Maternity Leave
If you're expecting a baby, you may qualify for pregnancy-related disability benefits and job protection, as well as baby bonding leave.
Family Leave
While maternity leave encompasses a wide-range of pregnancy-related needs and baby bonding time for expectant mothers, Family Care Leave is also available in California for fathers, same-sex spouses and registered domestic partners who are bonding with their newborn, adopted child or foster child during their first year. Learn more about Family Care and Parental Bonding Leave.
Maternity Leave
Benefits vary depending on your needs and desired time away. Attend a Maternity and Child Care Benefits Workshop to learn more about the options below. Note that within 60 days of your due date, you can request a Maternity Leave Calculation to better plan for how long you’ll be away.
| CATEGORY | MATERNITY LEAVE PRE PARTUM | MATERNITY LEAVE POST PARTUM | MATERNITY LEAVE BONDING | ADDITIONAL LEAVE TIME (BALANCE OF CFRA) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income protection | Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) for California residents or Short-Term Disability outside California. | Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) for California residents or Short-Term Disability outside California. | Paid Family Leave-Bonding | None | ||
| Length of time allowed | Typically begins 1-4 weeks before expected delivery date | Typically 6-8 weeks after delivery date (based on delivery type and doctor certification) | May be up to 8 weeks May be taken intermittently May use up to one year after birth of child | May be up to 4 weeks after FTD Leave | ||
| Documentation | Doctor Statement | Doctor Statement | Bonding Certificate | N/A | ||
| Hours that can be used (accrued time) | Use sick, PTO, floating holiday, vacation hours to augment insurance benefit | Use sick, PTO, floating holiday, vacation hours to augment insurance benefit | Benefits-eligible employees on leave for bonding receive 100% of base pay without using accruals for the first 6 weeks and may use accrued PTO, floating holiday and vacation hours during weeks 7-8 to augment insurance benefit. Non-benefits-eligible employees may use accrued PTO, floating holiday and vacation hours to augment insurance benefit. | May use only PTO, floating holiday and vacation hours No disability benefit or salary supplement during this period | ||
| Job protection | Protected under Calif. Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL), up to four months | Protected under CFRA (Calif. version of FMLA) and/or FMLA. If eligible, 12 weeks beginning first day after PDL ends | ||||
| Protected under Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). If eligible, 12 weeks beginning on first day of leave. | ||||||
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about Pregnancy-Related leave by reviewing Frequently Asked Questions.