California SDI vs FMLA vs CFRA: Pay vs Job Protection

What is the core difference?

The simplest way to keep them straight is to ask what each one actually delivers.

• SDI = money. Short-term wage replacement, decided by EDD, no job protection.
• FMLA and CFRA = potentially job-protected time off, administered through your employer under federal and California law and governed by those statutes, unpaid by themselves.
• Clinician = clinical evaluation of condition and function, plus certification or documentation when clinically appropriate.

Side-by-side comparison

General framework only. Your situation depends on your facts, and the decision-makers listed below are the ones who apply the rules.

• SDI: what it provides — partial wage replacement, generally about 70 to 90 percent of prior wages for 2026, from $50 to $1,765 weekly, up to 52 weeks. Who decides — EDD. Job protection — no.
• FMLA: what it provides — up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for a qualifying serious health condition. How it works — administered through your employer, with entitlement governed by federal law and the facts. Typical thresholds — employer with 50 employees within 75 miles, 12 months of employment, and 1,250 hours in the preceding year.
• CFRA: what it provides — up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for a qualifying serious health condition. How it works — administered through your employer, with entitlement governed by California law and the facts. Typical thresholds — employer with 5 or more employees, 12 months of employment, and 1,250 hours in the preceding year.
• FMLA and CFRA together: when both laws apply to the same leave they may run concurrently, so having two laws does not automatically create 24 weeks of leave.
• Clinician: what it provides — evaluation, treatment, and clinically appropriate certification or documentation. Scope — clinical findings only, not legal eligibility.

Can I Get SDI and FMLA at the Same Time?

Yes. Someone may receive SDI wage replacement while also being on FMLA or CFRA leave, because the money and the job protection come from different systems. It is also possible to have one without the other. When FMLA and CFRA both apply to the same leave, they may run concurrently, so the existence of both laws does not automatically add up to 24 weeks.

EDD’s own FMLA and CFRA FAQs make the separation explicit: Disability Insurance is wage replacement, and job protection is a separate matter.

Does a mental health condition automatically qualify?

No. For SDI, EDD looks at whether the condition prevents you from doing your regular or customary work, along with its other requirements. For FMLA and CFRA, the condition must meet the legal definition of a serious health condition and you must meet eligibility rules such as tenure and hours.

U.S. Department of Labor guidance indicates that mental health conditions can qualify as serious health conditions when FMLA requirements are met, and that conditions such as anxiety or depression can qualify in some circumstances. That is a possibility, not an automatic result.

Who decides what?

Nothing about these programs is decided by a website or by a documentation service, including ours.

• EDD determines SDI eligibility, amount, and duration
• Your employer administers the FMLA and CFRA leave process; legal entitlement is set by the statutes and regulations applied to the facts
• Enforcement agencies and courts review disputes about legal rights
• Your treating clinician provides clinical findings and appropriate medical certification only

What should I do first?

If symptoms are affecting your work, the clinical question comes first: what is going on, and how is it affecting your functioning? Start with the confidential screener, and consult HR or an employment attorney for job-protection questions.