SF Cuts Paid Parental Leave Wait to 90 Days

San Francisco's new parents just got a faster path to paid leave. Mayor Daniel Lurie signed legislation Thursday halving the employment eligibility period for the city's paid parental leave benefit — from 180 days to 90 — closing a gap that left workers in high-turnover industries without coverage during some of the most critical weeks of parenthood.

• Paid parental leave eligibility drops from 180 days to 90 days, matching the city's existing paid sick leave threshold
• Board of Supervisors passed the measure unanimously before the mayor's signing
• Legislation is the first piece of the "Stroller Act," a broader package targeting family-friendly transit, housing and public facilities
• Mayor ties signing to Family Opportunity agenda, including universal early childhood education from birth to five

Why it matters: San Francisco became the first U.S. city to guarantee fully paid parental leave more than a decade ago. But the law required six months on the job before workers could access the benefit — a threshold that effectively shut out parents in hospitality, gig work and other sectors where job changes are frequent. The new law aligns parental leave eligibility with the 90-day standard already in place for paid sick leave.