Freelance or Self-Employed? You Can Still Get Paid Parental Leave in CA
If you’re self-employed, freelance, a 1099 contractor, or running your own one-person show, you already know:
You are the boss, the HR department, and the finance team—on top of being a brand, an operator, and probably the office janitor, too.
So it’s understandable if you’ve assumed that parental leave just isn’t an option for people like you.
But here’s the surprising truth:
If you’re a freelancer or self-employed in California, you can still qualify for paid parental leave.
This all started for me on a park bench.
When I was on my own parental leave, I was with a new mom-friend at the playground—an actress, totally self-employed. As we watched our babies steal toys and try to eat grass, she casually mentioned that she, too, was getting SDI payments during her leave.
Wait—State Disability Insurance? For freelancers?
That stopped me in my tracks. She explained that she had opted into California’s disability insurance program before she gave birth, and because of that, she was receiving wage replacement payments from the state—just like someone with a full-time job might.
That conversation sent me down a rabbit hole. And what I found? Way too many self-employed parents have no idea this benefit exists.
So how does it work?
California has something called Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC). It’s a program that allows self-employed individuals—freelancers, contractors, gig workers, small business owners—to opt in to the same benefits most W-2 employees get automatically.
If you enroll and contribute to the program in time, you may be eligible for:
Paid Family Leave (PFL) to bond with your baby
State Disability Insurance (SDI) to cover your income if you’re the birthing parent and can’t work due to pregnancy or recovery
Up to 60–70% of your income replaced during that time
A potential 7-month leave if you layer your leave strategically (we’ll show you how in our course)
The catch? You have to plan ahead.
If you’re already pregnant or already home with a baby, it might be too late to access all the benefits—but not always. There may still be options depending on your timing, income, and enrollment status.
The key is knowing about this before you need it—which is why it makes me a little ragey that no one’s talking about this at scale. These are real benefits that self-employed Californians already pay into (or can pay into)—and way too many new parents miss out.
Want to know exactly how to make this work for you?
That’s why we created Unlock Your Leave—a step-by-step course that helps California parents understand their rights and build a custom leave plan.
We’ll help you:
Understand if DIEC makes sense for your situation
Break down contribution costs, timelines, and eligibility
Maximize your time off and wage replacement
Plan your own “29 Stack”—the dream leave setup that gives you coverage and flexibility
If you’re building a business, a career, or a creative life on your own terms, your parental leave shouldn’t be an afterthought. You deserve time to recover, bond, and be fully present.
Jump into Unlock Your Leave and let’s make it happen.
