California paid family leave and disability insurance benefits increasing January 1st

California’s paid family leave and disability insurance benefits are set to increase beginning Jan. 1st, 2018.

This allows workers to take time off to take care of sick family members, be with new children or miss work due to pregnancy, sickness or injury.

Both benefit programs are funded entirely by employees through their State Disability Insurance payroll deductions, and they are administered by the California Employment Development Department (EDD).

In 2002, California became the first state in the nation to create a Paid Family Leave program.

“When workers need time off for their families or to recover their health, these programs can make it financially possible,” said EDD Director Patrick W. Henning. “With the increase in benefit amounts for Paid Family Leave and Disability Insurance, more California workers can afford to do so.”

Assembly Bill 908, signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2016, will increase wage replacement benefits from the current 55 percent to either 60 or 70 percent depending on income.

The new law also eliminates the one-week waiting period for Paid Family Leave claims.​​​​​​​

Workers can use EDD’s online benefit calculator to determine how much in either Paid Family Leave or Disability Insurance benefits they could receive if they meet eligibility requirements.

For more information about paid family leave, click here. For more information about disability insurance, click here.