Can EDD take PFL benefits to pay off unemployment overpayment debt?

Yes, unfortunately EDD can and does offset benefit payments from one program to pay off overpayments from another program. This is because all EDD benefit programs (UI, SDI, PFL) are administered by the same department. If you owe money to one program, they can take it from payments you're eligible for under a different program. It's actually in California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 2739.

omg this happened to my cousin too!! soooo frustrating. she had to make some kind of payment plan with them i think?

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST US!!! they take ur money when THEY make a mistake and then make YOU pay for it when u need it most. classic EDD garbage. i had the SAME THING happen with disability. they said i was overpaid by $2300 from THREE YEARS AGO and just started taking my checks!!! no warning!! NOTHING!!!

You can request an overpayment waiver if repaying would cause extraordinary hardship. Look for the DE 1446W form on the EDD website. You'll need to document your financial situation showing that losing your PFL payments would cause significant hardship - especially with a newborn. Also, you can request a payment plan instead of them taking 100% of your benefits. Call the UI overpayment department directly at 800-676-5737 to discuss your options. If the overpayment wasn't your fault (no fraud involved), you have a much better chance of getting a waiver approved.

I've been through this exact situation after my twins were born last year. If you can't get through on the phone, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an actual EDD agent when I was dealing with my overpayment issue. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Once I got through to someone, I was able to set up a payment plan where they only took 25% of my PFL benefits instead of all of it. Made a huge difference during my leave. The key is actually talking to someone who can help, which is the hardest part.

my brother had this problem too and he just gave up trying to fight it. EDD always wins these things.

Quick update: I used Claimyr to get through to EDD yesterday (THANK YOU for that tip!!) and spoke with an agent who was actually really helpful. She explained that I can submit the DE 1446W waiver form AND request a temporary payment plan while the waiver is being processed. She said with a newborn, I have a good case for a hardship waiver. I'm filling out all the paperwork today and submitting it. Fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for your help!

wait so does this happen with disability too? like if u owe unemployment money can they take ur disability payments?

When I had my overpayment issue, I wrote to my state representative's office and they helped intervene. Worth trying if the regular channels don't work.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress while caring for a newborn! I went through something similar last year and it was incredibly overwhelming. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every phone call, including dates, times, and the names of representatives I spoke with. Also, when you submit that DE 1446W form, make sure to include detailed documentation of your monthly expenses - rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, baby supplies, etc. The more specific you can be about how losing your PFL payments creates genuine hardship, the stronger your case will be. EDD seems to respond better when you can clearly show the financial impact in numbers. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by advocating for yourself and your family!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Had my daughter 3 weeks ago and EDD is holding my PFL payments for an overpayment from 2022 that I didn't even know existed. It's beyond frustrating when you're already sleep-deprived and trying to care for a newborn. Reading through all these responses gives me some hope though - I had no idea about the DE 1446W form or that you could request partial payment plans. Going to try the Claimyr service tomorrow to actually get through to someone. It's crazy that we have to jump through so many hoops when we're already in such a vulnerable situation with new babies. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I went through this exact situation 6 months ago and it was absolutely devastating at the time. EDD withheld my entire PFL payment for an overpayment I didn't even know about until they took my money. Here's what worked for me: I submitted the DE 1446W hardship waiver AND immediately called to request a payment arrangement while the waiver was being processed. The key is to be very detailed about your baby expenses - formula, diapers, medical copays, childcare if you're planning to return to work, etc. I also included a letter from my pediatrician stating that financial stress could impact my ability to care for my newborn. It took about 6 weeks, but my hardship waiver was approved and they released the held payments. Don't give up - they do approve these waivers, especially for new parents. The system is definitely broken, but there are ways to work within it. Document everything and keep pushing!