State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave

California State Disability Insurance (SDI) provides partial wage replacement for employees who are unable to work due to a non work-related illness or injury, including disability due to pregnancy. This is a mandatory state program funded by employees through payroll deduction and benefits are administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD). Benefits do not begin until an employee has been unable to work for over seven days.

Paid Family Leave (PFL) is a component of the SDI program. The PFL benefit provides partial wage replacement to employees who suffer a wage loss due to the need to provide care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child. PFL benefits are limited to 8 weeks in a 12-month period.

Please note: employees represented by the Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA) are not eligible for SDI or PFL. 

How do I request benefits?          

You can file applications and request additional information on the EDD website at www.edd.ca.gov/disability.  

Employees must immediately notify their supervisor when unable to work due to their own illness or the need to care for a family member. The supervisor may request medical certification to support an ongoing leave.  An employee receiving SDI or PFL benefits may or may not be entitled to leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA). 

 

For assistance with protected leaves, contact employeeleaves@edcgov.us.

 

Risk Management