Sacramento, California – Ahead of Father’s Day, California officials are pointing to a striking change in how fathers are using time away from work to care for their newborn children.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced that bonding claims filed by men through California’s Paid Family Leave program have grown 1,905% since the program began in 2004, according to an analysis by the state Employment Development Department. The increase reflects a long shift inside California homes, where more fathers are taking an active role in the first weeks and months of a child’s life.
“As we take time to honor the fathers and father figures in our lives, it’s important to celebrate the newest dads and encourage them as they take up this new journey,” Newsom said.
“Strong families build a stronger California. Through our first-in-the-nation parental leave program, we’re leading the way for families to care for their newborns and care for each other.”
California’s Paid Family Leave program provides up to eight weeks of benefit payments for workers who take time off to bond with a new child through birth, adoption, or foster care placement. Since its launch, Californians have filed about 4.3 million bonding claims, with more than $19 billion paid in benefits.
The state says recent improvements have made the program easier to use and more financially realistic for families. Under Newsom’s administration, Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance benefits were strengthened, raising wage replacement to as much as 90% of regular pay for many workers.
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said the program shows California’s commitment to families. “California’s landmark paid family leave program is a strong reflection of our state’s values – that putting families first is paramount and supporting caregivers gives our kids the best start in life,” she said.
The numbers show how much has changed. In 2004, men accounted for just 18% of bonding leave applications. Two decades later, that share reached 51%. In 2025, California received more than 482,000 applications, the highest total in program history. From fiscal year 2023-24 to fiscal year 2024-25, the number of fathers choosing bonding leave rose 6%.
For Sacramento father Chiu Chiyabi, the program meant more than a benefit payment. After using Paid Family Leave last year to welcome his daughter, he said it gave him space to be present.
“I think it’s improved my mental health actually,” Chiyabi said. “In the sense that I can safely know that I can always be there and be present for my daughter. From the day she was born, I have been with her just about every day.”
New parents can learn more through California’s Paid Family Leave for Fathers page and apply online.