Disability Insurance Benefit Payment Amounts

about disability insurance benefits

Disability Insurance (DI) provides short-term wage replacement benefits to eligible California workers.

The most you can receive is 52 weeks of di benefits, for your own non-work-related illness, injury or pregnancy. your disability must also be certified by a doctor/professional.

calculation of benefit payment amounts

Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) depends on your annual income. Estimated as 60 to 70 percent of the wages you earned 5 to 18 months before your claim start date and up to the wba maximum.

Note: The start date of your claim is the date your disability begins.

we will calculate your wba using a base period. To receive these benefits, you must have paid state disability insurance during your base period and meet the eligibility requirements. you will see this as “casdi” on your pay stub.

what is my base period?

Review the following to find your base period.

You can get a general estimate using our online calculator.

estimate my benefit amount

note: the calculator is designed to provide an estimate only. your actual wba will be confirmed once your claim has been approved.

how your weekly benefit amount is calculated

if your highest quarterly earnings are:

• less than $929, your wba is $50.
• between $929 and $6,803.34, your wba is approximately 70 percent of your earnings.
• more than $6,803.34 , your wba is about 60 percent of your earnings.

what affects your payment amounts?

Your benefits may be reduced if you:

• has an overpayment of benefits from a previous unemployment insurance, paid family leave, or divorce claim.
• has back court-ordered child or spousal support payments .
• are working part-time, intermittently, or on reduced hours.

Note: Report all your income to avoid overpayments, penalties, and a disqualifying false statement.

do you have other circumstances?

You can request a special base period, if your current base period was adversely affected by:

• military service
• industrial disability
• trade dispute
• long-term unemployment

Contact di at 1-800-480-3287 for additional information if:

• You do not have enough base period wages. you may be able to establish a valid claim using a later start date.
• You do not have enough base period wages and you were actively looking for work for 60 days or more in any base period quarter. you may be able to substitute wages paid in other quarters.
• During your base period you served in the military, received workers’ compensation benefits, or did not work due to a labor dispute.

additional resources

For more information, review the following:

• disability insurance (di) and paid family leave (pfl) weekly benefit amounts (from 2588) (pdf)
• disability insurance (di) and paid family leave (pfl) weekly benefit amounts in dollar increments (from 2589) (pdf)