FMLA leave in California is unpaid at the federal level, but you can still get paid while you’re out by filing a claim with one of two state programs: State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL). Both are run by the Employment Development Department (EDD), both are funded by payroll deductions you’ve already been paying, and together they replace roughly 70% to 90% of your wages up to a 2026 maximum of $1,765 per week.1Employment Development Department. Contribution Rates and Benefit Amounts When your leave qualifies for both pay and federal job protection, employers typically run the two concurrently, so you receive a benefit check and keep your job at the same time.
Why FMLA Itself Pays Nothing
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period.2eCFR. Part 825 The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 The law guarantees that your position, or an equivalent one, is waiting for you and that your group health coverage stays active on the same terms as if you hadn’t left.3U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 28A Employee Protections Under the Family and Medical Leave Act It says nothing about replacing your paycheck. FMLA was built as job security, not income.
In California, the pay comes from a separate track entirely. Think of it as two different questions: Will my job be there when I come back? That’s FMLA (or its California counterpart). Will I get a check while I’m out? That’s SDI or PFL.
The Two California Programs That Pay You
SDI and PFL are both funded by mandatory employee payroll deductions. You’ll see them on your pay stub as “CASDI.” They operate independently from FMLA, which means the eligibility rules, the application, and the money all come from a different place.4Employment Development Department. Family and Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act FAQs
State Disability Insurance
SDI covers your own non-work-related illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth recovery. Your doctor certifies how long you’re unable to do your regular work, and benefits can last up to 52 weeks depending on the condition.4Employment Development Department. Family and Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act FAQs If you’re still disabled when the original end date arrives, your doctor can extend it.
Paid Family Leave
PFL covers time off to bond with a new child by birth, adoption, or foster placement; to care for a seriously ill family member; or to handle issues tied to a family member’s overseas military deployment. Benefits last up to eight weeks within a 12-month period.5Employment Development Department. Paid Family Leave Benefits and Payments FAQs Both parents can claim PFL bonding benefits for the same child, something families often don’t realize.
How Much You’ll Actually Receive
Under rates set by SB 951 and effective since January 1, 2025, SDI and PFL replace either 70% or 90% of your wages, depending on your income.6Employment Development Department. January 2026 Disability Insurance Fund Forecast Lower-wage earners get 90%; higher-wage earners get 70%. The EDD calculates your weekly benefit from your highest-earning quarter in a base period roughly 5 to 18 months before your claim starts.
In 2026, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,765 and the minimum is $50.1Employment Development Department. Contribution Rates and Benefit Amounts Most workers land somewhere around 70% to 90% of their normal paycheck, with the higher percentage going to those with lower earnings.5Employment Development Department. Paid Family Leave Benefits and Payments FAQs
Who Qualifies for the Pay
Eligibility for SDI or PFL has nothing to do with the size of your employer or how long you’ve worked there. The core requirements are simpler:
- You’ve paid into SDI through payroll deductions (look for CASDI on your pay stubs).
- You earned at least $300 in wages during your base period.7Employment Development Department. Fact Sheet California Paid Family Leave DE 8714CF
- You’re losing wages because of a qualifying reason: your own illness, injury, or pregnancy for SDI; bonding, family care, or a military event for PFL.
- You have the required certification — medical certification from a healthcare provider for SDI and for PFL family-care claims, or proof of relationship for bonding claims.
That’s a much broader net than FMLA, which requires 12 months of employment, 1,250 hours worked, and an employer with at least 50 employees within 75 miles.8U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 28 The Family and Medical Leave Act Many Californians who can’t use FMLA can still collect SDI or PFL.
Pregnancy and Childbirth: Using Both Programs
New birth parents commonly stack the two programs, and this is the single most-asked scenario. The typical sequence works like this.
A birth mother first files an SDI claim for the period she’s physically unable to work because of pregnancy and recovery. Doctors generally certify about four weeks before the due date and six weeks after a vaginal delivery, or eight weeks after a cesarean section, though individual recovery varies. When the SDI claim ends, the EDD sends a separate form to file for PFL bonding, which adds up to eight more weeks of paid benefits.9Employment Development Department. Transitioning from Disability Insurance to Paid Family Leave5Employment Development Department. Paid Family Leave Benefits and Payments FAQs
A non-birth parent skips SDI and files directly for PFL bonding, since there’s no physical disability from childbirth to cover.
Pay Without Job Protection: The Gap
SDI and PFL send checks. They do not protect your job.4Employment Development Department. Family and Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act FAQs Job protection comes from FMLA or from California’s own version, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). CFRA applies to employers with five or more employees, a much lower threshold than FMLA’s 50.10California Civil Rights Department. Expanded Family and Medical Leave in California You still need 12 months of employment and 1,250 hours worked to qualify for CFRA.
If you qualify for both pay (SDI or PFL) and job protection (FMLA or CFRA), your employer will typically run them at the same time and you’re covered on both fronts. The problem comes when you qualify for pay but not job protection. Someone working part-time at a four-person company who has been paying into SDI for years can collect PFL bonding benefits, but the employer is too small for either FMLA or CFRA, so there’s no legal guarantee the job will be waiting. If that’s your situation, check whether your employer has its own leave policy and whether other state protections, such as pregnancy disability leave (which applies at five or more employees), cover you.
Accrued Vacation and Sick Time
Under federal FMLA rules, your employer can require you to use accrued vacation or sick time during leave, which runs those paid days concurrently with your FMLA weeks instead of extending your total time away.11eCFR. 29 CFR 825.207 Substitution of Paid Leave You can also choose to use it on your own.
California adds a protection worth knowing. If you’re receiving SDI for your own serious health condition, your employer cannot force you to use accrued vacation or sick time on top of those benefits, though you can choose to supplement to get closer to your full paycheck. The same protection applies if you’re on PFL to care for a sick family member.12California Civil Rights Department. Family Care and Medical Leave Quick Reference Guide Workers who don’t know about this sometimes drain their paid time off when they didn’t have to.
Health Insurance While You’re Out
Your employer must keep your group health coverage active during FMLA or CFRA leave on the same terms as if you were still on the job.2eCFR. Part 825 The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 You’re still responsible for your share of the premium, though. On paid leave, or on leave supplemented by accrued time, that share usually comes out of your paycheck. On fully unpaid leave, you’ll need to arrange another way to pay, often by sending your employer a check on a set schedule.3U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 28A Employee Protections Under the Family and Medical Leave Act Some employers will cover your share temporarily and ask for repayment when you return. Don’t assume premiums pause; a missed payment can cause coverage to lapse at the worst possible time.
Filing a Claim
Both SDI and PFL claims go through the EDD. The fastest route is SDI Online.13Employment Development Department. How to File a Paid Family Leave Claim in SDI Online Paper applications exist but take longer to process. You’ll provide personal information, employer details, and your last day worked.
For SDI, your healthcare provider submits medical certification as part of the application. For PFL bonding, you’ll attach documents proving your relationship to the child. For PFL family care, the ill relative’s doctor certifies the serious health condition.
Once the EDD has a complete application, expect an eligibility decision in about 14 days.14Employment Development Department. Disability Insurance Claim Process Incomplete applications, usually missing medical certifications, are the top reason for delays. Approved benefits arrive by EDD debit card, direct deposit, or mailed check.
If Your Claim Is Denied
You have 30 calendar days from the mailing date on the denial notice to file an appeal.15California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Before You Appeal Mail it to the return address on the notice. The EDD provides an appeal form, but a letter with your name, contact information, Social Security number, the date of the determination, and your reasons also works.
An Administrative Law Judge hears the case. If the decision goes against you, you can appeal again to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board within another 30 days.15California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Before You Appeal Miss these deadlines and your claim can close permanently, so put them on a calendar the day any denial arrives.
Taxes on the Benefits
SDI benefits are generally not taxable. PFL benefits are subject to federal income tax and must be reported on your federal return.16Employment Development Department. Tax Information Form 1099G Neither is subject to California state income tax. The EDD does not automatically withhold federal tax from PFL payments, so consider setting money aside or requesting voluntary withholding to avoid a surprise next April.