Paid Family Leave New/Expecting Mother Overview
State Disability Insurance Program
Employment Development Department
California’s
Paid Family Leave
Moments matter.
Five Things To Know About
Paid Family Leave
Provides up to 8 weeks
of partially paid leave in a
12-month period.
Can be used to
bond with a new
child or to care for
an ill family member.
Can be used intermittently
over a 12-month period.
There is no
waiting period.
Payment begins
the first day of leave.
You pay into the State
Disability Insurance (SDI)
program.
It is not a government
assistance program.
Disability Insurance
and Expecting Mothers
California has two paid leave programs for new and
expecting mothers.
Disability Insurance (DI) provides partially paid leave for:
Up to four weeks before birth* and
Up to eight weeks post birth*
(typically 6 weeks vaginal/8 weeks cesarean).
You receive approximately 60 to 70 percent of your salary
while using DI.
*New/Expecting mothers can receive up to 52 weeks of DI if there are complications before or after birth.
Paid Family Leave and
New/Expecting Mothers
PFL provides up to eight weeks of partially paid leave for mothers
and fathers to bond with a new child within the child's first year.
Can be used to bond with a biological, foster, or adopted child.
New mothers do not need to provide documentation showing
proof of relationship if pregnancy-related DI benefits were
claimed.
You receive approximately 60 to 70 percent of your salary while
using PFL.
Disability Insurance, Paid Family
Leave, and New/Expecting Mothers
New mothers file for DI followed by PFL, for example:
Pregnancy
(4 weeks before birth)
Birth
Recovery
(6 - 8 weeks after birth)
Bonding
(8 weeks after recovery)*
Disability Insurance Paid Family Leave
*You can break up your eight weeks of PFL. You do not have to take it all at once.
Filing a Paid Family Leave Claim
Each program requires its own claim to be filed*
You must complete and submit your claim within 41 days from the
date your family leave begins by:
SDI Online: Filing electronically through SDI Online is strongly
recommended because it expedites the review process.
Mail
*A PFL claim form will be mailed to new moms at the end of their pregnancy-related DI claim.
SDI Online and
New/Expecting Mothers
Online
If you filed your DI claim using SDI Online,
the Employment Development Department
(EDD) will notify you by email when it is time
to complete your PFL bonding form.
Select the Paid Family Leave Bonding link
from your account inbox to file electronically.
Create or access your account by visiting
SDI Online.
Paid Family Leave and
New Mothers
By mail
New mothers transitioning from a pregnancy-related DI
claim to a PFL bonding claim will automatically receive the
Claim for Paid Family Leave (PFL) Benefits – New Mother
(DE 2501FP) after the final DI payment.
You will receive the same weekly benefit amount during
your PFL bonding claim as the pregnancy-related DI claim.
Calculating the Benefit Amount
Your weekly benefit amount is determined by your highest quarter of earnings in your
“base period” (wages subject to SDI tax earned 5-18 months prior to your claim start
date).
The “base period” covers a 12-month period and is broken into 4 consecutive quarters.
For example, if your PFL claim begins in April, May, or June, your weekly benefit amount
is calculated from your highest quarter of earnings between January 1 and
December 31 of the prior year.
Simplify this process by using the Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave Weekly
Benefits Calculator to estimate your weekly benefit amount.
Determining Paid Family Leave
Eligibility
Have you paid into California’s SDI program (usually noted as CASDI on a paystub) in the
past 5-18 months prior to taking leave?
“YES” – You are most likely eligible for benefits.
“NO” – Not all employees pay into SDI, thus you are not eligible for these programs.
Review paystubs before assuming eligibility.
Eligibility is not based on length of service or the number of employees your
company has on staff.
Citizenship and immigration status do not affect eligibility.
Payment is not guaranteed until the claim has been approved by the EDD.
Only 8 weeks of benefits can be claimed per 12-month period.
Employment Status and Paid Family Leave
Your eligibility is determined by
whether you have paid into
California’s SDI in
the past 5-18 months.
If unemployed, you
must have collected Unemployment
Insurance and/or be actively looking
for work to qualify for PFL.
You may still qualify for PFL
if you are seasonal,
part-time, or unemployed.
If self-employed, you may be eligible if
you are contributing to the
Disability Insurance Elective Coverage
program.
Job Protections
Does the SDI program
provide job protection?
No,
the SDI program does not
provide job protection,
just paid benefits.
However, other state and
federal laws may apply while
you are using your leave.
Job Protections (Cont.)
Laws that may apply while receiving DI or PFL benefit payments:
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
New Parent Leave Act (NPLA)
Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)
Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL)
Speak with your employer to obtain unpaid job-protected leave. Visit
the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the
U.S. Department of Labor to learn more.
For more information, visit:
edd.ca.gov/paidfamilyleave
CaliforniaPaidFamilyLeave.com
Contact EDD
English: 1-877-238-4373
Spanish: 1-877-379-3819
Cantonese: 1-866-692-5595
Vietnamese: 1-866-692-5596
Armenian: 1-866-627-1567
Punjabi: 1-866-627-1568
Tagalog: 1-866-627-1569
TTY: 1-800-445-1312
The EDD is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available
upon request to individuals with disabilities. Requests for services, aids, and/or alternate
formats need to be made by calling 1-866-490-8879 (voice). TTY users, please call the
California Relay Service at 711.
Tell Your Paid Family Leave Story
California PFL allows you to be
there for the moments that matter.
Share your PFL story on Instagram
@CA_PFL
#MomentsMatter
#PFL
#PaidLeave
#CAPFL
#CAPaidFamilyLeave
