California Paid Family Leave
The California Paid Family Leave Act provides up to six weeks of paid leave to take care of a sick or injured family members. California is one of only two states with such a benefit. For those concerned about maternity benefits, you get six additional weeks of paid time off to bond with your healthy baby.
Workers who pay into the California SDI program are eligible for the paid family to leave benefit as well. The state short term disability program allows for up to four weeks of time before delivery, plus eight weeks of paid time for a C-section delivery. Add six weeks for your time to bond with the baby to get eighteen weeks of total paid time for a normal pregnancy, and a healthy baby.
Another recent change expands coverage under the California Paid Family Leave (PFL) law. Since 2002, this law has permitted eligible employees across the state to take paid time off to care for a parent, spouse or child with a serious health condition, or to bond with a new baby. Benefits are paid through the state disability insurance program.
This sounds great until you realize these eighteen weeks come with a 45% pay cut or more. Many families are living check to check before mum gets pregnant, gets her eighteen-week pay cut, then have to face the extra bills to feed, clothe, and raise a child.
How long can you pay your bills when mum is taking a 45% pay cut? California couples need to ask themselves this question before getting pregnant. You may enjoy up to eighteen weeks of paid leave in California between your pregnancy, maternity leave, and time bonding with baby. This sounds great until you realize you are getting only a fifty-five percent income replacement. And many CA workers don’t qualify. Know your facts before you conceive.
Not every CA worker is automatically enrolled. Know the rules before getting pregnant. And if you can’t afford an extended pay cut, consider purchasing supplemental short term disability coverage to increase your maternity leave income.
The California Family Rights Act is similar to the Federal Family Medical Leave Act in that it allows for twelve weeks of unpaid; job-protected leave. Both laws apply only to employers with more than fifty employees.
The California law differs in how an absence from work for you own disability is treated. Suppose you experience pregnancy complications and need to leave work twelve weeks before your delivery. Under the Federal law, you would have used up your job protected time. The California law does not count time away from work for your disability. This is covered under the California Pregnancy Disability Leave Act.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock/88studio