Paid family leave in California when a family member is on hospice

Paid Family Leave, CFRA and FMLA compared

Paid Family Leave replaces part of your pay. CFRA and FMLA protect your job. Many people use them at the same time.

Sources: EDD Paid Family Leave pages; Civil Rights Department CFRA quick reference guide; U.S. Department of Labor FMLA pages. All read November 9, 2026. When both a state and a federal law apply, you get the benefit of the more protective one.

Does hospice count for Paid Family Leave?

Yes. Paid Family Leave covers time off to care for a seriously ill family member, and a person on hospice has a serious illness by definition. The leave is for giving care: being there, helping with daily needs, getting to appointments, and keeping watch. It can be in your home, in theirs or in a facility.

How much does Paid Family Leave pay in 2026?

For claims in 2026, the EDD pays about 90% of weekly wages to people with lower earnings and 70% to people with higher earnings, from a minimum of $50 to a maximum of $1,765 a week. The EDD works it out from your highest-earning quarter in a base period about 5 to 18 months before your claim starts. The EDD calculator gives an estimate, and the EDD confirms the real amount when it approves the claim.

There is no waiting period for Paid Family Leave, so payment can start from the first day of leave. Benefits are paid for up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period. You do not have to take them all at once.

How to apply for Paid Family Leave

A care claim has three parts. You can file online through myEDD, which the EDD says is the fastest way.

1. Step 1

   File your part

   You, the caregiver, fill in your part of the claim online in SDI Online through myEDD, or on paper form DE 2501F (Part A). File no earlier than the first day of your leave and no later than 41 days after it starts, or you may lose benefits.

2. Step 2

   The person you care for signs their part

   The person on hospice fills in and signs the Statement of Care Recipient (Part C). If they cannot, their authorized representative can sign.

3. Step 3

   A doctor certifies the need for care

   The care recipient's physician or practitioner completes the Physician/Practitioner's Certification (Part D). It states the diagnosis and how long a family member's care is needed. The doctor can submit it online if you filed online, or it is mailed.

4. Step 4

   The EDD decides

   The EDD says it can take up to 14 days to decide once it has a complete claim, meaning every part filled in, signed and sent. It sends a notice of your weekly amount, then payment details if you are eligible.

What can the hospice do to help?

The hospice can help with the medical part of the forms. That part of a Paid Family Leave claim, and of an employer's CFRA or FMLA form, has to come from a licensed health professional who treats the patient. On hospice, that can be the hospice physician or the person's own doctor. Ask the hospice team at a visit which doctor will complete it, and give them the form early so it is back before the 41-day deadline.

The hospice social worker can help you sort out the forms and who signs what. If your employer asks for proof that your family member is on hospice, ask the social worker what the hospice can provide with the patient's permission. Call (877) 258-7129 and ask for the social worker.

Will I lose my job if I take leave?

Paid Family Leave on its own does not protect your job. CFRA protects it if your employer has 5 or more employees and you have worked there at least 12 months and 1,250 hours in the past year. FMLA protects it at larger employers. Under both, you get the same job or a comparable one back, and your employer keeps up its share of your group health coverage during the leave.

CFRA and FMLA leave can be taken in pieces, a few days at a time or a shorter work schedule, when that is what the care needs. Your employer may ask for a medical certification. Under FMLA you get at least 15 calendar days to return it. Tell your employer as soon as you can, and ask human resources how your PFL, CFRA and FMLA time will be counted together.

Before you start leave

• Ask human resources whether CFRA, FMLA or both apply to you, and get the employer's medical certification form.
• Check your pay stub for "CASDI", the State Disability Insurance deduction that makes you eligible for Paid Family Leave.
• Ask the hospice which doctor will complete Part D of the EDD form and the employer's form.
• File the EDD claim within 41 days of the first day of leave.
• Ask whether your employer requires or lets you use vacation or sick time during the leave.
• Keep copies of everything you send and the confirmation number from myEDD.

Common questions about paid family leave and hospice

Related guides

IHSS and hospice for paid help at home through Medi-Cal, respite care for a break for the caregiver, and what to expect in the first week.