In California, Paid Family Leave typically provides eligible employees with up to eight weeks of partial wage replacement benefits. This period allows individuals to attend to important family matters without worrying about financial strain.
Employees can take Paid Family Leave for various reasons, including:
- Bonding with a New Child: Paid Family Leave allows parents to bond with a newborn, adopted, or foster child within the first year of birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
- Caring for a Seriously Ill Family Member: Employees can use Paid Family Leave to care for a seriously ill parent, child, spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or registered domestic partner.
- Military Family Leave: Paid Family Leave also covers instances where an employee needs time off to address family matters related to a family member’s military deployment.
Partial Wage Replacement Benefits
During the eight-week PFL period, eligible employees receive partial wage replacement benefits. The amount of benefit payment is based on the employee’s earnings and is subject to a weekly cap set by the California Employment Development Department (EDD).
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for Paid Family Leave benefits in California, employees must meet specific eligibility requirements, including having earned a minimum amount of wages and having paid into the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program through payroll deductions.
Applying for Paid Family Leave
Employees can apply for Paid Family Leave benefits through the EDD website or by submitting a paper application. The application process involves providing necessary information, such as details about the reason for leave and documentation supporting the need for time off.
