Many people don’t know they have State Disability.
That’s too bad, because it is a great benefit.
In California, State Disability pays about 2/3 of your wage, with a cap of $1540 per week. That’s almost six thousand dollars a month of benefits. It can last up to 52 weeks.
Other states have State Disability too. The chart below shows how much they can pay and last.
| Jurisdiction | How much it pays (% of wage) | Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount | Maximum Benefit Period |
| CA | 66% | $1540 | 52 weeks |
| HI | 58% | $697 | 26 weeks |
| NY | 50% | $170 | 26 weeks |
| NJ | 85% | $993 | 26 weeks |
| RI | 60% | $887 | 30 weeks |
| PR | 65% | $113 | 26 weeks |
A cousin of State Disability is Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML). It is available in District of Columbia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, State of Washington, and in 2023, Oregon. You don’t have to be disabled to get it; you only need to have a “serious illness.” However, they do not last as long as State Disability.
State Disability has been around for decades; PFMLs are like newborn babies. The cool thing about this new kid on the block is that most PFMLs provide both income and job protections. Yes, ever the disability system is (slowly) evolving.
~Andy Chu, Esq.
Andy Chu, Esq. 
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