California celebrates Father’s Day, highlights paid family leave program

Screencap / EDD video

SACRAMENTO – This Father’s Day, California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) is celebrating dads and father figures across the state by highlighting its paid family leave (PFL) program.

This groundbreaking program debuted nearly 20 years ago and allows eligible workers to receive benefit payments for up to eight weeks to bond with a baby or new child through adoption or foster care, to care for an ill family member or support a military family member while they serve our country.

“California’s Paid Family Leave program is there to support and strengthen families and communities across our state,” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “Father’s Day is the ideal opportunity to show our gratitude to father figures everywhere and highlight resources like PFL that allow them to care for a family member when it is needed most.”

EDD’s first-of-its-kind PFL program is celebrating its 20^th year anniversary on July 1, 2024. Since its launch, 13 other states, including the District of Columbia, have adopted similar PFL laws.

This monumental program has paid over $16 billion in benefits to workers on more than 4.6 million claims over the last 20 years. These benefits have helped cover the loss of wages when workers take time away from work for important family matters.

PFL benefits are most commonly used by parents when bonding with a new child. Since its inception in 2004, male bonding claims have increased more than 12 times from 9,886 to 123,740 claims in 2023. In 2004, men only made up 15 percent of total bonding claims. Now, 20 years later, men account for 45 percent of bonding use compared to 55 percent of women. PFL claims have also grown for people caring for a seriously ill family member, and eligibility has expanded to include supporting family members during a military deployment to a foreign country.

Benefits can provide the financial support families need at critical times, including after the birth of a daughter that this father describes in this video.

California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL)  program at a glance:

• Workers covered by the program pay for benefits through a deduction noted as “CASDI” on their paystubs.
• PFL benefits can be used all at once or be split up over a 12-month period.
• Fathers can take advantage of PFL benefits for bonding with a newly born, adopted or foster child.
• Mothers can also receive as many as four weeks of disability benefits for a normal pregnancy before their expected due date, and then transition to PFL benefits for bonding time.
• Paid family leave can also be used to care for a seriously ill family member or to support a family member’s military deployment.
• EDD offers an online calculator to help workers estimate their potential benefit amount.

This Father’s Day, EDD encourages fathers to take advantage of this essential benefit program. More information is available here.