California State Disability Insurance
How the 2026 SDI benefit is figured
California's State Disability Insurance (SDI) program pays two kinds of short-term benefits: Disability Insurance (DI) when you cannot work because of a non-work illness, injury, pregnancy or childbirth, and Paid Family Leave (PFL) when you take time off to care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a new child or help a family member who is deploying with the armed forces. Both use the same formula, based on the quarter in which you earned the most during your base period.
Your base period is 12 months made of four quarters, covering wages paid about 5 to 18 months before your claim. For a claim that begins in January, February or March it is the 12 months ending last September 30; in April, May or June, the 12 months ending last December 31; in July, August or September, the 12 months ending last March 31; and in October, November or December, the 12 months ending last June 30. A claim beginning November 2, 2026, for example, uses July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. You need at least $300 of wages with SDI withheld in the base period for a valid claim.
EDD divides your highest quarter by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter, to get your weekly wages. Lower and middle earners receive 90 percent of that; higher earners receive 70 percent, but never less than $1,127 a week, and no one receives more than $1,765 a week for claims beginning in 2026. Amounts are raised to the next whole dollar.
| Wages in highest quarter | Weekly benefit amount, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Less than $300 in the whole base period | Not eligible |
| $300 to $722.49 | $50 |
| $722.50 to $16,279.90 | 90% of weekly wages |
| $16,279.91 to $20,931.30 | $1,127 |
| $20,931.31 or more | 70% of weekly wages, up to $1,765 |
Source: EDD, Calculating Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave Benefit Payment Amounts, claims beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Weekly wages are the highest quarter divided by 13.
What you can collect in total
Disability Insurance can pay for up to 52 weeks. Its total is 52 times your weekly benefit amount, but never more than the total wages in your base period. Paid Family Leave pays up to eight weeks within a 12-month period, and its total is eight times your weekly amount, again capped at your base period wages. PFL leave does not have to be taken all at once: it pays one-seventh of the weekly amount for each full day you are off, shown in the result as one-seventh of the weekly amount.
| Wages each quarter | Weekly benefit | Share of weekly wages | DI, 52 weeks | PFL, 8 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $347 | 90.2% | $18,044 | $2,776 |
| $10,000 | $693 | 90.1% | $36,036 | $5,544 |
| $15,000 | $1,039 | 90.0% | $54,028 | $8,312 |
| $20,000 | $1,127 | 73.3% | $58,604 | $9,016 |
| $30,000 | $1,616 | 70.0% | $84,032 | $12,928 |
| $35,000 | $1,765 | 65.6% | $91,780 | $14,120 |
Our calculation with the 2026 EDD formula. The share falls above $16,279.90 a quarter because the upper tier replaces 70 percent, with the $1,127 floor in between.
Take the default example: $15,000 in each quarter of the base period. Weekly wages are $15,000 divided by 13, or $1,153.85, and 90 percent of that is $1,038.46, which rounds up to $1,039 a week. Over the full 52 weeks of Disability Insurance that is $54,028, below the $60,000 of base period wages, so the wage cap does not bite. The same worker on Paid Family Leave could receive up to $8,312 for eight weeks, or $148.43 for each full day off.
Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave rules
Disability Insurance. You may qualify if you cannot do your regular work for at least eight days, have lost wages because of the disability, were working or looking for work when it began, and a licensed health professional certifies it. The first seven days of a DI claim are an unpaid waiting period. EDD asks you to file no earlier than nine days and no later than 49 days after your disability starts, and it takes about two weeks to process a complete claim.
Paid Family Leave. File no earlier than the first day of your family leave and no later than 41 days after it begins. Bonding leave must be used within 12 months of the child's birth or placement through foster care or adoption. EDD's bonding claims include birth mothers moving from pregnancy disability benefits to PFL, so a birth parent can use DI for pregnancy and recovery and then PFL to bond with the baby. Neither DI nor PFL protects your job; the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act may.
Getting paid while on leave
If your employer still pays you, or you work part time, EDD compares your wages plus the benefit with your regular weekly wage. When the two together are above your regular wage, the benefit is cut by the difference. EDD's example: with regular wages of $1,000 a week, part-time wages of $500 and an estimated weekly benefit of $600, the total of $1,100 is $100 too high, so you get $500. With part-time wages of $300 the total stays under $1,000 and you keep the full $600. Enter your regular weekly wage and the pay for a week of leave to run this test. EDD also notes that your PFL weekly benefit may vary if you receive other income, such as sick leave pay or paid time off, while on leave.
Who pays for SDI and how benefits are taxed
SDI is paid by workers through payroll withholding, shown as CASDI on pay stubs. The SDI withholding rate for 2026 is 1.3 percent, and since January 1, 2024 all wages are subject to it; the California SDI rate guide shows what that costs per paycheck. In most cases DI benefits are not taxable, but if you were receiving unemployment benefits and then became ill or injured, the DI benefits that follow are taxable. PFL benefits are taxable and belong on your federal tax return only. See disability insurance benefits tax for the rules on private and employer plans, and the maternity leave pay calculator to compare leave pay across states. The California salary calculator shows your regular take-home pay for comparison.
Questions
California SDI calculator FAQ
How is California SDI calculated?
EDD takes the highest quarter of your base period and divides it by 13 to get weekly wages. For claims in 2026 you receive 90 percent of that if the quarter was $16,279.90 or less, $1,127 if it was up to $20,931.30, and 70 percent above that, from $50 up to $1,765 a week.
What is the maximum California SDI payment in 2026?
The maximum weekly benefit is $1,765 for Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave claims beginning in 2026. You reach it with about $32,760 or more in your highest quarter.
How long does California disability pay last?
Disability Insurance can pay for up to 52 weeks, and the total cannot be more than your base period wages. Paid Family Leave pays up to eight weeks in a 12-month period.
Is there a waiting period for California SDI?
Yes for Disability Insurance: the first seven days of a DI claim are unpaid. EDD asks you to file DI no earlier than nine days and no later than 49 days after the disability starts, and PFL no later than 41 days after your family leave begins.
Is California SDI taxable?
In most cases DI benefits are not taxable, unless they follow unemployment benefits. Paid Family Leave benefits are taxable on your federal return only.
Does Paid Family Leave protect my job?
No. DI and PFL pay benefits but do not provide job protection. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act may protect your job.
- Sources: EDD, Calculating DI and PFL Benefit Payment Amounts (2026) · EDD, DI and PFL Weekly Benefit Amounts (DE 2588, 2-26) · EDD, Disability Insurance Provisions (DE 2515) · EDD, State Disability Insurance Program (DE 8714C, 6-26) · California Unemployment Insurance Code sections 2653, 2655, 2656 and 3301 · EDD, rates and withholding · EDD, Tax Form 1099G.
- 🔄 Last updated September 26, 2026
Back to the full salary calculator · Related: California SDI rate · Disability benefits tax · Maternity leave pay · California salary · Sick leave accrual