Nonindustrial Disability Insurance-Family Care Leave

NDI-FCL benefits cover:

• Full-time, part-time, or intermittent employees who are permanent or probationary members of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) or the State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). These employees must be in pay status and not separated by a formal leave of absence.
• Employees who are not part of a bargaining unit or are in a specific bargaining unit with Family Care Leave (FCL) in their contract.
• Employees who are excluded, exempt, supervisory, managerial, or confidential.

Note: State Disability Insurance (SDI) covers employees in bargaining Units 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 15, 17, 20, and  21. If you work in one of these bargaining units, you may be covered by SDI PFL.

To be eligible for NDI-FCL, you must be:

• A state employee.
• Enrolled in the Annual Leave Program (ALP), if not, you are not eligible.
• One of the following:
  • A full-time employee.
  • A part-time employee with six months of service in the last 18 months.
  • An intermittent employee with 960 total hours worked.
• Unable to do your regular work due to your need to take family leave.
• Losing wages due to your need for family leave.

NDI-FCL is not automated, and you must fill out paper forms to start your claim

To start your claim

Ask your personnel specialist or payroll officer for the Claim for Nonindustrial Disability Insurance – Family Care Leave (NDI-FCL) (DE 8501F).

• Your employer will complete and sign Part A - Employee Information.
• Your department must confirm that you’re enrolled in the ALP.
• Before you complete your claim your department must confirm you are in a participating bargaining unit or not in a bargaining unit.
• You will complete and sign Part B - Claim Statement of Employee.

For full instructions visit the claim process page.

Claim Start Date:

• Your family leave begins the first day you are unable to work due to your need for family leave.
• There is no waiting period for NDI-FCL.
• You can file your claim any time after your family leave begins but no more than 41 days after your family leave starts.

Questions about your claim start date?  Contact us at 1-866-758-9768 before filing your claim.

Medical Certification for Care Claims

NDI – FCL requires a medical certification for care claims. A physician/practitioner must fill out and sign Part E- Physician/Practitioner’s Certification. Check with them about their medical certification process; different offices have different procedures.  

Note: Your claim is not complete until we receive the signed medical certification mailed with your application to the NDI office. We send incomplete claims back to you. If we don’t get both parts together, you may delay your claim.

Mail the Completed Form

 Once you’ve filled out and signed the DE 8501F form, mail it to:

Employment Development Department
Nonindustrial Disability Insurance-Family Care Leave
PO Box 2168
Stockton, CA 95201-2168

• There is no waiting period before benefits are paid.
• Benefits are paid based on your employer’s payment schedule.
• After your benefits are approved, contact your attendance clerk or personnel office with any questions about payment amounts, weekly rates, or deductions.
• You will receive up to 6 weeks (42 days) of benefits per claim in a 12-month period.
• You will receive 50% of your gross monthly salary.
• You can use leave credits to supplement your salary at 75% or 100%.

NDI-FCL is always enhanced due to its requirement for Annual Leave Program along with other criteria.

Note: California State University employees are not eligible for the Annual Leave Program and may only receive standard NDI benefits.

Just like NDI, state and federal taxes will be withheld from NDI-FCL benefits. Voluntary deductions will be automatically taken from NDI-FCL benefits unless you cancel.

Examples include:

• Health insurance premiums
• Credit union loans
• Savings accounts
• Bonds
• Parking fees

If you keep your health insurance premium deductions, your employer’s contribution will also continue.

• Your employer will not contribute to your retirement account while you’re on NDI-FCL.
• You will not earn service credit from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)or California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) for the 50% NDI-FCL wages. Service credit is only earned for time worked or leave credits you use.

You will not receive benefits for any day that you:

• Are eligible for workers’ compensation or Industrial Disability Leave.
• Receive full wages from sick leave, vacation, compensatory time, or catastrophic leave.
• Are paid unemployment benefits.
• Are separated or retired from state service.