(a) When an employee requests for the first time leave because of a qualifying exigency arising out of the covered active duty or call to covered active duty or notification of an impending call or order to covered active duty of the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the Armed Forces of the United States, the department may require the employee to provide a copy of the covered active duty orders or other documentation issued by the military that indicates that the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent is in the Armed Forces of the United States, is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, and the dates of the covered active duty service. This information need only be provided to the department. A copy of new active duty orders or other documentation issued by the military may be required by the department if the need for leave because of a qualifying exigency arises out of a different covered active duty or call to covered active duty or notification of an impending call or order to covered active duty of the same or a different family member.

(b) The department may require that a request for paid family leave for any qualifying exigency specified in Section 3302.2 be supported by sufficient information from the employee that sets forth the following:

(1) A statement or description, signed by the employee, of appropriate facts regarding the qualifying exigency for which paid family leave is requested. The facts shall be sufficient to support the need for leave and may include information on the type of qualifying exigency for which leave is requested and any available written documentation that supports the request for leave. For example, this information may include a copy of a meeting announcement for informational briefings sponsored by the military, a document confirming an appointment with a counselor or school official, or a copy of a bill for services for the handling of legal or financial affairs.

(2) The approximate date of the commencement or pending commencement of the qualifying exigency.

(3) If an employee requests leave because of a qualifying exigency for a single, continuous period of time, the beginning and end dates for that leave.

(4) If an employee requests leave because of a qualifying exigency on an intermittent basis, an estimate of the frequency and duration of the qualifying exigency.

(5) If the qualifying exigency involves meeting with a third party, appropriate contact information for the individual or entity with whom the employee is meeting, including, but not limited to, the name, title, organization, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address, if available, and a brief description of the purpose of the meeting.

(6) If the qualifying exigency involves rest and recuperation leave, a copy of the rest and recuperation orders for the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the Armed Forces of the United States, or other documentation issued by the military that indicates that this person has been granted rest and recuperation leave, and the dates of that rest and recuperation leave.

(c) If an employee submits complete and sufficient information to support his or her request for leave because of a qualifying exigency, the department may not request additional information from the employee. However, if the qualifying exigency involves meeting with a third party, the department may contact the individual or entity with whom the employee is meeting for purposes of verifying a meeting or appointment schedule and the nature of the meeting between the employee and the specified individual or entity. The employee’s permission is not required in order to verify meetings or appointments with third parties, but no additional information may be requested by the department. The department also may contact an appropriate unit of the Department of Defense to request verification that an individual is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty. No additional information may be requested, and the employee’s permission is not required.

(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2021.

(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 849, Sec. 10. (SB 1123) Effective January 1, 2019. Section operative January 1, 2021, by its own provisions.)