VDI Comparison

When evaluating your disability and paid family leave coverage, it’s important to understand how Pepperdine’s Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) plan compares to the California State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. This chart provides a side-by-side comparison of Pepperdine University’s 2026 Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) plan and the projected 2026 California State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. It highlights key differences in participant costs, claims processes, benefit timing, and available resources, offering employees a clear overview to understand their coverage options and make informed decisions.

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	2026 Pepperdine University VDI	2026 CA SDI
Cost to Participants	0.95% of earnings up to a maximum annual payroll deduction of $1,727.10	Forecasted 1.3% of earnings with no maximum annual payroll deduction
Maximum time to file a claim (from 1st compensable day)	60 days: Disability 60 days: Paid Family Leave	49 days: Disability 41 days: Paid Family Leave
Filing Process	Submit a claim online with Unum (Pepperdine-managed partner) at www.unum.com/claims or call 866-779-1054	Submit a claim online with the California Employment Development Department at edd.ca.gov or call 800-480-3287
Your Contact	The same Pepperdine-managed team at Unum every time	A different representative each time, long wait times within a call center
Additional Resources	Pepperdine's VDI Website	CA SDI Disability DE 2515 CA SDI PFL DE 2511
Disability Insurance provides benefits to individuals who cannot work due to an illness, injury, or pregnancy.
Benefits Begin	8th day of disability	8th day of disability
Weekly Benefit Amount¹	70%² of earnings to $1,710 weekly maximum	70%² of earnings to $1,710 weekly maximum
Maximum Benefit Amount	52 x Weekly Benefit Amount	52 x Weekly Benefit Amount
Paid Family Leave (PFL) provides benefits to individuals who take time off work to: care for a seriously ill child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or registered domestic partner bond with a new child entering their life by birth, adoption, or foster care placement or participate in a qualifying exigency related to the covered active duty or call to covered active duty of the individual’s child, parent, spouse, or registered domestic partner in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Benefits Begin	No waiting period	No waiting period
Weekly Benefit Amount¹	70%² of earnings to $1,710 weekly maximum	70%² of earnings to $1,710 weekly maximum
Maximum Benefit Amount	8 x PFL Weekly Benefit Amount	8 x PFL Weekly Benefit Amount

¹2026 CA SDI tax rate and maximum weekly benefit amount are projections published by the Employment Development Department (EDD) in the most recent Disability Fund Forecast. The EDD will confirm these parameters in November 2025.

²Employees who earned less than 70% of the state average quarterly wages during the highest earnings quarter in their Base Period will receive 90% of those earnings. When you report a claim to Unum, the EDD will notify you in writing of the minimum weekly benefit amount you can receive. You will never receive less than you would have received under CA SDI.