Need advice on transitioning from SDI to PFL after pregnancy - can I apply before disability ends?
I had my baby in December and I'm currently on State Disability Insurance. My disability claim end date is tomorrow (1/31), but I want to start Paid Family Leave right after that so I can bond with my baby. I'm super confused about the timing though - do I have to wait until my disability officially ends tomorrow before I can submit the PFL application? Or can I start the application process now? My HR person wasn't very clear and I'm worried about having a gap between benefits. Has anyone here successfully transitioned from pregnancy disability to PFL? How many days before your return-to-work date did you apply? I'm feeling stressed about potentially messing this up!
17 comments
Join the conversation
Lola Perez
You don't need to wait until your SDI claim ends to file for PFL. You should actually apply for PFL no more than 9 days before your disability claim ends. This gives EDD time to process your PFL claim without causing a gap in your benefits. Just log into your SDI Online account and select the option to file a Paid Family Leave claim. The system will see you already have an SDI claim and will treat it as a transition rather than a completely new claim. Make sure you have your baby's birth certificate information ready, though they might not ask for the actual document.
0 coins
Ethan Scott
•Thank you so much! This is such a relief. I was worried I'd have to wait until tomorrow to start the application. I'll log in right now and get this started. Do you know if I need my doctor to fill out any additional forms for the PFL part or is that only needed for the initial disability claim?
0 coins
Nathaniel Stewart
i did this last year and u can totally apply before ur disability ends!!! they make it pretty easy to switch over just make sure u specify its for bonding with the baby. my checks came right on time no gaps
0 coins
Ethan Scott
•That's great to hear you had a smooth transition! Did you have to submit any new documentation or did they just use what you already had on file from your disability claim?
0 coins
Riya Sharma
You should apply for PFL right away. The EDD website specifically states you can apply for PFL up to 9 days before you want your PFL benefits to start. Since you want them to start on 2/1 (after your disability ends on 1/31), you're actually cutting it very close. For a transition from pregnancy disability to PFL bonding, you won't need a new medical certification. You'll just need to provide information about your baby (birth date, name) and specify you're bonding. The system is designed to connect your existing pregnancy claim to the bonding claim. One important note: make sure your RETURN TO WORK date on your final SDI certification matches the day your PFL is supposed to start, otherwise you might experience delays.
0 coins
Santiago Diaz
•This is exactly what I did in May last year!! Had my baby in March, disability until May, then PFL from May-August. Applied for PFL about a week before my disability ended and it was seamless! No gaps in payment at all!
0 coins
Millie Long
The EDD system for transitioning from pregnancy disability to PFL is actually one of the few things they handle relatively well. But if you're cutting it THIS close (applying one day before transition), you might run into processing delays. If you can't get through on the phone to check your claim status, I highly recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was stuck in PFL processing limbo for weeks until I used their service to actually get through to an EDD rep who fixed my claim in minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd that shows how it works. Completely worth it when you're worried about paying bills and can't afford to wait weeks for EDD to figure things out.
0 coins
Ethan Scott
•Thank you for the tip! I've already tried calling EDD three times today with no luck. Just endless hold music then disconnection. I'll check out that service if I run into problems. Did you have any issues with your transition even though you applied in advance?
0 coins
Millie Long
•Yes, even though I applied a week before my disability ended, there was some issue with my account that caused a 3-week delay in processing my PFL claim. The frustrating part was that no one could tell me what was wrong because I couldn't get through on the phone. When I finally reached someone through Claimyr, they told me there was a verification flag on my account that just needed to be cleared manually. Fixed in 5 minutes once I actually spoke to someone.
0 coins
KaiEsmeralda
DONT WAIT TILL TOMORROW!!!! Apply NOW!!! EDD takes FOREVER to process these transitions even tho they're supposed to be seamless!!! I had a 3 WEEK GAP between my disability ending and PFL starting even tho I applied 5 days early!!! They'll backpay you but who can go 3 weeks with no income when you have a newborn?????
0 coins
Debra Bai
•This actually isn't typical. Most transitions from pregnancy disability to PFL happen without gaps as long as you apply within that 9-day window before disability ends. It sounds like there might have been an issue specific to your claim that caused the delay. While it's good to apply as early as possible within that window, there's no need to panic if you're applying even a day before. The system is designed to handle these transitions efficiently.
0 coins
Santiago Diaz
i got sooooo confused when i did this last yr cuz EDD calls everything "disability" even when its differnt things. make sure ur selecting paid family leave (PFL) not disability (SDI) when u apply. i accidently tried to file another disability claim at first lol. just go slow and read everything twice!
0 coins
Ethan Scott
•That's a good tip, thanks! I'm definitely seeing all the different acronyms and terms being used interchangeably which makes it confusing. I'll double check that I'm selecting PFL specifically.
0 coins
Lola Perez
Just to update with accurate information: for a pregnancy-to-bonding transition in 2025, you can receive up to 8 weeks of PFL benefits after your pregnancy disability ends. Make sure to specify it's for bonding with your new child. The benefit amount should be the same as what you received for disability. And yes, definitely apply now rather than waiting until tomorrow - there's no benefit to delaying.
0 coins
Ethan Scott
•Thank you! I just submitted my PFL application and it went through successfully. It said I should expect processing to take 7-10 days but my benefits should start immediately after my disability ends. Such a relief! I appreciate everyone's help.
0 coins
Raúl Mora
Congratulations on your new baby! I just went through this exact same transition a few months ago and it was much smoother than I expected. You definitely made the right choice applying today rather than waiting. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure to keep checking your SDI Online account regularly over the next week or two because sometimes they'll request additional verification or documentation for the PFL portion. I almost missed a request for my baby's birth certificate because I wasn't checking frequently enough. Also, if you don't see your first PFL payment by the expected date, don't panic! Mine was delayed by 3 days but it was just a processing issue and I got the full amount. The transition really is designed to be seamless once you get through the initial application. Best of luck with your bonding time!
0 coins
Lucas Bey
•Thank you for sharing your experience! That's really helpful advice about checking the SDI Online account regularly. I hadn't thought about them potentially requesting additional documentation for the PFL portion. I'll definitely keep an eye on it over the next couple weeks. It's so reassuring to hear from people who have actually been through this process recently - makes me feel much more confident about the transition!
0 coins