In this section, we will define the different types of payments you may receive while you are out on leave. This section will also discuss the integration and restoration of your accrued leave. This section will also cover the County policies related to completing your timecard while on leave.

State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL)

SDI
  • Partial-wage replacement insurance plan for California workers and administered through the Employment Development Department (EDD)
  • State-mandated & funded through employee payroll deductions
  • Short-term partial wage replacement to eligible workers who suffer a loss of wages when they are unable to work due to a NON WORK-RELATED illness or injury, or a medically disabling condition from pregnancy or childbirth
  • Replacement of approximately to 60-70% of your salary earned 5 to 18 months prior to your claim effective date (for 2019, not to exceed the maximum weekly benefit of $1252)
    • Note: There is a 7-day waiting period before payment begins
  • Debit cards are generally sent by the State 3-4 weeks after forms are received by EDD
  • By filling in your claim completely and verifying that all information is correct, you are more likely to receive your debit card in a timely manner.
PFL
  • Provides Up to 8 weeks of parental bonding pay for California workers and administered through the Employment Development Department (EDD)
  • Can be taken immediately after SDI ends or anytime within the 1st year of birth or placement of an adopted or foster child
    • Note: There is no waiting period before PFL payment begins
  • The money will be loaded on a debit card by EDD.
SDI Application Completion

The County of San Mateo does not administer the SDI or PFL programs. These plans are administered by the State EDD.  The information in this section is provided to help employees.  Employees are solely responsible for properly filing a claim with the EDD and any issues with your claim should be addressed directly with the EDD.  Using the Controller’ office address will speed up the process of integration and restoration only if you elect to use your accrued time during this same period you are being paid the SDI/PFL benefit

SDI Forms
  • Complete an application online or you can obtain the hard copy packet from your department Payroll Specialist
  • Place the completed, signed form(s) in the envelope provided
  • Submit online or mail claim no earlier than 9 days and no later than 49 days, after the first day you became disabled
  • You can access the online application by logging in to the EDD webpage at: www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/SDI_Online.htm
    • Click on ‘Benefit Programs Online
    • Select ‘Login’ or ‘Register’
    • Register if it’s your first time using SDI online, or Use Existing Account if you previously had an account
    • Under Section A13 Use Controller’s office address as the mailing address: 555 County Center, 4th Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063
    • Under Section A26 - “If your employer(s) continued or will continue to pay you during your disability”
      • Indicate the type of pay:  Mark “OTHER” and put “LSDI” only (less SDI)

Payment for Average Pregnancy

SDI-related leave for average pregnancy:
  • Up to 4 weeks before the baby is born (1st 7 days is the SDI waiting period)
  • 6 weeks (regular delivery) to 8 weeks (C-section) after birth
  • A number of circumstances may impact that pattern, check with SDI about eligibility if you do not fit this pattern 
  • Will integrate sick, vacation, comp, holiday used by employee unless employee notifies Controllers’ via the form
Paid Family Leave
  • Up to 8 weeks of parental bonding
  • Can be taken immediately after SDI ends or anytime within the 1st year of birth or placement of an adopted or foster child
  • Can be taken in increments of 2 weeks 

Integration and Restoration

Employees who are on FMLA, CFRA or PDL covered leave are not required to use accrued paid leave balances.  But if they do, this process describes the integration of the accrued paid leave with the SDI or PFL benefits.

Integration
  • Integration or coordination of SDI or PFL benefits is a process in which the full SDI or PFL weekly benefit amount is paid to the employee and the employee is also paid wages from your available accrued leave to cover the difference between your normal wages and what you receive from SDI/PFL.
  • With this process, an employee could potentially receive up to 100 percent of their normal gross weekly wages for the period of time they are getting the SDI or PFL benefit
Restoration
  • Restoration is the process that happens as part of the overall integration process.
  • Since employees can use their accrual balances up front to be paid their regular wages, the restoration process allows employees the opportunity to “purchase” and “restore” some of those used accrual balances by using their payment they received from SDI/PFL to “restore” some of the previously used hours
  • The “restored” hours will be placed back into the accrual balance for the employee
  • The restoral process will only restore a portion of the hours the employee has already used from their accrual balances because SDI/PFL does not cover an employee’s full salary
Illustration:

Claim Effective Date

 11/10/2017

SDI Weekly Rate:

 $590

SDI Bi-Weekly Rate:

 $1180.00

Bi-Weekly Gross:

 $3088.80 (Hourly Rate: $38.61)

The difference between the Gross Bi-weekly and SDI Bi-Weekly:

 $1908.80

Restoration Amount:

 30.60 hours

If employee used 80 hours of sick leave =timecard code 035 for this same payroll period, the County would restore back 30.60 hours in their sick leave accrual bank of hours

Since the employee used their own accrual balances previously for this same pay period, the hours used previously would be restored back into the same accrual bank of hours previously used.

Restoration Formula:

Total SDI Bi-weekly Rate:

 $1180.00

Divided by hourly Rate:

 $38.61

Total hours restored:

 30.56 rounded up to 30.60

Note: Restoration hours are calculated beginning from the claim effective date indicated on the SDI/PFL statement. There is no restoration during the 7 day waiting period. In the example above, if you have available leave balances your paycheck will show:

Leave used:

 80.0 sick leave (or applicable leave) $3, 088.80

Adjust:

 SDI Payment    ($1,180.00)

Restore:

 30.6 hours

Actual Hours used:

 49.4

We will continue to integrate until available leave balances are exhausted or until the employee instructs us not to integrate. In this example, if you started with 100 hours, and you continue to receive SDI payments, integration can continue for 2 pay periods.

Additional Restoration Information
  • Unless you notify the Controller’s office in writing, all accrued leaves that you are using (sick, vacation, holiday or comp) will be integrated with your used SDI/PFL benefits.
  • If you choose to use accrued sick leave while receiving, SDI/PFL payments, you are required to integrate or risk losing your SDI/PFL payments.
  • Please provide a copy of the restoration form to your payroll specialist so they are aware of what hours you have NOT authorized to be used.
  • VTO cannot be restored

Timecard Coding/Accrued Leave

  • Employees are eligible to use their accrual balances such as Sick Leave, Vacation, Comp and Holiday during their leave.
  • Employee’s using their accrued leave will continue to receive a County paycheck. 
  • For employees receiving SDI or PFL payments, accrued leave can be integrated and restored as defined in the integration section noted above.
  • Employees that DO NOT wish to integrate vacation, holiday and comp hours should complete the Integration Form and submit to the Controller’s office prior to their leave
  • Using your accrual balances during the same time that you are covered under FMLA, CFRA or PDL leave is at the discretion of each employee.
  • Employees should either notify their department payroll clerk and/or supervisor with detailed instructions on how accrual time should be used while out.
  • Employees can also complete their timecards in ATKS in advance to specify how they wish to use their accrued leave while out.
  • Employees who do not notify their payroll clerk and/or complete their timecard in ATKS will be coded as “Leave Without Pay”