How Much Will I Get on California Paid Leave? (2026 Guide)

You pay into California's paid leave system every paycheck. Look for CA-SDI on your paystub. That money comes back to you when you have a baby. Many parents just don't know how much to expect.

Here is how the state figures your weekly check in 2026, with real examples.

The short answer

California pays about 70% to 90% of your wages, up to a maximum of $1,765 a week in 2026. The minimum is $50 a week.

Lower earners get the higher percentage. Higher earners get a lower percentage, up to the weekly cap.

Which wages the state uses

The state does not look at your current paycheck. It looks at your base period. That is a 12-month window that ends about 5 to 18 months before your claim starts.

The state finds your highest-earning quarter (3 months) inside that window. Your weekly check is based on that quarter.

This matters if you got a raise, changed jobs, or worked part-time. Your check may not match what you earn today.

90% or 70%: where you land

For claims that start in 2026, the EDD chart works like this:

• Highest quarter up to about $16,280 (about $65,000 a year): you get about 90% of your weekly wages.
• Highest quarter between about $16,280 and $20,930 (about $65,000 to $84,000 a year): you get about $1,127 a week.
• Highest quarter above about $20,930 (about $84,000+ a year): you get about 70% of your weekly wages, up to $1,765 a week.

If your highest quarter is about $32,760 or more, you hit the $1,765 cap.

Real examples

These are estimates. Your exact amount comes from the EDD.

You earn $60,000 a year. Your highest quarter is about $15,000. That is about $1,154 a week in wages. At 90%, your check is about $1,038 a week.

You earn $100,000 a year. Your highest quarter is about $25,000. That is about $1,923 a week in wages. At 70%, your check is about $1,346 a week.

You earn $150,000 a year. Your highest quarter is about $37,500. You are over the cap, so your check is $1,765 a week.

How many weeks you can get paid

For the birthing parent, two programs stack:

• SDI (State Disability Insurance) pays while you recover. For a typical pregnancy, that is up to 4 weeks before your due date and up to 6 weeks after delivery, or up to 8 weeks after a C-section. Your doctor can certify more time if you need it.
• PFL (Paid Family Leave) then pays up to 8 weeks to bond with your baby.

Partners can get PFL too. That is up to 8 weeks of paid bonding time for the non-birthing parent.

Example: at $1,346 a week, 18 paid weeks adds up to about $24,000.

It may feel closer to a full paycheck than you think

70% sounds like a big pay cut. But your regular paycheck has taxes taken out. Your state check is taxed less:

• SDI payments are not taxed.
• PFL payments are not taxed by California. They are taxed federally.

So compare your state check to your take-home pay, not your gross pay. For many parents, the gap is smaller than they expected.

What changes your number

• When you file. Your claim start date sets your base period. Filing too early or too late can change which wages count.
• Your employer's benefits. Some employers add pay on top of the state check. Some use your vacation or sick time alongside it.
• Your delivery. A C-section or complications can add paid recovery weeks.

Your HR team usually explains federal FMLA. They often don't know the California details. That is not their fault. The state system is hard to see from the outside.

See what you qualify for

Want to know if you qualify and what your leave could look like? Take the free Paid Leave Quiz to see what California can offer your family.

Figures are based on the EDD's 2026 benefit chart for claims starting on or after January 1, 2026. This is education, not legal advice. Your exact benefit is set by the EDD.