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Sophie Duck

Can you get temporary unemployment for maternity leave through California EDD?

So I just found out I'm pregnant and I'm already stressing about finances. My job doesn't offer any paid leave and I'm trying to figure out what options exist through California EDD. Someone at my prenatal class mentioned something about being able to collect unemployment while you're out for maternity leave but I honestly don't know if that's even a real thing. Like can you actually get temporary unemployment for maternity leave or is that just a myth? I've been working at my current job for almost two years in retail, full time, so I should have enough work history. I'm just confused because I've heard about SDI and PFL separately but I thought those were different from regular unemployment. Is it even possible to file a UI claim while you're on maternity leave or does that automatically disqualify you? Would really appreciate any help from people who've actually gone through this.

Ok so this is actually a really common question and there's a lot of confusion around it so let me try to break it down. Regular unemployment insurance (UI) through California EDD is specifically for people who lost their job through no fault of their own and are actively available and looking for work. The key thing is you have to be able and available to work. When you're on maternity leave, technically you're not available to work, so standard UI wouldn't apply in most maternity leave scenarios. HOWEVER, California has two separate programs through California EDD that ARE specifically designed for this situation and they work much better than UI for maternity leave anyway. State Disability Insurance (SDI) covers the period right before and after birth, and Paid Family Leave (PFL) covers bonding time. These are administered through California EDD just like UI but they're completely separate programs.

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Wait so SDI and PFL are both through California EDD? I thought SDI was through my employer. I'm even more confused now lol

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Yes both are through California EDD! SDI is funded by the SDI deductions you've been seeing on your paychecks this whole time. You can check your pay stubs for the 'CASDI' deduction - if you've been paying into it, you're covered. Most California employees are automatically enrolled.

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This is right. Regular UI and SDI/PFL are completely separate programs even though they're all under the California EDD umbrella. Don't make the mistake of filing a UI claim when you should be filing SDI - it can mess things up.

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I went through this exact situation 8 months ago! Here's what actually happened for me: I was working in a warehouse and my employer didn't offer any paid maternity leave at all. I filed for SDI starting about 4 weeks before my due date and received benefits through 6 weeks postpartum for a vaginal delivery. Then I immediately transitioned to PFL for the bonding period which gave me another 8 weeks (PFL in California is now up to 8 weeks). The SDI payment was roughly 60-70% of my wages up to the weekly benefit cap. For me it covered most of my bills. The key thing is you have to file SDI while you're still pregnant or right after delivery, not retroactively months later.

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This is super helpful thank you!! Did you have any trouble getting through to California EDD to file? I've heard their phone lines are a nightmare

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Honestly the online filing for SDI was pretty smooth, I did most of it through the SDI Online portal. It's separate from the regular UI Online portal which threw me off at first. Your doctor has to certify part of the claim though so make sure to loop them in early.

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same experience here, the SDI online system is actually better than the regular UI system imo. less glitchy

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To directly answer your question about 'temporary unemployment for maternity leave' - technically no, you can't collect regular UI unemployment while on maternity leave because UI requires you to be actively seeking work and available to start a job immediately. Being on maternity leave means you're not available to work, which is a basic eligibility requirement for UI. But here's where people get confused: if your employer lays you off WHILE you're pregnant, or fires you for being pregnant, THEN you could potentially file a UI claim because you're separated from your job. California also has strong anti-pregnancy-discrimination laws so if that happens document everything. But if you're voluntarily taking leave from a job that still exists, that's not UI territory - that's SDI/PFL territory.

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this is an important distinction!! i made the mistake of filing UI when i should have filed SDI and it delayed everything by like 6 weeks while california edd sorted it out

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Oh wow that's a really important point about being laid off while pregnant vs taking leave. I hadn't even thought about those being different situations.

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Actually wait doesn't California EDD have something where if your employer doesn't hold your job you can file UI after PFL ends? I feel like I read that somewhere

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I'm going to be honest, I tried calling California EDD to ask this exact question before my second kid and spent THREE DAYS trying to get through. Every time I called I either got a busy signal, got put on hold for over an hour and then disconnected, or got routed to some automated message that just told me to visit the website. The website didn't actually answer my specific questions about whether my situation qualified. I was losing my mind. A friend told me about Claimyr (claimyr.com) which basically holds your place in the California EDD phone queue for you instead of you sitting on hold. There's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10. I finally got through to an actual California EDD rep who explained the whole SDI vs UI vs PFL situation for my specific circumstances in like 10 minutes. Wish I'd found it sooner honestly.

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Oh interesting I had no idea that existed. Did it actually work? I've been dreading having to call California EDD

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Yeah it worked for me. I got a callback from a California EDD agent within a few hours instead of spending days redialing. The agent was actually really helpful and walked me through exactly what I needed to file based on my work situation.

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ive heard of this before too. calling california edd is genuinely one of the most frustrating experiences so anything that helps is worth knowing about

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going to bookmark this for when I inevitably need to call them about my own claim situation, thanks for sharing

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Just want to add some numbers here since California EDD benefit amounts actually matter a lot when planning for maternity leave. For 2025 SDI claims, the weekly benefit amount is between 60-70% of your wages depending on your income level (lower income workers get 70%, higher income get 60%). The maximum weekly SDI benefit is around $1,620. For PFL it's the same wage replacement percentage and same maximum. So if you make around $50,000 a year your weekly benefit would be roughly in the $577-$673 range. Not full pay but definitely better than nothing, and for a lot of people it's the difference between being able to take leave at all.

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These numbers are actually really reassuring. I make decent money for retail so I should be okay.

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The income thresholds for the 60% vs 70% replacement are based on your base period wages compared to the state average weekly wage. Lower income earners get the higher 70% replacement rate to make the benefit more equitable. Good that California EDD restructured it this way.

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do these amounts get taxed?? i never know if benefit payments count as income

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Something nobody has mentioned yet - you need to understand the 'base period' for calculating your SDI benefit. California EDD looks at wages you earned during a specific 12-month period before your claim (not counting the most recent quarter). So if you've been working for almost two years like you said, you should be fine. But someone who just started a job a few months ago might have a lower benefit amount or might not qualify. The minimum earnings to qualify for SDI is lower than UI actually - you just need to have earned at least $300 in wages subject to SDI deductions during your base period.

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I've definitely earned way more than $300 lol so that's a relief. Do I need to do anything special to prove my wages or does California EDD pull that from employer records?

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California EDD generally gets wage info from employer tax records but you should still keep your pay stubs. If there's any discrepancy in their records having your pay stubs makes resolving it much faster.

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Yes keep ALL your pay stubs. I had a one-month gap where California EDD's records were wrong about my wages and I had to submit copies to get it corrected. Would have been much worse if I didn't have them saved.

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WAIT can I ask a related question - what if your employer straight up fires you right after you announce the pregnancy before you even go on leave?? Because I'm in that situation right now and I don't know if I should file UI or what. It happened 2 weeks ago and I'm panicking.

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If you were fired and not voluntarily quitting, you should absolutely file a UI claim immediately. Firing someone because they're pregnant is illegal pregnancy discrimination in California - you may also want to contact the California Civil Rights Department or consult an employment attorney in addition to filing UI. Don't delay the UI filing though, there are time limits.

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Yes file UI right away for the immediate income support. You have 1 year from separation to file but waiting means losing potential benefit weeks. Document everything about how the termination happened - emails, texts, anything your employer said.

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Oh my god thank you. I've been so stressed I didn't even know where to start. Filing UI today.

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one thing that tripped me up - SDI has a 7 day waiting period at the start of the claim before benefits kick in. UI also has a waiting week. so no matter which program you end up filing, plan for at least a week with no payment at the beginning. i didn't know this and it caught me off guard financially

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Good to know! So I should definitely have at least 2-3 weeks of savings to bridge that gap.

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honestly more like 3-4 weeks just to be safe because processing can take longer. California EDD is getting faster but still...

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The waiting period for SDI is just 7 days but California EDD doesn't always process the first payment until 2-3 weeks after you file. Have a financial cushion if you can.

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OK so going back to something I mentioned earlier - I actually looked it up. If your employer doesn't guarantee your job while you're on PFL (which some smaller employers are exempt from CFRA), you could potentially file UI AFTER your PFL ends if you can't return to work because your position was eliminated. This is a specific scenario but it does happen. California EDD would look at whether you had good cause for leaving or were involuntarily separated. Just wanted to clarify because it IS possible to end up on UI in some maternity leave situations, just not during the leave itself typically.

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This is accurate. If someone exhausts PFL and then has no job to return to because the employer didn't maintain the position, that can qualify as an involuntary separation which is a valid UI claim basis. California employment law is actually pretty protective here.

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Worth noting that CFRA (California Family Rights Act) applies to employers with 5 or more employees in California. So even fairly small employers have to provide the job protection. Federal FMLA only kicks in at 50+ employees. Many people don't realize California's version protects more workers.

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My employer has like 30 people so it sounds like I should be protected. This is all so much more complicated than I expected.

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just here to say I had NO idea California had all these different programs and I've lived here my whole life. SDI, PFL, UI, CFRA... why don't they teach this stuff anywhere?? I'm bookmarking this whole thread for when I need it

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RIGHT? I had to piece everything together from random forums like this one. California EDD's own website is honestly not that clear about how the programs interact with each other.

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Seriously this thread has been more informative than hours of googling. I really appreciate everyone.

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to answer the earlier question about taxes - yes SDI benefits are generally not taxable for state purposes but they CAN be federally taxable in certain situations, specifically if you're also receiving workers comp or other disability payments simultaneously. PFL benefits ARE federally taxable. So you'd want to either have California EDD withhold federal taxes from your PFL payments or set aside some money for taxes. California doesn't tax PFL or SDI at the state level though.

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Okay this is confusing me again. So SDI = not taxed federally usually but PFL = taxed federally?

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Generally yes. SDI is considered a disability benefit and typically not federally taxable unless it's a substitute for taxable unemployment. PFL is considered family leave income and is federally taxable. California EDD actually sends a 1099-G for PFL payments. You can request voluntary federal tax withholding when you file the PFL claim.

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This is a nuanced area and tax situations vary individually. Definitely worth consulting a tax professional or at least the IRS guidance. But yes the general distinction between SDI and PFL federal tax treatment is accurate.

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ok real talk - i called california edd for like 2 weeks straight trying to get answers about my SDI claim status and could NOT get through. a coworker mentioned Claimyr and I was super skeptical at first because it sounded too good to be true. But I tried it and actually got connected to a california edd agent the same day. The agent was able to tell me my claim was stuck because my doctor hadn't submitted the medical certification yet - something I never would have figured out just from checking the SDI Online portal. claimyr.com if anyone needs it, there's also a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10

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The medical certification part is making me nervous. So my OB has to submit something separately? What if they forget or it gets lost?

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Yes your doctor submits a separate physician/practitioner certification through SDI Online. Most OB offices are familiar with this process but it's worth mentioning it proactively at your appointment and following up. My doctor's office accidentally submitted to the wrong claim number which is why mine got stuck.

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The medical certification thing tripped up my SDI claim too. Definitely follow up with your doctor's office directly don't just assume it happened.

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Filing timeline tip from someone who just did this in January 2025: You can file your SDI claim up to 49 days BEFORE your expected delivery date for pregnancy disability. Don't wait until you actually stop working. California EDD recommends filing as soon as you know your last day of work before delivery. The earliest SDI can start is your first full day unable to work due to the pregnancy. Many OBs will certify 4 weeks before due date as the disability start date, some will certify earlier if there are complications.

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This is really practical advice thank you. Should I ask my OB about this at my next appointment?

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Absolutely bring it up. Tell them you're planning to file SDI and ask when they'd certify your disability start date. Some doctors are more conservative, some more flexible. Knowing this ahead of time helps you plan your last work day.

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Also ask your HR department if your employer requires any separate paperwork for leave on their end. California EDD SDI is separate from whatever your company requires internally. You may need to do both.

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Does anyone know if you can collect both SDI and any employer sick leave at the same time? My company has a pretty good sick leave bank and I'm wondering if I can use those concurrently with SDI or if that affects the benefit amount

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If your employer's sick/disability plan pays you wages, California EDD will coordinate benefits - meaning SDI may be reduced so the combined amount doesn't exceed your regular wages. If your employer has an SDI Voluntary Plan instead of state SDI, that's a whole separate situation. Check with your HR department and also ask California EDD directly.

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There's a difference between your employer 'topping up' your SDI to full pay (which some companies do as a policy) versus actually running concurrent programs. The integration of benefits rules can get complicated. Definitely worth a call to California EDD to confirm for your specific situation.

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Ugh this is exactly the kind of thing where I'd need to call California EDD and talk to an actual person rather than guessing. Maybe I'll try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned.

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One thing I wish I had known - when you transition from SDI to PFL, it's NOT automatic. You have to file a SEPARATE PFL claim even though both programs are through California EDD. I assumed it would just roll over and there was a gap in my payments because I didn't file PFL until my SDI ran out and then had to wait for PFL to be processed. File your PFL claim BEFORE your SDI period ends to avoid any payment gap.

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Oh wow this is such an important thing to know. So I literally need to file two separate claims?

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Yes! Two separate claims through California EDD. SDI first for pregnancy disability (typically starting before/during/after birth). Then a separate PFL claim for bonding. You can actually file the PFL claim while SDI is still active - just set the PFL start date for when SDI ends.

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Confirming this - learned it the hard way too. The SDI Online portal has separate sections for SDI vs PFL claims. They're handled by the same system but tracked separately. Don't assume one rolls into the other.

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random question that might be dumb but - if my partner wants to take time off when the baby comes, can THEY file PFL too even though they're not the one giving birth? we're both employed in california

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Not a dumb question at all! Yes, your partner can absolutely file a PFL bonding claim as a non-birthing parent. PFL is available to any parent bonding with a new child within 12 months of birth (or adoption/foster placement). Your partner would file their own separate PFL claim through their own California EDD account based on their own work history.

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That's amazing I had no idea. So we could technically both be on PFL at the same time?

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Yes you could potentially both take PFL simultaneously or stagger it - whatever works for your family. Each parent has their own separate PFL entitlement of up to 8 weeks. California EDD handles each claim independently.

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Coming back to the original question one more time to give the clearest possible summary: Regular temporary UI unemployment = NO, not for maternity leave. SDI through California EDD = YES, for pregnancy disability before and after birth. PFL through California EDD = YES, for bonding with baby. These two programs together basically function as California's version of paid maternity leave since most employers don't provide it. The combination gives most people around 4 months of partial income. For retail workers like OP specifically - you've almost certainly been paying SDI taxes so you should qualify.

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Thank you so much for this summary and to everyone in this thread. I feel SO much better about my situation. Going to make an appointment with my OB specifically to discuss the SDI certification process and also look into the SDI Online portal this week.

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good luck!! come back and update us how it goes

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You've got this! The programs exist specifically for this situation. California is actually one of the better states for this kind of leave coverage so you're in good hands.

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slightly off topic but does anyone know if undocumented workers can access any of these programs? asking for a friend who is in a really tough spot

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This is a sensitive and complex area. SDI and PFL eligibility is generally tied to having paid into the SDI system through paycheck deductions, which typically requires authorized employment. For UI, work authorization is also generally required. There are some local programs and nonprofit organizations that provide support for workers who don't qualify for state programs - a local legal aid organization or worker center might be able to help with specific guidance.

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Thank you for the thoughtful response. I'll pass along that info about legal aid organizations.

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also just want to mention for anyone reading this later - the 8 weeks of PFL I mentioned earlier is the current amount as of 2025 but California has been gradually increasing PFL over the years. It was 6 weeks, then went to 8. There's been discussion of increasing it further so worth checking the California EDD website for the current amount when you actually need to file since these things do change.

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Good point. California EDD's official site at edd.ca.gov always has the current benefit amounts and durations. Always double-check what you read on forums (including this one) against the official source since these things update.

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Definitely will do that. This forum has given me a great foundation to understand what questions to ask and what to look for on the official site.

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And if you ever get confused by the California EDD website (which... happens), calling them directly is the best way to get answers for your specific situation. The general phone line reps are actually pretty knowledgeable about SDI/PFL questions in my experience.

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