disability and leave programs

Here’s a comparison of the Chevron voluntary plan and the state program (SDI):

	Chevron Voluntary Disability Insurance Plan (the “voluntary plan”)	California State Disability Insurance Program (SDI)
Claim Forms	Your claim is handled as part of the Disability Management process. A separate claim form is not required.	A claim form is required for all claims. The claim form must be signed by your doctor. You must handle your claim directly with the state.
Benefit Payments	Benefit payments are included in your paycheck.	The state mails benefit payments to you. Expected benefits are deducted from your paycheck on a current basis. A delay could result in a lesser income until payment is received.
Waiting Period	No waiting period if your disability is due to an accident. If your disability is due to sickness, your benefits may begin on whichever day comes first: the day after a seven-day waiting period; however, the waiting period may be waived if the disability exceeds 14 days. the first day of hospitalization.	Your benefits may begin on the day after a nonwaivable seven day waiting period.
Benefit Amount	Maximum disability benefits are paid after three months of company service since your most recent hire date ($1,620 a week for a disability commencing in 2024), but not more than your full pay. Daily rates are the greater of one-fifth of the weekly rate for each scheduled workday or one-seventh of the weekly rate for each calendar day.	Benefits are based on your highest quarter of earnings in California during your base period and are approximately 60 to 70% of your weekly pay during that quarter, up to a maximum of $1,620 a week for a disability commencing in 2024. Daily rates are one-seventh of the weekly rate for each calendar day.
Employee Contribution	2024: 1.1% of wages up to $500,000 (includes PFL)	2024: 1.1% of total taxable wages (includes PFL)
Taxability of Contributions	Contributions are not deductible on your federal income tax return.	Contributions may be deductible if you itemize deductions on your federal income tax return.

If you want to change from the Chevron voluntary plan to the state program, or vice versa, complete form F-66 - California Disability Insurance Coverage Change Request Form. 

• Return the form to Payroll Operations at the address on the form. 
• The change is effective the first day of the next calendar quarter. 

Not sure which plan you're in? 

• Look at the lower left-hand corner of your paycheck advice or direct deposit statement. 
• If you’re in the Chevron voluntary plan, your statement or stub will show CA EE Voluntary Disability. 
• If you’re in the state program, your statement or stub will show CA EE Disability Tax.

 

• For more information and to compare the plans, refer to the California Disability Insurance Overview.
• For more information, including how these plans coordinate with your Chevron Short-Term Disability Plan benefits, go to the California Disability Plans section in the Short-Term Disability summary plan description.
• For more information about the state plan, please refer to the CA EDD Web site at http://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/.

All Chevron employees working in the state of California or seagoing or U.S.-payroll expatriate employee working in a non-U.S. location for a Chevron operating company based in California may be eligible for PFL benefits.

• To be eligible, you must have earned at least $300 in base period wages from which disability insurance deductions were withheld, and you must meet the rules and requirements described below.
• As a California employee, you participate in either the Chevron Voluntary Disability Insurance Plan or the California State Disability Insurance Program (SDI). In both cases, you are covered for PFL through your disability plan.

• During any 12-month period, an eligible California employee may receive up to eight weeks of PFL benefit payments.
• Whether you are enrolled in the Chevron Voluntary Disability Insurance Plan or SDI, PFL benefits will be paid at the SDI rate, which is approximately 60 to 70 percent of wages earned 5 to 18 months before your claim start date up to a maximum of $1,620 a week for a PFL absence commencing in 2024.
• There is a $50 minimum weekly benefit amount.

The PFL benefit payments you receive are taxable on your federal tax return, but are not taxable for state purposes. In addition, the PFL income is not considered regular earnings. This means that while you are receiving PFL benefits, your paycheck contributions to other employee benefit programs stop because you are considered to be on "unpaid" status.

Chevron benefits, including the Bonding benefit, run concurrently with applicable Chevron leaves and any similar federal, state or local leave laws. In cases where another applicable leave or law is available for a similar purpose and provides less than 100 percent of pay, the applicable Chevron benefit is used to make up the difference, if available.

• For example, if you are eligible for California PFL, which covers approximately up to 60-70 percent of your base pay (up to the maximum benefit amount as defined by the state requirements) and use it to bond with a new child, you'll receive partial benefits from both your PFL and Bonding benefit to receive up to 100 percent of your base pay. There is a transition period from July 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025. Learn more about this, including key considerations and example scenarios.
• The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) is a federal law that allows both male and female employees up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons, including to bond with a child following birth, adoption, or foster placement. FMLA protection runs concurrently with Short-Term Disability benefits and some leaves of absence without pay. Keep in mind, though, not all leaves are protected under FMLA.
• You can request up to six months of Chevron Family Leave to bond with or care for your newborn baby after your disability ends and you are released to return to work. 

The following rules and requirements apply to PFL:

• To be eligible for PFL benefit payments, you must experience a loss in wages as a result of the time you take off to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child.
• You must file a claim for PFL benefits no later than 42 calendar days from the first day for which you may be paid PFL. Time away from work can include consecutive days off and days off taken intermittently. 
• Proof of relationship documentation is required for all PFL benefit claims. This includes a birth certificate, adoption paperwork, a marriage license, or a California Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership. 
• Medical certification is required if the leave is to care for a seriously ill family member. You must also certify that there is no other family member ready, willing and able to provide care during the same period of time in the day.
• California Paid Family Leave does not provide job protection. However, your job may be protected if your absence qualifies under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) or the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). 
• If you are on unpaid status for longer than 31 consecutive calendar days, you will be placed on Chevron Family Leave without Pay. 

The process for requesting PFL benefits depends on whether you participate in the California State Disability Insurance Program (SDI) or the Chevron Voluntary Disability Insurance Plan. Benefits will not be paid until all documentation is received and approved.

If you participate in the Chevron Voluntary Disability Insurance plan

Your benefits are administered by Chevron’s absence management partner. To request PFL benefits, follow these steps:

1. Notify your supervisor.
2. Review the Disability Management process and download the appropriate PFL forms.
3. Complete the forms and collect the required documentation.
4. Contact Chevron's absence management partner. 
5. You will not be paid PFL benefits until you meet all eligibility requirements and provide all required documentation. There is no guarantee that your request for benefits will be approved. PFL benefits are never payable under the Chevron Voluntary Disability Insurance Plan when they would not be payable under SDI. 
6. If your request is approved, your benefits will be paid by Chevron payroll.

If you participate in the California State Disability Insurance Program (SDI)
Your benefits are administered by the state of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). To request PFL benefits, follow these steps:

1. Notify your supervisor. 
2. Call 1-877-BE-THERE (1-877-238-4373) or visit their website at www.edd.ca.gov/Disability.
3. If your request is approved, your benefits will be paid by the state of California. 

You can find general information about California Paid Family Leave on the EDD website at www.edd.ca.gov/Disability.

Time off for California PSL must be taken in a minimum of 2-hour increments. Eligible employees may use California PSL for:

• Themselves or an eligible family member for the diagnosis, care or treatment of an existing health condition or preventive care.
• Specified purposes for an employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

For purposes of California PSL, eligible family members include the employee's parents, children, spouse, registered domestic partner, grandparents, grandchildren and siblings.
 
Unused California PSL cannot be carried over from year to year or cashed out at termination or retirement. If you are rehired within one year, previously unused California PSL will be reinstated.

You report paid sick leave just as you do when you're sick. That is, to your supervisor and, if needed, to a time administrator. However, you report that the time off is to care for yourself or a family member. The same rules that apply when you're ill apply to the care of a family member. For example, if your management requires documentation, such as a doctor's certification for an illness, management may require the same information for your family member's illness. 

Your supervisor is responsible for ensuring that absences are correctly recorded as qualifying for California PSL.

Chevron's absence management partner does not handle absences under California Paid Sick Leave, unless the absence also qualifies as an FMLA-protected absence. If you think your absence may qualify for protection under FMLA, you should also follow the Disability Management process so that you're eligible for any job protection that may be available under FMLA.

This California Paid Sick Leave quick reference outlines the actions required and responsible parties related to California PSL.

The leave can be taken intermittently or at a reduced schedule. And the time off may also count as job-protected under FMLA. However, time off for pregnancy or a pregnancy-related disability that is job-protected under FMLA does not count against the 12 weeks of time off that is available under CFRA.

For more information about the California Family Rights Act, please refer to the CA Fair Employment and Housing website at www.dfeh.ca.gov/Employment.