Celebrating Paid Family Leave and California Moms and Dads

Published: June 25, 2025

May and June were brimming with Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations here at EDD! A clear reminder of just how meaningful time with family truly is. This year, we honored California mothers and fathers who make memories that last forever!

Thanks to the Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, workers can receive valuable benefits so they can take time off work to welcome a new child, care for a loved one, or simply be present during important moments. These benefits are most-commonly used by parents when bonding with a new child — overall bonding claims have more than tripled since the program began. PFL claims have also increased for individuals caring for seriously ill family members, and eligibility has expanded to support family members during a military deployment abroad.

Since California launched the first-in-the-nation PFL program in 2004, EDD has paid over $17 billion in benefits to workers to cover loss of wages when they need time away to support their families. EDD has processed millions of claims as the PFL program has expanded more than 566 percent since the program’s inception.

Take Claudia’s story, for example. She was able to take time off from work to care for her mother after she had knee surgery.

Or Solomon, a proud father, who shared, “PFL was there to make sure I could fulfill my duties as a father and husband without worrying about using my vacation, sick leave, and losing my paycheck.” Moments like these are exactly why the program exists, to give you the support to be there for your family.

For new claims in 2025, California boosted Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance benefits up to 90 percent of regular pay for many workers. A landmark increase that makes it much easier for Californians to take time off to care for loved ones!

Paid Family Leave is more than just financial assistance. It empowers families so they can focus on the moments that matter most. Here’s to cherishing family moments all year long! And the program that helps make those memories possible for Californians.

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