2025 Brings Historic Increase in Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance Benefits for Most California Workers
Happy New Year! Starting today, January 1, 2025 California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) and State Disability Insurance (SDI) Benefits are 90% of regular wages for low to middle income workers (up from 60-70%). This change will mean that millions of California workers - those earning up to roughly $62,000 per year - will now be able to afford to take leave when they need it to bond with a new baby or to care for their own or a family member’s serious health condition. This historic increase in support for families was made possible by SB 951 (Durazo), signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2022.
Here’s what you need to know about this change!
Do you need to take some time off from work because of your own serious health condition, to bond with a new child or to care for a seriously ill family member?
California has two state programs, Paid Family Leave (PFL) and Disability Insurance (DI), that allow workers to receive part of their regular pay when they need leave from work for their own serious health condition, to bond with a new child or to care for a seriously ill family member.
How do I know if I might qualify for Paid Family Leave and/or Disability Insurance benefits?
Step 1: Look at your paycheck, if you see “CA SDI” or something similar on your paycheck you contribute to the Disability Insurance (DI) Fund which funds the Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance programs.
Step 2: Do you have a qualifying reason?
Need leave from work for your own serious health condition (including mental health, and planned surgeries)
Need leave from work to bond with a new child (including a new child by birth, foster and adoption)
Need leave to care for a seriously ill family member (your seriously ill family member must be your child, spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling)
Need leave for certain reasons if your parent, child or spouse is deployed
How do I apply for Paid Family Leave and/or Disability Insurance?
You apply at the Employment Development Department (EDD), the government agency that administers Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance programs.
Important: Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance are wage replacement programs only. They do NOT require your employer to give you your job back when you return from leave. Separate California and federal laws require your employer to give you your job back and it’s important to understand your rights.
Where can I find out more about Paid Family Leave, Disability Insurance and how to protect my job while I’m on leave?
Please click here to learn more!
How can I get more involved?
You can sign up here to join our newsletter, where you can receive updates about SB 951 and learn about ways to join our advocacy work to improve paid leave!
