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Hey Zoe! I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. The key thing is to be super clear with EDD that your severance is a one-time separation payment, not ongoing wages. When I called, I specifically said "This is a lump-sum severance payment for separation, not continuation of salary" and had my severance letter ready to reference. Also, make sure your former employer coded it correctly on their end - they should report it as severance, not regular wages. If there's any confusion, ask for a corrected form from HR. One more tip: if the first EDD rep doesn't seem to understand, politely ask to speak with someone else or a supervisor. Some agents are more familiar with these situations than others. You've got this! 💪
This is super helpful! @Zoe Alexopoulos - definitely save this advice. The part about making sure your former employer coded it correctly is crucial. I had a friend who got denied initially because HR messed up the coding on their end. Once they fixed it and resubmitted, everything went smoothly. Thanks for sharing your experience @Alina Rosenthal! 🙏
Just wanted to add - if you're still having trouble getting through to EDD by phone, try their online contact form first. Sometimes they respond faster to written inquiries, and you'll have a paper trail of your communication. Also, check if your former employer has an HR hotline or benefits specialist who can help clarify how they reported your severance payment. I had to go back to my old company twice to get the right documentation, but it was worth it in the end. The whole process is frustrating, but don't give up! You're entitled to both benefits if everything is coded correctly.
Thanks for the tip about the online contact form! I've been banging my head against the wall trying to get through on the phone. Quick question - do you remember roughly how long it took them to respond to your online inquiry? I'm dealing with a time-sensitive situation and trying to figure out if I should keep calling or go the online route. Also, when you say "paper trail," did you save screenshots or did they send you confirmation emails?
Sending positive vibes your way, OP! 💖 Dealing with this stuff while also managing family medical issues is so stressful. Hope you get it sorted out soon!
I went through something similar a few months ago and it was such a headache! Turns out I was mixing up FMLA (which is unpaid job protection) with my state's Paid Family Leave program. Since you're dealing with California EDD, you might be thinking of California's PFL program, which does provide partial wage replacement. The key is figuring out which program you actually applied for and then tracking down the right department. I'd suggest checking your original paperwork to see exactly what you filed for - it made all the difference for me once I got that sorted out!
I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis. This is such a difficult time for your family. Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - since you mentioned your mom has 4-6 months and you're planning to use leave intermittently, you might want to also look into whether your company offers any additional bereavement leave policies. Some employers provide separate bereavement time that wouldn't count against your FMLA/CFRA allotment. Also, if your mom becomes eligible for hospice care, many hospice organizations have family support services and resources that can help you navigate this journey. You're doing everything right by getting the paperwork sorted out early. Take care of yourself too during this process.
That's really thoughtful advice about bereavement leave - I hadn't even thought about that. I'll definitely ask HR if we have any separate bereavement policies that wouldn't count against my FMLA time. The hospice resources suggestion is also really helpful. I know it's still early, but having that information ahead of time will probably make things easier when we get to that point. Thank you for thinking of all these details during such an overwhelming situation.
I'm really sorry about your mother's diagnosis. Going through this myself right now with my father-in-law who has pancreatic cancer. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - when you file for PFL, make sure your mom's doctor is very specific on the DE2501F form about her need for care. Don't let them just write something vague like "patient has cancer." EDD wants to see details about why she specifically needs assistance with daily activities, transportation to treatments, etc. My first claim got delayed because the doctor's form was too general. Also, if your mom qualifies for Medicare or has other insurance changes during treatment, that might affect some of the medical documentation timing. Just a heads up to stay on top of all the moving pieces. You're being really smart to plan this out in advance.
Everyone here is PARTIALLY right but missing some details. For PFL baby bonding: 1) No weekly certifications needed 2) You MUST file the claim within 41 days of your baby's birth or you risk losing benefits 3) There's a 7-day waiting period if you didn't already serve it for SDI 4) Benefits come bi-weekly automatically AFTER your claim is approved. I work in HR and see employees mess this up constantly. Also, be prepared for your first PFL payment to take 2-3 weeks to process after approval, so have some savings ready for that gap.
Just went through this exact transition 6 months ago! The biggest thing that helped me was keeping all my documents organized in one folder - birth certificate, doctor's clearance letter, and the DE2501F form. I submitted my PFL claim 3 days before my SDI ended and it was seamless. One thing nobody mentioned - make sure your employer knows about the transition too because they might need to adjust your leave status in their system. The automatic bi-weekly payments are SO much better than those weekly certifications. Good luck with your little one!
This is super helpful! I'm still pretty new to all this paperwork stuff. When you say "doctor's clearance letter" - is that something different from the regular forms my OB has been filling out? And did you have to tell your employer anything specific about switching from SDI to PFL, or do they usually know the process? I want to make sure I don't mess anything up since this is my first baby and first time dealing with any of these benefits!
Luca Romano
I'm currently on PFL and my claim ends next week, so this thread is super timely for me! From what I've gathered from calling EDD (after being on hold for 2 hours 😫), they confirmed that you get paid through your actual end date as long as you certify for that final period. The rep told me the final certification becomes available usually within 24-48 hours after your current certification period ends. Since your current certification probably covers up to 10/22, you should definitely get that final form around 10/23-10/24 for the remaining period through 11/05. Just keep refreshing your UI Online account! And yeah, make sure to accurately report your return to work date on 11/03 - they're pretty good about prorating those partial periods. Hope this helps ease your budgeting stress! The waiting game with EDD is always nerve-wracking.
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Naila Gordon
•Thank you for calling EDD and sharing what you learned! That 24-48 hour timeframe for the final certification form is really helpful to know. I was wondering if I'd be waiting weeks for it to show up. It's frustrating how unclear their website is about these final payment timelines - seems like everyone has to learn this stuff the hard way by calling or asking here. Good luck with your claim ending next week! At least now we both know what to expect with the process.
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Ali Anderson
I went through this exact same situation with my PFL claim that ended in August! You will definitely get one more payment for those final two weeks (10/23-11/05). The key is watching your UI Online account starting around 10/23 for the final certification form to appear - it usually takes 1-3 days after your current period ends. Since you're returning to work on 11/03, make sure you report that date accurately on your final certification so you only get paid for the eligible days. The system is pretty good at calculating partial weeks as long as you're honest about your return date. One thing that helped me was taking screenshots of my certification just in case there were any issues later. The final payment processed within 2 business days after I certified. Don't worry about budgeting - that payment is definitely coming!
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