California State Disability Insurance (CASDI)
What is California State Disability Insurance (CASDI)?
CASDI or SDI is a short-term wage replacement program governed by the California Unemployment Insurance Code that offers financial assistance through two main components:
- Disability Insurance (DI): Supports workers who can’t work for over eight weeks due to non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy.
- Paid Family Leave (PFL): Provides time off to care for an ill family member, newborn child, or due to a family member’s military deployment.
California workers fully fund this program through state-mandated tax withholdings, and it ensures financial support when you need it the most.
To qualify for CASDI benefits, you must:
- Earn at least $300 in SDI taxable income during the claim base period.
- Be employed or actively seeking employment at the start of your leave.
It’s also important to note that employment type, length, and immigration status do not affect eligibility.
Under this act, the weekly benefit limit is adjusted annually. The current limit is up to $1,540.
Here is a table explaining it further:
| Highest Quarterly Earnings | Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) |
| Less than $929 | $50 |
| $929 – $5,998.57 | 70% of earnings |
| More than $5,998.57 | 60% of earnings |