California's paid family leave (PFL) provides wage replacement benefits for up to 8 weeks within a 12-month period for employees who take leave to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member, or assist during a family member’s military deployment.
Key Details about California Paid Family Leave
- The leave can be taken all at once or intermittently within a 12-month period.
- PFL offers partial wage replacement, ranging from about 70% to 90% of regular wages depending on income level, starting in 2025.
- The benefits apply to bonding with a new child by birth, adoption, or foster care placement, caring for a seriously ill family member, or dealing with family military exigencies.
- Paid Family Leave does not guarantee job protection itself but commonly is used along with protected leave under state or federal law like the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) or Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Thus, the official length of paid family leave in California is 8 weeks of paid benefit time per year , within a 12-month period.
