The EDD manages the Unemployment Insurance (UI) and State Disability Insurance (SDI) programs for the State of California.

SDI includes Disability Insurance (DI), Paid Family Leave (PFL), and the Nonindustrial Disability Insurance (NDI) programs. NDI includes DI and Family Care Leave (FCL).

Claimants and employers must understand their roles and responsibilities in making sure that information is reported accurately and the correct benefits are paid

Unemployment Insurance

If you are out of work or have had your hours reduced, you may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

Requirements to Apply

When applying for unemployment benefits, you must have earned enough wages during the base period to establish a claim, and be:

Totally or partially unemployed.
Unemployed through no fault of your own.
Physically able to work.
Available for work.
Ready and willing to accept work immediately.

A base period is a specific 12-month term the EDD uses to see if you earned enough wages to establish a claim.

Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) ranges from $40 to $450.

Unemployment During COVID-19

The EDD provides a variety of support services to people who have lost their jobs, had their hours reduced, or had their businesses affected due to the impacts of COVID-19 in California. Learn More >

Other Benefit Programs

CalFresh
CalFresh provides monthly food assistance to people and families with low income, including those who lost their job because of the pandemic. Visit GetCalFresh.org to apply online in 10 minutes. You will be interviewed by your county. If approved, you can get up to $204 a month in food benefits. Not eligible for unemployment?

If you’re not eligible for unemployment, you may be eligible for Disability Insurance, Paid Family Leave, or Nonindustrial Disability Insurance.

Disability Insurance

Disability Insurance (DI) provides short-term wage replacement benefits to eligible California workers.

DI does not provide job protection, only monetary benefits; however, your job may be protected through other federal or state laws such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the California Family Rights Act (CFRA).

Am I Eligible for Disability Insurance Benefits?

Disability Insurance (DI) provides short-term wage replacement benefits to eligible California workers.

You may be eligible for DI if you are unable to work and are losing wages because of your own non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy.

Requirements to File a Claim

In order to be eligible for DI benefits, you must:

Be unable to do your regular or customary work for at least eight days.
Have lost wages because of your disability.
Be employed or actively looking for work at the time your disability begins.
Have earned at least $300 from which State Disability Insurance (SDI) deductions were withheld during your base period.
Be under the care and treatment of a licensed physician/practitioner or accredited religious practitioner within the first eight days of your disability. The date your claim begins can be adjusted if it does not meet this requirement. You must remain under care and treatment to continue receiving benefits.
Complete and submit your Claim for Disability Insurance (DI) Benefits (DE 2501) no earlier than nine days after your first day of disability begins but no later than 49 days, or you may lose benefits.
Have your physician/practitioner complete the medical certification portion of your disability claim.
- A nurse practitioner may certify to a disability within their scope of practice.
- A licensed midwife, nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner may complete the medical certification for disabilities related to normal pregnancy or childbirth.
- If you are under the care of an accredited religious practitioner, you may download and print the Claim for Disability Insurance Benefits-Religious Practitioner’s Certificate (DE 2502) (PDF).

Additional Information

Citizenship and immigration status do not affect eligibility.
Your employer will be notified that you have submitted a DI claim. However, your medical information is confidential and will not be shared with your employer.
School employees are not eligible for DI benefits when receiving full wages or for school break periods unless they normally work another job during the school break for extra income.

Note: An independent medical examination to determine your initial or continuing eligibility may be required.

e closed on Monday, September 6 for Labor Day. Our Unemployment Insurance Customer Service phone lines are not available on state holidays, but EDD staff are still working to process your claims.

California Paid Family Leave

Paid Family Leave (PFL) provides benefit payments to people who need to take time off work to:

Care for a seriously ill family member.
Bond with a new child.
Participate in a qualifying event because of a family member’s military deployment.

If eligible, you can receive benefit payments for up to eight weeks. Payments are about 60 to 70 percent of your weekly wages earned 5 to 18 months before your claim start date. You will receive payments by debit card or check — it’s your choice!

PFL provides benefit payments but not job protection. Your job may be protected by other laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act.Apply for PFL

California workers may be eligible for Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits if they lose wages when they need to take time off work for family leave.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for PFL benefits, you must:

Be unable to do your regular or customary work.
Have lost wages due to the need to provide care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a new child, or participate in a qualifying event resulting from a family member’s military deployment to a foreign country.
- For more information about specific eligibility requirements for military family members, visit Paid Family Leave – Military Assist.
Be employed or actively looking for work at the time your family leave begins.
Have earned at least $300 from which State Disability Insurance (SDI) deductions were withheld during your base period.
Complete and submit your claim form no earlier than the first day your family leave begins, but no later than 41 days after your family leave begins or you may lose benefits.
Provide a medical certificate on your care claim for the seriously ill family member. The certificate must be completed by the care recipient’s physician/practitioner.
- A nurse practitioner or physician assistant may certify to the need for care within their scope of practice; however, they must perform a physical examination and collaborate with a physician or surgeon.
- If the care recipient is under the care of an accredited religious practitioner, you may download and print the Practitioner’s Certification for Paid Family Leave (PFL) Benefits (DE 2502F) (PDF).

Citizenship and immigration status do not affect eligibility.

Your employer will be notified that you have submitted a PFL claim. However, the care recipient’s medical information is confidential and will not be shared with your employer.

A serious health condition means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition of a patient that involves any period of incapacity (e.g., inability to work or perform other regular daily activities) or inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility and any subsequent treatment in connection with such inpatient care; or continuing treatment by a physician/practitioner. Unless complications arise, cosmetic treatments, the common cold, influenza, earaches, upset stomach, minor ulcers, and headaches other than migraines, are examples of conditions that do not meet the definition of a serious health condition for purposes of PFL.

An independent medical examination of the care recipient may be required to determine your initial or continuing eligibility.

School employees are not eligible for PFL benefits when receiving full wages or for school break periods unless they normally work another job during the school break for extra income.