California's state disability program pays between $50 and $1,665 per week, depending on your recent earnings

California State Disability Insurance (SDI) calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your average earnings over a 12-month period before your claim starts. The state uses a formula that replaces roughly 55 to 66 percent of your lost wages, up to a maximum that changes each year. For 2024, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,665. The minimum is $50 per week, even if your earnings were very low.

Your actual payment depends entirely on what you earned in the year before you stopped working. If you earned $30,000 that year, your weekly benefit will be much lower than someone who earned $80,000. SDI does not pay a flat amount to everyone—it pays a percentage of what you were making when you became unable to work.

Payments arrive by debit card (the EDD card) or direct deposit, typically every two weeks. The state does not mail checks. You must set up your payment method before your first benefit arrives.

Key Takeaways

  • Your weekly payment is calculated from your earnings in the 12 months before your claim, not from a fixed state rate.
  • The state replaces roughly 55 to 66 percent of your lost wages, with a maximum of $1,665 per week in 2024.
  • You must have earned at least $300 in the base period (the 12-month window) to receive any payment at all.
  • SDI pays for up to 52 weeks of disability, though some conditions like pregnancy may have different limits.
  • Payments come by debit card or direct deposit every two weeks, not by mail.

How the state calculates your weekly amount

California uses your base period—the 12 months when ready before you file your claim—to figure out what you were earning. The state takes your total wages during that year, divides by 52, and then applies a percentage. The exact percentage depends on your income level, but it generally ranges from 55 to 66 percent.

If you earned $40,000 in your base period, the state divides that by 52 to get roughly $769 per week in average earnings. Then it calculates 55 to 66 percent of that amount, which would be somewhere between $423 and $507 per week. That becomes your weekly benefit—unless it exceeds the state maximum, in which case you receive the maximum instead.

The state publishes a benefit table each year showing exactly what weekly amount corresponds to each income level. You can request this table from the Employment Development Department (EDD) or find it on their website. Knowing your base period earnings lets you estimate your payment before you file.

Minimum and maximum payments

The minimum weekly benefit is $50, even if you earned very little during your base period. You must have earned at least $300 total in that 12-month window to receive any payment at all. If you earned less than $300, you do not receive SDI.

The maximum weekly benefit changes each year. In 2024, it is $1,665 per week. This means that even if you earned $100,000 in your base period, the state will not pay you more than $1,665 per week. The maximum is set by state law and increases annually based on a formula tied to average wages in California.

Part-time workers, seasonal workers, and people who took unpaid leave during their base period all receive benefits based on their actual earnings during that 12-month window. There is no separate calculation for part-time status—only total wages matter.

How long California pays you

SDI typically pays for up to 52 weeks of disability within a 12-month period. This means you can receive benefits for one year from the date your disability began, as long as you remain unable to work and continue to meet the program's requirements.

Some conditions have different limits. Pregnancy-related disability usually covers four weeks before your due date and six to eight weeks after birth (longer if you had a cesarean section). Bonding with a newborn or newly adopted child is covered under a separate program called Paid Family Leave (PFL), which pays for up to eight weeks and uses the same weekly amount as SDI.

Once your 52 weeks end, SDI stops paying. If you remain unable to work after that, you may be able to file for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) through the federal government, though that is a separate program with different rules and a much longer approval process.

What counts toward your base period earnings

The state counts wages from any job you held during your base period, including W-2 employment and self-employment income. It does not count unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, or other government payments. It also does not count tips unless your employer reported them on your W-2.

If you changed jobs during your base period, the state adds up all your earnings from all employers. If you took unpaid leave, that time does not count as earnings—only the weeks you actually worked and were paid matter. Bonuses and commissions count if they were paid during the base period.

If you were not working during your base period because you were in school, caring for a family member, or unemployed, you may still have a base period if you earned any wages at all during that 12-month window. The state does not require you to have worked the entire year—only that you earned at least $300 total.

Taxes and how SDI interacts with other income

SDI benefits are not subject to federal income tax, and California does not tax them either. You do not receive a 1099 form, and you do not report SDI as income on your tax return. This is different from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which may be taxable depending on your total income.

If you receive other income while on SDI—such as part-time work, a pension, or investment income—it does not reduce your SDI payment. The state does not count other income against you. However, if you work and earn more than a certain amount per week, the state may consider you no longer disabled and end your benefits.

If you receive workers' compensation for the same condition that qualifies you for SDI, the state may reduce your SDI payment. The combined amount from both programs cannot exceed your average weekly wage. You should report any workers' compensation claim to the EDD when you file for SDI.

How to find out what you will receive

Before you file, you can estimate your payment by gathering your pay stubs or W-2 forms from the past 12 months. Add up your total gross wages, divide by 52, and then multiply by 0.55 (the lower end of the replacement rate) or 0.66 (the higher end). That gives you a rough range of what you might receive.

The EDD also publishes a detailed benefit table on its website that shows the exact weekly amount for each income level. You can look up your estimated base period earnings on that table to see what the state would pay you. This is not an official calculation—only the EDD can determine your actual benefit amount once you file—but it gives you a realistic idea before you explore.

Once you file a claim, the EDD will send you a notice showing your calculated weekly benefit amount, your base period, and the dates your benefits will cover. You should review this notice carefully. If the earnings shown are wrong, you can contact the EDD to correct them before benefits begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does California SDI pay for partial disability or reduced work capacity?

No. SDI requires that you be unable to work at all, or unable to perform your usual job due to your medical condition. If you can work part-time or in a different job, you do not meet the definition of disability under California law. The state does not have a "partial disability" benefit like some other states do.

What happens to my SDI if I go back to work before 52 weeks?

If you return to work and earn more than a small amount per week, the EDD will end your benefits. You must report any work or income to the EDD. If you work part-time and earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you may be able to continue receiving a reduced payment, but you should contact the EDD first to ask about your specific situation.

Can I receive SDI and Paid Family Leave at the same time?

No. You receive one or the other. If you are disabled due to pregnancy or childbirth, you use your SDI weeks. Once those end, you can then use Paid Family Leave to bond with your newborn. The two programs share the same 52-week pool, so the total time you can receive either benefit is 52 weeks in a 12-month period.

What if my earnings were very low during my base period?

If you earned less than $300 in your base period, you do not receive SDI. If you earned between $300 and enough to trigger the minimum benefit, you receive $50 per week. There is no exception for people with very low earnings—the program requires a minimum base period income to pay anything at all.

Does the maximum benefit amount change every year?

Yes. California adjusts the maximum weekly benefit each year based on changes in average wages. In 2024 it is $1,665, but it will be different in 2025. The EDD announces the new maximum in December for the following year. If you are already receiving benefits, your payment does not automatically increase—only new claims use the new maximum.