Established by the California Employment Development Department (EDD), State Disability Insurance (SDI) provides partial wage replacement to eligible workers who are temporarily unable to work due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. Meanwhile, Paid Family Leave (PFL) offers eligible workers up to eight weeks of benefits for caregivers to bond with a new child or to care for a seriously ill family member.

It is crucial to understand that SDI and PFL are two different programs. SDI caters to your own disability while PFL addresses the needs of a family member. Both programs use the taken out disability insurance taxes to fund their given benefits. When an employee takes a leave of absence due to disability or to take care of a family member, they can tap into these programs for partial wage replacement.

Both programs come with eligibility prerequisites which one must meet to qualify for benefits. One must be a California resident, must be unable to work due to disability or caregiving responsibilities, and must have earned at least $300 from which SDI deductions were withheld during a previous period to qualify for these programs.

Should you find yourself or a family member in need of these programs, don’t hesitate to reach out. Known for their commitment to the well-being of Californian workers, the EDD, SDI, and PFL offer several channels for communication.

To inquire about SDI related matters, such as your personal disability or benefits, it would be helpful to learn how to contact SDI directly. SDI can be reached at their contact number, or through the EDD website where a variety of resources and contact forms are available. It may take some time to get through, as these offices often face high call volumes, but persistence is key to accessing the benefits you need.