June 19, 2022 - On Father’s Day, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) is reminding Californians about family-focused benefits available through the state’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, which provides financial support to fathers and mothers while they take time off from work to bond with their new child.

The EDD encourages new fathers and mothers to learn more about this essential benefit program, which offers up to eight weeks of partial income for eligible parents of a new child either by birth, adoption or foster care placement. PFL also provides benefit payments to workers who need time off work to care for an ill or injured loved one or participate in a qualifying event because of a family member’s military deployment to a foreign country.

“California was the first state to introduce a program of this kind, and we are proud that years later, it continues to help make it financially possible for thousands of parents to bond with their newest family member, care for a sick relative, or see to affairs related to a family member’s military deployment.” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “In particular, Paid Family Leave bonding claims for fathers have dramatically increased over the past several years, and we encourage even more new and expectant fathers to use this helpful benefit.”

Numerous surveys have shown that fathers using PFL benefits have enjoyed a special bond with their child and family. And EDD wants to remind working parents that most of them have already paid for the program benefits through a mandatory State Disability Insurance deduction in their paychecks, noted as “CASDI” on most paystubs.

“Every year of a kid’s life is important, but especially the first year…being there for them at that stage of life is something that you can’t get back,” said Ryan Howard, a new father in Sacramento. “Paid Family Leave took that stress away. As a dad, you get to be there for them; that’s priceless.”

Fathers using California’s Paid Family Leave program:

• Male PFL participants accounted for 44% of all Paid Family Leave bonding claims in 2021, increasing claims filed by males 18% from 2020.

• Since 2004, the EDD has processed more than one-million claims by California fathers to help them be there with their new children.

California Paid Family Leave program at a glance:
 California became the first state in the nation to create a Paid Family Leave program when the state law was enacted in 2004.
 An estimated 18.6 million workers are currently covered by the program in California, which is funded through employee payroll deductions.
 In addition to bonding with a child, eligible individuals may also use program benefits when caring for a seriously ill family member, or to participate in a qualifying event due to a family member’s military employment.
 Benefit payments range from $50 to a maximum of $1,540 per week. The EDD offers an online benefit calculator to provide workers with an estimate of their potential weekly benefits.
 Eligible employees may receive up to eight weeks of partial wage replacement benefits – up to 70% of their wages, depending on income – to bond with a new child, including a newly-fostered or adopted child, during the child’s first year in the family.
 In 2020, the Governor’s revised budget plan added two additional weeks (for a total of up to eight weeks) of paid leave benefits.
 The leave can be used all at once, staggered or split up as needed, over a 12- month period.
 PFL does not provide job protection, just paid benefits. However, individuals may qualify for job protection through other laws that can be taken concurrently with PFL, including Family and Medical Leave Act, California Family Rights Act, and the New Parent Leave Act.

For more information and resources related to California’s Paid Family Leave benefits and eligibility, please visit our EDD website.
Source: CA. EDD