How Much Does California State Disability (SDI) Pay?

California State Disability Insurance (SDI) offers partial wage replacement to eligible workers. This program supports individuals temporarily unable to perform regular or customary work due to non-work-related illnesses, injuries, or other health conditions, including pregnancy. Funded by mandatory employee payroll deductions, SDI provides a financial safety net during temporary disability.

Understanding Your Benefit Calculation

California State Disability Insurance (SDI) benefits are determined by past earnings during a defined “base period.” This 12-month base period typically spans 5 to 18 months before the disability claim began. Wages earned during this period must have been subject to SDI tax deductions.

The Employment Development Department (EDD) reviews earnings within this base period to establish your weekly benefit amount. The 12-month base period is divided into four consecutive calendar quarters, and the highest-earning quarter determines your average weekly earnings.

Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) is generally 60% to 70% of wages from your highest-paid quarter. For lower incomes, this can be 70% to 90% of average weekly wages. To qualify for benefits, you must have earned at least $300 in wages during your base period from which SDI contributions were withheld.

An initial seven-day waiting period applies to every new SDI claim. This means that benefits begin on the eighth day of your disability. The EDD processes claims, with payments typically beginning within two weeks of receiving a properly completed claim.

Current Benefit Amounts and Limits

California SDI benefits have minimum and maximum weekly payment amounts, adjusted periodically by the state. As of 2025, the maximum weekly benefit amount an eligible individual can receive is $1,681.

The minimum weekly benefit amount for SDI is $50. Regardless of how your earnings calculate, your weekly payment will not fall below this amount if you are eligible.

The overall duration of SDI benefits is also subject to limitations. For most claimants, benefits can be received for a maximum of 52 weeks for a single disability. However, the total amount paid for a claim cannot exceed the total wages earned in the base period, if that amount is less than 52 times the weekly benefit amount. Self-employed individuals who opt into Elective Coverage may receive benefits for a maximum of 39 weeks.

Receiving and Managing Your Payments

Once a claim is approved, recipients of California SDI benefits have several convenient options for receiving their payments. The EDD primarily offers payments through a debit card, direct deposit into a personal bank account, or by mailed check. Many individuals prefer the debit card, which allows for cash withdrawals or direct transfers to a personal bank account. Payments are typically issued bi-weekly, providing a consistent income stream during disability.

California SDI benefits are generally not taxable at the state level. However, these benefits may be subject to federal income tax if they are received as a substitute for unemployment compensation. In such cases, the EDD will issue a Form 1099-G to the claimant, indicating the taxable amount.

SDI payroll deductions, which fund the program, can be itemized on federal income tax returns. Claimants should be aware that certain deductions may be withheld from their payments, such as overpayments from previous claims. If a claimant works part-time while receiving SDI, their earnings may reduce the weekly benefit amount.