How to Use California’s Paid Family Leave for Family Caregiving

September 11, 2026

Are you struggling to balance work and caregiving? There are so many doctor’s appointments, assistance with rides, the complicated medication schedule, the IV line that needs to be placed, and help needed around the home for meals and chores.

If you see a line on your W2 that says CASDI (CA State Disability Insurance), that means that you have been paying into California’s Paid Family Leave program. This entirely employee funded program allows you to take 8 weeks a year to care for a seriously ill parent, child, spouse, registered domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling and receive partial pay (70-90%) from the Employment Development Department. You may also take up to 12 weeks a year of unpaid, job protected leave to care for any extended or chosen family member, and in mid-2028 these important relationships will also be covered under the 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave too thanks to the passing of SB590.

It can be challenging to decide exactly when you want to take this temporary leave, but if your family member needs assistance, and you would like to have more time available, it is worth considering. The 8 weeks of leave resets each year and can’t be banked, so if you need it now, it may not make sense to “save it for an emergency.”

Another option is to take the leave intermittently. You can take 2 weeks off 4 times a year, or if you work full time, you could take 6 hours off every week (40 hours X 8 weeks = 320 hours/52 weeks in a year = 6.15). There are a variety of ways the care leave can be broken down, based on the needs of you and your family. If you would like to take your 8 weeks intermittently, you can learn more about how to do this here: https://legalaidatwork.org/guides/how-to-apply-for-intermittent-paid-family-leave-to-care-for-an-ill-family-member-in-california/

For more information about Paid Family Leave generally: 

https://www.paidfamilyleave.org/understanding-paid-leave
https://www.workfamilyca.org/california-paid-family-leave-for-caregivers

To get an estimated wage replacement amount: https://edd.ca.gov/en/disability/PFL_Calculator/

APPLY: https://edd.ca.gov/en/disability/paid-family-leave/caregivers/