Paid Family Leave · Checklist · Reviewed July 14, 2026

Paid Family Leave for care or bonding

A filing check for family care, bonding with a new child, or a qualifying military family event.

The short version

PFL pays part of your wages; leave law protects the job

California Paid Family Leave can pay eligible workers for up to eight weeks when they care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a new child, or handle a qualifying military family event. EDD says the benefit is usually about 70 to 90 percent of wages, based on income. PFL by itself does not make the employer hold the job.

What changes the answer: File no earlier than the first day of leave and no later than 41 days after leave starts. Ask the employer about CFRA, FMLA, pregnancy leave, sick leave, and health coverage on a separate track.

Official: Paid Family Leave

The costly surprise is finding out after the leave that the paycheck and the job were protected by two different laws, and only one of them was arranged. Set up both tracks before the first day away.

How it works

The pay claim and the time-off request are two tracks

EDD runs Paid Family Leave. It decides whether the claim qualifies for wage-replacement benefits. The employer handles the request for time away from work, and laws such as CFRA, FMLA, or pregnancy disability leave may protect the job or health benefits.

Approval from EDD does not make the leave job-protected. An employer's approval of leave does not mean EDD will pay it. Send both requests and keep both sets of notices.

PFL covers three kinds of family leave

The program covers care for a seriously ill family member, bonding after a birth, adoption, or foster placement, and certain needs caused by a family member's military deployment. A claim for your own illness or injury belongs in Disability Insurance instead.

Bonding leave must be used within the first year after the child joins the family. Care claims need medical certification. Bonding and military-assist claims use the documents listed for those claims.

The usual limit is eight weeks of partial pay

PFL can pay up to eight weeks in a 12-month period. EDD says most eligible workers receive about 70 to 90 percent of wages, depending on income and the wage record used for the claim.

The exact amount comes from EDD, not a simple percentage of the latest paycheck. The basic test also includes wage loss and enough State Disability Insurance-covered wages. Look for CASDI on pay stubs, or check whether the employer uses an approved Voluntary Plan.

Put the 41-day filing limit on the calendar

EDD says not to file before the first day of family leave. File within 41 days after leave begins. A late claim can lose benefits unless EDD accepts the reason for the delay.

Keep the claim number, leave dates, work schedule, proof, and every EDD notice. PFL may be used in separate blocks when the claim stays eligible, so record each full or partial day of wage loss.

Read every overlap and appeal notice

PFL cannot pay for the same days as Unemployment Insurance or Disability Insurance. Employer pay, sick leave, vacation, a Voluntary Plan, and workers' compensation can affect the claim in different ways.

If EDD denies or changes the claim, read the notice right away. The standard DI and PFL appeal form says an appeal is generally due within 30 days of the notice date. Follow the date and instructions on the actual notice.

First moves

1
Name the leave reason: care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a child after birth, adoption, or foster placement, or handle a qualifying military family event.
2
Write down the first day of family leave, the last day worked, the expected leave schedule, and each day or hour of wage loss.
3
Save pay stubs and look for CASDI or another State Disability Insurance deduction. Keep employer and base-period wage details close by.
4
EDD says a PFL claim can be submitted no earlier than the first leave day and no later than 41 days after leave begins. Put the deadline on the calendar.
5
Apply through myEDD and SDI Online or use the original paper form. Save the claim ID and every notice.
6
Send the document that fits the claim. A care claim generally needs medical certification; a bonding claim needs proof of the child's relationship and placement; a military-assist claim needs its listed papers.
7
Track each day or part-day claimed. PFL can be used in separate blocks, up to the program limit when the claim remains eligible.
8
Ask the employer about CFRA, FMLA, pregnancy leave, paid sick leave, vacation, employer leave, and health benefits separately from the EDD claim.

Watch for

1
PFL is for family care, bonding, or military assist. The worker's own health condition belongs in Disability Insurance.
2
PFL can provide up to eight weeks of partial wage replacement in a 12-month period. The claim and wage record determine the real benefit.
3
Basic eligibility includes wage loss, being employed or looking for work when leave starts, required SDI-covered wages, and supporting documents.
4
EDD lists at least $300 in base-period wages with SDI deductions as one basic requirement. Some workers use a Voluntary Plan or elective-coverage route instead.
5
PFL does not protect the job. CFRA, FMLA, pregnancy disability leave, and employer policy are separate checks.
6
Bonding benefits must fit within the first year after the birth, adoption, or foster placement.
7
Unemployment or Disability Insurance cannot be paid for the same period as PFL. Workers' compensation can interact differently, so use the program's written rule.
8
A DI or PFL appeal is generally due within 30 days from the issue date on the notice. Follow the notice and current appeal instructions.

Official sources

Where to confirm this

Use the source that matches the step you are on. Current forms, fees, deadlines, and agency decisions can change after this page is reviewed.

Use this as a map. It does not decide your rights, tell you what to file, or say someone broke the law. If a deadline, denial, eviction, firing, injury, tax bill, permit fight, or insurance dispute is on the line, use the official source or a licensed professional.

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Directory paths

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ShelfWorkPay, breaks, worker status, job benefits, and injury routes.DirectoryPaperwork & MoneyReturn to the full tools shelf.Nearby toolPaycheck, sick leave, and final pay checkHow to read a California pay stub, check sick leave, and know when final wages are due.Nearby toolBreaks, overtime, and off-clock work checkWhat to check when a shift skipped lunch, missed breaks, ran long, or included work off the clock.A-ZFind another California pathUse the directory index when the task has a different name.