Gap between EDD SDI and PFL payments? Worried about missing weeks of income

theres supposed to be no gap if u do everything right. but EDD always messes something up lol. make sure u submit ur PFL claim BEFORE ur SDI ends not after

There shouldn't be a gap between SDI and PFL if you file correctly. You'll need to submit a new claim for PFL - it doesn't automatically transition. The key is timing: file your PFL claim about 9 days before your SDI claim ends, but not earlier than 49 days before you want PFL to begin. You'll need a different form (DE 2501FP) for PFL than you used for your pregnancy disability. Also, make sure your doctor accurately notes your recovery period on your final SDI certification. If they list your recovery as ending on a Friday, make sure your PFL starts the following Monday to avoid any gap days.

I went through this exact situation last year and there IS a gap but not how you think. When you transition from pregnancy disability to bonding leave (PFL), EDD requires a "new claim" which takes processing time. My disability payments stopped and there was about a 12-day period before my first PFL payment hit my account. The money was all there eventually (they backdate it), but there was definitely a temporary gap in the actual receipt of funds. If you're tight on money, plan for at least 2 weeks without a payment during the transition. One thing that helped me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually talk to a real EDD representative when my payments were delayed. Got through in about 25 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd

THERE IS DEFINITELY A GAP!! Don't listen to anyone telling you it's seamless! I had a FIVE WEEK gap between my SDI and PFL payments last year even though I did EVERYTHING right!! Filed at the right time, called constantly, and STILL had to wait forever with no income. The EDD system is BROKEN and no one there cares about moms who are just trying to survive!!!! They make it IMPOSSIBLE to reach anyone when there's a problem. I went through all our savings during that gap period. It wasn't backdated either - just LOST MONEY that I'll never get back. The whole system is rigged against us!!!

When I had my baby back in 2023, I had disability for pregnancy complications too. My friend had her baby around the same time but she didn't have any complications before birth. She got PFL right away but I had to switch from SDI to PFL and it was super confusing! I think it depends on your situation? I remember being really stressed about it all.

To properly transition from SDI to PFL in 2025, here's what you need to know: 1. SDI and PFL are separate benefits requiring separate applications, but there should be no gap in benefit eligibility if filed correctly. 2. For pregnancy, SDI typically covers 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after birth (depending on delivery type). 3. File your PFL claim approximately 9-10 days before your SDI benefits end, but not more than 49 days before you want PFL to begin. 4. Critical: Make sure your doctor's certification for SDI recovery period and your PFL start date align perfectly with no gaps. 5. While there should be no eligibility gap, there may be a processing gap of 7-14 days where payments are temporarily delayed during the transition. EDD will backdate payments to cover this period. 6. If your SDI ends on a weekend, make sure your PFL starts the very next day to avoid even a 1-2 day gap. 7. You'll need a different form for PFL (DE 2501FP) than what you used for pregnancy disability. 8. If you file through SDI Online, the system will connect your claims, but you still need to initiate the PFL claim separately. If you experience any excessive delays, contact EDD directly. Their current processing time for new PFL claims is 5-7 business days after filing.

my sister in law just went thru this whole process and she said theres no gap in eligibility but there might be a gap in when you actually get paid... something about processing time for the new claim? she budgeted for 2 weeks without payment just to be safe. also make sure ur doctor fills out all the pregnancy disability forms correctly!! her doctor put the wrong date and it caused a huge headache

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: If you're currently on SDI for pregnancy and plan to transition to PFL, be aware that the benefit calculation might change slightly. Both use the same base period wages for calculation, but if your SDI claim was filed in a different quarter than your PFL claim will be, there could be a small difference in your weekly benefit amount. This isn't common, but it can happen if your claims cross quarter boundaries.

I just went through this transition in late 2024 and wanted to share my experience! I was on SDI for pregnancy complications starting at 30 weeks, then transitioned to PFL after birth. Here's what actually happened: I filed my PFL claim about 10 days before my SDI was set to end, just like everyone recommended. There was about a 9-day gap where I didn't receive any payments while EDD processed the new claim, but then I got a lump sum payment that covered those missing days plus my regular PFL amount. The key thing that saved me stress was that I set aside money from my SDI payments specifically for this potential gap period. Even though the money was eventually backdated, having that cushion meant I wasn't scrambling to pay bills during the processing time. Also, make sure you have all your documentation ready when you file the PFL claim - birth certificate or hospital discharge papers showing you as the parent. I uploaded mine through the SDI Online portal and it was pretty straightforward. One last tip: if you're planning to take the full 8 weeks of PFL for bonding, make sure your doctor's certification for your SDI recovery period ends exactly when you want your PFL to start. My doctor initially put my recovery period longer than I wanted, which would have delayed my bonding leave, so I had to get it adjusted.

I'm going through a similar situation right now - currently on SDI for pregnancy complications at 28 weeks and my due date is in late April. Reading through everyone's experiences has been super helpful! It sounds like the consensus is to expect a processing gap of about 1-2 weeks even if everything goes smoothly, so I'm definitely going to start setting aside some money from my current SDI payments like @Chloe Boulanger suggested. That's such a practical tip! One thing I'm still confused about though - if I'm planning to take the full 8 weeks of PFL bonding leave, do I need to coordinate with my employer about when I'm "officially" returning to work? Or does EDD handle that part since both SDI and PFL are state benefits? I don't want to accidentally create issues with my job while I'm navigating this transition.

I just wanted to add one more thing that helped me during my SDI to PFL transition last year - keep screenshots or records of all your claim submissions and confirmation numbers! When I had a slight delay in my PFL processing, having those records made it much easier when I called EDD to check on the status. They were able to look up my claim immediately instead of me having to remember exact dates or trying to describe what I had filed. Also, if you're working with a high-risk pregnancy like it sounds like you are, make sure your doctor is specific about your disability dates on the forms. My OB initially wrote "unable to work until further notice" which caused confusion when I tried to transition to PFL. Getting them to put exact end dates for the disability period made everything much smoother. Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and the leave process! It's stressful to navigate but most people do get through it successfully.

As someone who just went through this transition a few months ago, I want to add that timing really is everything! I was on SDI for pregnancy complications starting at 34 weeks and successfully transitioned to PFL with only a 6-day payment gap. Here's what worked for me: 1. I filed my PFL claim exactly 8 days before my SDI was scheduled to end 2. Made sure my doctor wrote the specific end date for my disability recovery (not just "cleared to return to work") 3. Had all my documentation ready to upload immediately - birth certificate copy, hospital discharge papers The most important thing I learned is that even though there might be a short payment gap, EDD does backdate the PFL payments to cover that period. I got nervous when I didn't see a payment for about a week, but then received a larger payment that covered the gap plus my regular weekly amount. One tip that really helped: I called EDD about 3 days after filing my PFL claim just to confirm they received it and everything looked correct. The wait time was only about 20 minutes in the afternoon, and the representative was able to confirm my claim was processing normally. That peace of mind was worth the phone call! Budget for about 10 days without a payment just to be safe, but know that the money will come through. The system isn't perfect but it does work if you file everything correctly and on time.

I'm currently 29 weeks pregnant and on SDI for pregnancy complications, so this thread has been incredibly helpful! Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is really in the timing and preparation. I'm going to start setting aside some money from my SDI payments now to cover that potential 1-2 week gap, and I'll make sure to file my PFL claim about 8-10 days before my SDI ends. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who successfully transitioned, did you find it helpful to give your doctor a heads up about the importance of specific end dates on the disability forms? I want to make sure my OB understands how critical the timing is for the transition. Also, has anyone had experience with the process if you end up delivering earlier or later than your due date? I'm worried about how that might affect the timing of everything. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to figure this out from the EDD website alone!