Can My Partner Take Paid Leave in California? (2026)

It's Your Leave California partner paid leave guide

Yes. In California, partners can get paid time off to bond with a new baby. Dads, non-birthing moms and adoptive parents all count. Many partners never use it because no one tells them it exists.

Here is what partners can get, and how to plan it.

The short answer

Pay: up to 8 weeks through California PFL (Paid Family Leave), at about 70% to 90% of your wages, up to $1,765 a week in 2026.
Job protection: up to 12 weeks through CFRA (California Family Rights Act), if you qualify.
Timing: it must be used within 12 months of the birth, adoption or foster placement.

Who can get PFL as a partner

The EDD looks at a few things:

You earned at least $300 in your base period with SDI taken out. Look for CASDI on your paystub.
You are working or looking for work when your leave starts.
You welcomed a new child in the past 12 months.
You have not already used the full 8 weeks of PFL in the past 12 months.

You do not have to be the birthing parent. Each parent applies on their own claim, based on their own wages.

Who can get CFRA job protection

PFL pays you. It does not protect your job on its own. CFRA does. You qualify for CFRA if:

Your employer has 5 or more employees
You have worked there for at least 1 year
You worked at least 1,250 hours in the past year

Both parents can take CFRA, even if you work for the same employer.

Don't meet the CFRA rules yet? You may still be able to get PFL pay. Talk with your employer about a leave of absence. Many companies will approve one, and you can still file for PFL.

You don't have to take it all at once

This is where partners have the most room to plan.

PFL can be broken up. The EDD says you don't have to take all 8 weeks at once.
CFRA bonding can be taken in blocks of at least 2 weeks, with a couple of shorter exceptions allowed.

Some families stagger their leave. The birthing parent goes first. The partner starts when the birthing parent goes back to work. That can push back the start of child care by weeks or months.

Other partners take 2 weeks right after the birth, then the rest later in the first year.

How much partners typically get

Your check is based on your highest-earning quarter in your base period, a 12-month window that ends about 5 to 18 months before you file.

Earn about $65,000 a year or less: about 90% of your weekly wages.
Earn more than about $84,000 a year: about 70% of your weekly wages, up to $1,765 a week.

PFL is not taxed by California. It is taxed federally.

Example: a partner earning $100,000 a year gets about $1,346 a week. Over 8 weeks, that is about $10,800.

How to file

File your PFL claim through SDI Online at the EDD website.
File no earlier than the first day of your leave and no later than 41 days after it starts.
You'll need proof of relationship to the child, like a birth certificate.
Give your employer notice for CFRA. Ask HR how much notice they need.

Why partners skip it

HR teams typically talk about federal FMLA, which is unpaid. They often don't mention California PFL. That's not because they are hiding it. The state system is just hard to see from the outside.

The result: partners leave paid time on the table. You have already paid into this system with every paycheck. It is yours to use.

See what your family qualifies for

Want to know what both parents can get? Take the free Paid Leave Quiz to see what California can offer your family.

Based on EDD and California Civil Rights Department guidance as of 2026. This is education, not legal advice. Your exact benefits depend on your claim and your employer.