leave is to commence. Includes FT, PT, & Temp ees. Eligibility is determined by actual hours work, excluding PTO.

Serious Health Condition (CFRA)

an illness, injury (including on-the-job injuries), impairment, or physical or mental condition of the ee or a child, parent, or spouse of the ee that either involves (1) inpatient care or (2) continuing treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.

Duration of Leave (CFRA)

12 workweeks in 12 mth period.

Method to Define Leave (CFRA)

Calendar Year, Fixed Year (Fiscal Year, Employee Anniversary Date, etc.), 12 mth period measured forward from date leave begins, rolling 12 mth period measure backward.

Foreseeable Notice (CFRA)

30 days--length of time ee should tell employer in advance of the need to take leave when known.

Response Time Employer (CFRA)

10 calendar days--length of time er has to respond to a leave request.

Response Time for Health Cert EE (CFRA)

15 calendar days--length of time ee has to provide medical certification unless it is not practical to do so.

Key Employee (CFRA)

Salaried, CFRA eligible ee who is among the highest paid 10% of all ees employed within a 75 mile radius of the ee's worksite. Must notify ee of status before leave begins.

Limitations for new child bonding leave (CFRA)

This type of leave under CFRA must be used within the first year of birth or placement of child.

Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL)

Provides eligible ees with unpaid, job-protected time off due to inability to perform the essential job functions due to pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-related condition for up to 4 months (88 days).

Covered Employers (PDL)

Ers with 5 or more ees are covered by this leave provision in CA law.

Covered Employee (PDL)

Eligibility for this leave exists when an ee's health care provider determines the ee is unable to perform the essential functions of the job due to pregnancy or related medical condition without undue risk to herself or others or to the successful completion of the pregnancy. No length of service requirement.

Maximum Reinstatement Period

Total maximum job-reinstatement period an employee could have in fully utilizing FMLA/PDL, then CFRA is 7 months. May be eligible for additional job leave accommodation under ADA/FEHA.

Covered Employer (Time Off for Voluntary Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Programs)

Ers with 25 or more ees are covered by this rehabilitation provision in CA law.

Kin Care

Provision that requires ers who provide sick leave to allow employees to use at least 1/2 of accrued sick leave to care for an ill child, parent, spouse, registered domestic partner, or child of registered domestic partner.

Covered Employer (Time Off for Victims of Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault)

Ers, regardless of size must provide unpaid time off for ees to appear in court to obtain temporary restraining order or other injunctive relief to ensure the safety of the ee or his/her child due to domestic violence. Ers must provide victims of sexual assault time off to appear in court.

Covered Employer (Domestic Violence Only)

Er with 25 or more ees who must provide unpaid time of for ees who are victims of domestic violence, who need to seek medical attention, obtain service from a shelter or crisis center, obtain psychological counseling, and/or take action to increase their safety (such as relocating residences). Amended to include stalking. Amended to protect ees from discrimination/retaliation on that basis.

SB 288

Grants ees who are victims of a broad number of serious crimes to take leave to appear in any court proceeding in which the right of the victim is at issue.

Covered Employer (Crime Victims Leave)

CA ers, regardless of size, must provide unpaid time off for a victim of a serious or violent felony to attend judicial proceedings related to the crime. Crime victim applies to ee who is a victim, immediate family member of a victim, registered partner of a victim, or the child of a registered domestic partner of a victim. Ee should provide advance notice and a copy of the notice of each scheduled proceeding.

Voting Time Off

Paid time off provided by ers for ees to take up to two hours to vote in a state election. Paid time off may be limited to beginning or end of regular work shift. Ee must provide at least 2 days advance notice of intent.

Covered Employer (School Activities Leave)

Ers with 25 or more ees are covered by this unpaid time off to visit child's school/licensed day-care facility.

All Ers must allow unpaid time off to attend conferences related to school discipline of child.

Covered Employee (Volunteer Civil Service Leave)

Volunteer firefighters, reserve peace officers, or emergency rescue personnel (fire, sheriff, police members).

Covered Employer (Volunteer Civil Service Leave)

All Ers must provide unpaid time off for ees to perform this emergency duty.

Ers with 50 or more ees must provide 14 days of unpaid leave for fire or law enforcement training.

Military Leave

National Guard members or reserves are entitled to temporary leave without pay for up to 17 days a year.

Spousal Deployment Leave

Ers with 25 or more ees must provide up to 10 days of unpaid leave to an ee whose spouse is on leave from military deployment. Ee must give two days advance notice.

State Disability Insurance (SDI)

Partial wage replacement program providing short-term benefits to workers unable to work due to non-work related illness or injury. Funded through employee payroll deductions; administered by EDD.

Eligibility Period (SDI)

7 day period employee must wait before apply for this wage replacement program due to non-work related injury/illness.

SDI Benefits

State wage replacement of approximately 55% of earnings up to a maximum weekly benefit.

State Plan (SDI)

This disability wage replacement plan covers most CA ees, who pay into the fund through a tax deducted from their paycheck. (1 of 3 types)

Voluntary Plans (SDI)

This disability wage replacement private plan is a plan an er may choose as a substitute. Plan is approved by director of EDD. Coverage, rights, benefits, must be as good as state plan in all respects and better in at least one provision. Can be established as long as majority of ees of a company agree to do so. Er pays assessment to EDD based on wage + security deposit to State Treasurer to cover plan payments. Underwritten or self-insured. (1 of 3 types)

Elective Coverage (SDI)

An er or ee may elect coverage. Er must get consent from majority of ees in writing before submitting application. The method od computing benefits is different from mandated plans. EDD determines eligibility and computed benefits.

Paid Family Leave

Extension of SDI. This disability wage replacement pays up to 6 weeks of benefits during any 12 month period when an ee is unable to work due to a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, DP, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, parent-in-law, or to bond with a new child.

Covered Employer (Organ and Bone Marrow Donation Leave)

CA state ees and ees of private ers with 15 ees or more who have exhausted all available sick leave are permitted to take an absence up to 5 business days to donate bone marrow and 30 business days for organ donation.