For working expecting parents who pay into state disability
Having a baby in California and working? You have access to the longest paid leave program in the US.
Your work is not responsible for helping you figure it out. They will likely tell you 12 weeks. Unpaid. In California, a birth parent can get up to 29 weeks off. The state can pay you 70% to 90% of your pay for much of it. Your partner can get paid time off too.
But you have to ask for it. In the right order. On time. The Paid Leave Blueprint gives you the plan. Your dates. Your steps. Your pay. Done in one weekend.
Get my leave plan$397 for both parents. Or 4 payments of $99 with Klarna or Afterpay.
Brittney O'Brien, founder, and her son Jackson
Start here
3 things no one tells you when you get pregnant.
Most parents find these out too late. Planners find them out now.
The state pays you. Not your boss.
A little money comes out of every paycheck for this. When you have a baby, the state sends you checks. Your boss does not have to pay you anything.
Your job is saved while you are out.
Two California rules hold your job for you. Together they can give a birth parent up to 29 weeks off. That is more than 6 months.
You must ask, in order, on time.
None of it happens by itself. There are 4 programs, 3 forms, and real deadlines. Miss one and you can lose weeks of pay. That is what the plan is for.
Quick check. 10 seconds.
Look at your paystub. Do you see "CA-SDI"?
If yes, you already pay for paid leave. A little money comes out of every check. About 1%. That money pays you when you have a baby.
YOUR PAYSTUB
Deductions
This line is your paid leave. The state pays you. Not your boss.
This is for you if
You work in California and get a W-2 paycheck
You are having, adopting, or fostering a baby
You are the birth parent or the partner
You are new at your job or have been there for years
This is not for you if
You work outside California
You are self-employed with no CA-SDI on your paystub
You work for the federal government
Why parents miss out
HR gives you a PDF. Not a plan.
It is not their fault. HR only has to tell you about 1 rule, the federal one. The state runs the pay part. No one puts it all together for you.
What HR says
"You get 12 weeks."
That is FMLA. It is a rule for the whole country. It is unpaid. California adds more time on top for many parents.
What HR says
"Here is the EDD website."
The EDD is the state office that pays you. The site has no steps and no dates. You must file things in the right order.
What HR says
"When are you coming back?"
Hard to answer when you don't know what you can take yet. The Blueprint gives you that answer first.
29
weeks off, at most, for a birth parent
70–90%
of your pay, from the state
8
paid weeks, up to, for the partner
$0
your boss has to pay you by law
For people who hate surprises
Dates you cannot miss.
These are the clocks that run while you are busy having a baby. No one sends a reminder. The Blueprint puts each one on your calendar.
30 days
Tell work before your last day
Give notice at least 30 days ahead when you can. It keeps your job safe.
Day 9
File with the state, not sooner
File after you stop work, not before. Filing early is a top reason people get denied.
49 days
Last chance to file
Miss this window after your leave starts and you can lose pay for good.
41 days
Switch to bonding pay
A form lands in your inbox with no email. Send it back on time or your checks stop.
For planners
Your leave, week by week.
Like a checklist? Good. Here is what the Blueprint has you do, and when. The sooner you start, the more choices you have.
Right nowAny week
Learn what you can get
Watch the course. It takes about 90 minutes. You learn the 4 California programs in plain words.
Weeks 20 to 28Of pregnancy
Build your plan
Put your due date in the calendar tool. It shows your last day of work, when to file, and when you go back. It also shows your partner's dates. Then check your weekly pay estimate so you can budget.
About 30 daysBefore your last day
Tell work
Walk into HR with your dates written down. You get the words to say. No guessing.
Your last dayUp to 4 weeks before your due date
Stop work, then file
File with the state after you stop working. Filing too early is a common reason people get denied.
After babyBirth to about 8 weeks
Heal, then switch to bonding pay
A new form shows up in your EDD inbox. You will know what it is and when it is due, so your pay does not stop.
The restUntil you go back
Bond with your baby
Your partner takes their weeks during or after yours. Questions come up? Bring them to weekly office hours.
Every family's dates are different. This is a general guide, not your plan. The Blueprint builds yours.
What your plan looks like
Type in your due date. Get every date.
Here is a real example from the Blueprint calendar tool. Baby is due Nov 21, 2026. The last day of work is Oct 22.
File with the state on Oct 30, 2026
That is 9 days after your last day. Not before. Filing too early is a top reason claims get denied.
Plan A
Standard
22.4 weeks
Before baby
Oct 22 to Nov 21
Rest before birth. Paid by state disability. You choose if you take it.
Paid
Healing
Nov 22 to Jan 2
6 weeks to heal after birth. Tell the state how and when baby came.
Paid
Bonding
Jan 3 to Feb 27
8 weeks with baby. Starts the day after healing pay ends.
Paid
Extra time
Feb 28 to Mar 27
Up to 4 more weeks. Your job is saved. You only tell work.
Unpaid
Plan B
With more time to heal
29.3 weeks
Before baby
Oct 22 to Nov 21
Same as Plan A.
Paid
Healing
Nov 22 to Jan 2
Same as Plan A.
Paid
More healing
Jan 3 to Feb 20
Up to 6.9 more weeks if your doctor says you need more time to heal, in body or mind. Ask before healing pay ends.
Paid
Bonding
Feb 21 to Apr 17
8 weeks with baby. It moves later, so you lose none of it.
Paid
Extra time
Apr 18 to May 15
Up to 4 more weeks. Your job is saved.
Unpaid
This is an example. Your dates depend on your due date, how you deliver, and your job.
Try your number
What would the state pay you?
Tap your pay. This uses the EDD's 2026 chart.
Tap your yearly pay
Your weekly check from the state
~
of your pay. No tax on SDI.
If you just do the basics
6 wks post-birth disability + 8 wks paid family leave
With a plan
4 wks pre-birth disability + 6 wks post-birth + up to 7 wks paid extension + 8 wks paid family leave
Planning it right could mean ~ more from the state. The Blueprint is $397.
A guess to help you plan, not a promise. The state uses your highest 3 months of pay from the past 5 to 18 months, not your yearly pay. Your real number depends on your dates, how you deliver, and your doctor. The Blueprint shows you how to check it.
Made for both of you
What each parent can get.
Both of you get time. It does not matter who gave birth.
The birth parent gets time to heal, then time to bond. The partner gets time to bond too. You can take it at the same time, or one after the other.
Line them up right and your baby is home with a parent for many more months. Both of you keep your jobs.
One way two parents can line up their time off
Birth parent
Partner
Baby is home with a parent for more months. Both of you keep your jobs.
Up to 29 weeks off
Up to 70% to 90% of your pay from the state
At least 17 weeks off, even if you are new at your job
Up to 29 weeks off after 1 year at your job
Up to 12 weeks off
Up to 8 of those weeks paid by the state
It does not matter who gave birth
Take your weeks during or after your partner's
What you get
3 tools. 1 finished plan.
1
The course
About 90 minutes. All 4 California programs, in the order you file them. No legal words.
2
The leave calendar
Type in your due date. See every date you need, for both parents. See about how much you will get each week.
3
12 months of office hours
A live call each week. Baby came early? Claim denied? Bring it. Every call is recorded.
Plan A. Every date, in order.
Plan B. Same tool, more time to heal.
Your checklist when you finish
Your last day of work
The day to file, and each form after that
About how much you get each week
Your partner's dates
What to say to HR
Your date to go back to work
$397 for both parents
Or 4 payments of $99 with Klarna or Afterpay. You get full access right away. That is about $33 a month for 12 months of help. Missing 1 week of pay can cost more.
From Blueprint parents
They stopped guessing.
"I had a total of 7 months of maternity leave, 6 months paid. I recommend all moms-to-be take this course."
Blueprint parent
Registered Nurse · Bay Area
"I almost went back at 8 weeks. The Blueprint showed me I had 6 months coming to me. Knowing my number changed everything."
Blueprint parent
Customer Service Rep · Los Angeles
"My HR rep had no idea California stacked on top of FMLA. I walked in with my calendar. I took 7 months."
Blueprint parent
Pharmacist · Sacramento
Blueprint parents typically report about 6 months off, paid, with their job saved. Your number depends on your job, your pay, and your dates.
Why I built this
Hi, I'm Brittney. My claim got denied.
When I told work I was pregnant, I got a PDF and a link. Then the state denied my claim. No one caught it.
My pay stopped. I spent a month on hold at 8am with my newborn on my chest.
I left 20 years in tech sales to fix this. I have now helped 1,100+ California families plan their leave. The Blueprint is that help, made into steps anyone can follow.
Mistakes the Blueprint helps you avoid
The EDD says
Claim Denied: Still Working
What it means
You filed too early. It can be fixed.
The EDD says
Notice of Computation
What it means
This is your weekly pay. Check that it is right.
The EDD says
DE 2501FP
What it means
The form that switches you to bonding pay. Miss it and pay stops.
Questions
Before you decide
When should I start?
As soon as you know you are pregnant. Weeks 20 to 28 is a great time. You can still use it later. Even after baby comes, it helps you keep your pay going.
Can't I figure this out myself?
Yes. It is all public. It can also take 20 to 40 hours across 4 state websites. The hard part is the order and your own dates. Those are not posted anywhere. Filing 2 weeks late can mean weeks with no pay.
Can't AI just tell me?
AI can explain the words. It does not know your due date, your pay, or your job's benefits. It will not give you a calendar or help when your claim gets denied. Office hours will.
Does my partner need to buy it too?
No. $397 covers both parents.
What if my baby comes early?
Your dates change. Update them in the calendar tool. Then bring questions to office hours. That is what they are for.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is education. It's Your Leave is not a law firm and is not part of the EDD. It teaches you how the programs work so you can make your own plan.
This is what the time is for.
Not hold music. Not forms at 3am. Just you and your baby.
Plan your leave now. Rest later.
Know your weeks. Know your pay. Know every date. Then spend your leave with your baby, not on hold with the state.
Get my leave plan$397 for both parents. Or 4 payments of $99 with Klarna or Afterpay.
