Disability & Maternity Leave

State Disability Insurance:

If you are planning on filing with the state for your disability, it is recommended to go online to start your claim. Please visit www.edd.ca.gov and click on “File for State Disability” located under the File & Manage a Claim heading. From there please select the SDI Online Registration to begin your claim. SDI (Form DE2501). Once you have completed your portion, you will be given a RECEIPT NUMBER. Please email this number to our Disability Coordinator, Vivian Lei at vivian@pacwomens.com. Please note: There is a $15.00 fee for completing any type of disability request form.

How Much Will the State Pay Me?

How much the state will pay you depends on your earnings leading up to your maternity leave. This link will give you an idea of how much you can expect to get paid. Remember, the first 7 days of any disability is NOT paid and is considered a “waiting” period. The State will pay you beginning on day 8 of your disability leave. The State will allow women to take off 4 weeks prior to her due date for NORMAL pregnancies. There are circumstances where your provider will recommend you stop working prior to this date. Regardless of when you stop working, the State allows for time off up to 6 weeks for vaginal deliveries and 8 weeks for Cesarean sections.

Important Things to Note:

The State is no longer accepting ‘future’ dated claims. You will need to file your claim on the “start” date of your maternity leave, or you have up to 49 days to file from your “start” date.

Also, while filing your claim you will need to indicate your last day worked in addition your ‘start’ date. These two dates cannot be the same as you cannot be disabled and be working. (Ex: If you last day of work is on a Thursday, you list your start date as the following day, Friday). If you do put the same date your claim will be null and you will be required to file a brand-new claim with appropriate dates.

If you have Employer Disability Forms. Please email them to Vivian at vivian@pacwomens.com, or fax them directly to her at (415) 379-9823. Be sure to indicate your last day of work, and the “start” date of your disability leave.

What is Paid Family Leave (PFL)?

Paid Family Leave (PFL), or also known as Baby Bonding, is six weeks of leave for any new parents of a biological child, an adoptive child or a foster child, and is paid by the State. You may utilize this six weeks of leave during the first year of the baby’s life, adoption, or within the first year of foster care. For patients utilizing their PFL benefits in conjunction with their SDI benefits, the State will send you these forms once your disability leave ends (your disability leave will end 6 weeks after birth for vaginal deliveries or 8 weeks after birth for Cesarean deliveries). There is no need for your provider to fill out PFL forms. You may fill it out and mail it to the State.

For people taking Paid Family Leave (PFL) that is not in conjunction with a maternity-disability leave (for example: partners and adoptive parents), the first 7 days of PFL is also not paid by the State as it too is considered a “waiting period”.

You do not have to take your 6 weeks of PFL consecutively. You may take a few weeks here and there as long as you take it within the first year. Any leave requested after the first year is not paid by the State. It’s a “use it or lose it” concept.

For further questions about your specific leave, please contact Vivian by phone at, 415.379-9600 option 2 or by email at vivian@pacwomens.com.