NR No. 23-25
Contact: Loree Levy/Aubrey Henry
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov
Eligible claimants receive up to 70 percent of weekly salary to take time for family
Father’s Day is just around the corner, and the Employment Development Department (EDD) is urging new and expecting parents to learn more about Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits, how they can facilitate work-life balance, and help parents create strong futures for their children. Over nearly 20 years, California’s first-of-kind PFL program administered by EDD has paid more than $14 billion in wage replacement benefits on more than four million claims so Californians can take time off work to bond with a new child, care for an ill family member, or to help during a family member’s military deployment to a foreign country.
“California was the first state in the nation to offer Paid Family Leave benefits, which provide a financial safety net for California workers who wish to spend time with the newest addition to their family.” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “PFL claims for new and expectant parents have gone up significantly over the past few years as EDD continues its promotion of this essential program.”
PFL benefits provide up to eight weeks of partial wage replacement for eligible Californians to help aid their families during the most impactful events in their lives. The program provides eligible claimants approximately 60 to 70 percent of their weekly salary and is funded through a State Disability Insurance contribution most workers pay, noted as “CASDI” on their paystubs. PFL can also be used to care for a seriously ill family member, bonding with a new child, including newly fostered and adopted children, and for participating in a qualifying military event.
The benefits don’t have to be taken all at once and can be staggered within the first 12 months of a child entering your family.
Men using California’s Paid Family Leave Program:
Between 2020 and 2022:
- Men filing for bonding claims increased 13% (103,300 to 116,300 claims).
- Men filing for caregiving claims increased 14% (13,300 to 15,100 claims).
In 2022:
- Men filing for bonding increased 2% (114,100 to 116,300).
- Men filing for caregiving claims increased 3% (14,600 to 15,100).
California was the first state to implement a PFL program in 2004; now thirteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted paid family leave laws. California’s PFL program was expanded in early 2021 to provide financial assistance to military families who can now file for a Military Assist PFL claim.
A military assist claim provides wage replacement benefits to eligible Californians who need time off work because of a family member’s (spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, or child) active military deployment to a foreign country.
EDD wants to remind working parents that PFL claims are a short-term wage replacement benefits program offered to eligible California workers, meaning you may be eligible for PFL if you are unable to work and lose wages when you need time off work for family leave. PFL is not a leave of absence from work and does not provide job protection.
For additional information and resources related to California’s Paid Family Leave benefits and eligibility, please visit the EDD website.