Paid Family Leave Benefits and Payments FAQs

If eligible, you can receive about 60 to 70 percent (depending on income) of wages earned 5 to 18 months before your claim start date for up to 8 weeks within any 12-month period. The length of time worked at your current job does not affect eligibility.

To learn more, visit Calculating Paid Family Leave Benefit Payment Amounts or use the Weekly Benefit Amount Calculator to estimate your benefit amount.

Yes. You will choose how you receive your benefit payments when you file your claim. Your options are:

• Direct deposit (SDI Online claims only)
• Debit card
• Check

Most benefit payments are issued within two weeks after the EDD receives a properly completed claim online or by mail. By filling in your application completely and verifying that all information is correct, you help ensure your benefit payment is issued promptly.

You may receive PFL benefits for up to 8 weeks within any 12-month period for care, bonding, or military assist claims. You can break up your eight weeks. You don’t have to take PFL all at once. If you’re a parent taking time off work to bond with a child, you may only receive PFL benefits during the first year after your child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement.

PFL is funded by mandatory payroll deductions from covered workers. This means that your previous paychecks helped pay for your own benefits and the benefits of millions of other eligible Californians.

You can apply for PFL by completing the Claim for Paid Family Leave (PFL) Benefits (DE 2501F) form online or by mail.

To apply online, you must first create an account with myEDD to access SDI Online. Visit the myEDD login page and select Create Account to get started. For more information, visit How to File a PFL Claim in SDI Online.

myEDD registration is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

After you have created an account and logged back in to myEDD, select SDI Online, which will direct you to the SDI Online Registration page. Select your account type and complete the requested information. Once your SDI Online registration is complete, log in to myEDD again and select SDI Online once more to be directed to your Home page to file your claim.

Note: It may be necessary to send some documents via U.S. mail even if you selected electronic communication.

To apply by mail, visit How to File a PFL Claim by Mail.

For bonding claims, your application must include documentation showing the relationship between you and your new child (for example, a copy of the child’s birth certificate or record, adoptive placement agreement, or foster care placement record). 

Note: Mothers transitioning from a Disability Insurance pregnancy claim to a PFL bonding claim do not have to provide a proof of relationship document.

For caregiving claims, your application must also include a medical certification from your family member’s physician/practitioner and the care recipient’s or their authorized representative’s signature on the Statement of Care Recipient portion of the claim form.

For military assist claims, you must include supporting military documentation and documentation for the qualifying event.

No. PFL does not protect your job. It only provides paid benefits when you need time off work for family leave. However, your job may be protected through other laws, such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the California Family Rights Act (CFRA).

For more information, visit the Family and Medical Leave Act and the California Family Rights Act FAQs page. You can also contact the Department of Labor at 1-866-487-2365 or the Civil Rights Department at 1-800-884-1684.

We have no control over issues involving wages, hours of work, or conditions of employment.

You can contact the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division or the Civil Rights Department, which has responsibility over employment and leave issues, including employment termination during a family leave.

No. Termination will not interfere with your benefits as long as you continue to meet the other eligibility requirements.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) provides a temporary extension of health benefits at group rates for certain former employees through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) program. For more information, contact the DOL at 1-866-275-7922. For TTY, use 1-877-889-5627.

Your claim will be processed about 14 business days after the EDD receives your properly completed application.

All PFL claims must be completed and submitted no earlier than the first day your family leave begins but no later than 41 days after your first day of leave.

PFL benefits for bonding must be claimed within one year of your child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement, so you should file your claim no later than eight to nine weeks before the anniversary of the child entering your family.

No. You may not receive Disability Insurance or Unemployment Insurance benefits for the same period in which PFL benefits are paid.

Yes. If your workers’ compensation weekly benefit amount is less than your weekly PFL benefit amount, you may be eligible to receive the difference.

Yes. You will receive a 1099-G tax form in January of the following year you received benefits. For more information, visit the FAQs - Form 1099G page or contact the IRS.

For state taxes, PFL benefit payments are not reportable by California pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code Section 17083.

You must report:

• If you have returned to part-time, intermittent, or full-time work.
• If you have stopped providing care, bonding, or participating in military events.
• The date of death of the care or bonding recipient.
• Any wages received. See Reporting Your Wages for a complete list of wages to report.

Reporting this information ensures you receive the correct benefit amount and prevents an overpayment.

Yes. If you have a family member who becomes sick while you are out of work, you can apply for a Paid Family Leave claim which can provide a higher benefit amount if you’re eligible. A medical certification is required to verify your family member’s illness. If you are approved for a Paid Family Leave claim, your Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim will be put on hold. If your Paid Family Leave claim ends and you are still unemployed, you may return to your UI claim benefits as long as you are still out of work and otherwise eligible. You will need to reapply to reopen your UI claim.

If the person you are caring for or the child you are bonding with passes away, report the death to the PFL office at 1-877-238-4373. You may also notify the EDD by writing to the PO Box address printed on the payment notice. Provide the care or bonding recipient’s name and date of death, and your name, address, and phone number so we can contact you with additional instructions. Benefits are payable through the date of death if otherwise eligible.

First, you must have received your billing notice. The Benefit Overpayment Statement of Amount Due (DE 8301R) form is a billing notice that is mailed to you each month. If you have not yet received this notice or have lost it, please contact the EDD at 1-877-238-4373.

Visit Benefit Overpayments to make a payment.

For more information, view Benefit Overpayment Services: Make a Payment (YouTube).

If you misplaced a form, you can obtain a new one by:

• Calling 1-877-238-4373 (English) or 1-877-379-3819 (Spanish).
• Visiting AskEDD:
  1. For category, select PFL.
  2. For sub-category, select Miscellaneous Inquiry.
  3. For topic, select Other (Questions).

The EDD does not have control over employer policies. PFL provides only partial wage replacement when you need to take time off work for family leave. You may have rights under other laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the California Family Rights Act (CFRA).

For detailed information about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), visit the Department of Labor or call 1-866-487-2365.

For detailed information about the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), visit the Civil Rights Department or call 1-800-884-1684.

The EDD has a program for self-employed individuals and independent contractors called Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC). Premiums are based on the net profits you reported to the IRS on your Schedule SE for the previous tax year and are paid on a quarterly basis.

For more information, visit Eligibility for DIEC.

The California Unemployment Insurance Code exempts various groups from participating in the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program, which includes Disability Insurance and PFL. Among these are sole proprietors and partnerships with exempt employees, Indian tribes, and public entities, which include most government and school district employees. For groups such as these to be covered, they must apply for and elect SDI coverage.

Employees that fall within these exempt groups may not participate in SDI as an individual. Group participation is required. See the Information Sheet for Nonprofit and/or Public Entities (DE 231NP) (PDF) and the Information Sheet for Specialized Coverage (Elective Coverage for Exempt Workers) (DE 231SC) (PDF).

No. PFL benefit information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using the PFL Automated Telephone Information System. You will need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access your information. You create your PIN using the automated telephone system.

Visit Debit Card for debit card benefit and contact information.

No, we will not accept any documents directly from you related to court-ordered child support payments. All court orders to begin or end child support obligations are submitted to us through California Child Support Services.

Contact the California Child Support Services office nearest you for any questions.