I'm dealing with something similar right now! My partner is at week 6 of his PFL baby bonding and we were also hoping to extend it. After reading all these comments, it sounds like 8 weeks is definitely the hard limit. One thing that might help - I've heard some people mention that if your husband has any unused sick time or personal days, some companies will let you stack those on top of the PFL period. It's not additional paid family leave, but it could give you a few extra days to figure out the childcare situation. Also, with twins, you might want to look into whether there are any emergency childcare resources in your area - some counties have programs that can help with short-term placement while you're searching for permanent care. Good luck!

I'm going through something similar right now with my 3-month-old! The 8-week PFL limit is so frustrating, especially when you're dealing with childcare falling through at the last minute. One thing that helped us was contacting local parenting groups and mom/dad Facebook groups in our area - sometimes other parents know of reliable nannies or smaller daycares that might have openings. Also, if your husband's company has an employee handbook, it might be worth having him check if they offer any unpaid personal leave policies beyond what's legally required. Some smaller companies are more flexible than their HR departments initially let on, especially if he explains the childcare emergency situation. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised! And don't feel bad about being confused - the whole system of different leave types (PFL, CFRA, FMLA, etc.) is unnecessarily complicated and even HR departments get it wrong sometimes.

This thread has been super helpful! I'm also planning to transition out of my current job after my baby arrives, and I was worried I'd miss out on PFL benefits. The consensus seems clear - file your claim while still employed, even if you're planning to leave soon after. One thing I'd add based on my research: make sure you've been paying into SDI (State Disability Insurance) through your paycheck deductions. That's what funds the PFL program. You can check your paystubs to see if SDI is being deducted - it should show up as a small percentage of your wages. Also, for anyone still struggling to get through to EDD on the phone, I've had luck calling right when they open at 8am. The wait times are usually shorter first thing in the morning. Good luck to everyone navigating this system!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently 8 months pregnant and planning to leave my job about a month after the baby arrives to be a stay-at-home parent. Based on all the advice here, it sounds like I need to file my PFL claim before my last day of work to maintain eligibility. One additional question - does anyone know if there's a minimum amount of time you need to actually work after filing the claim? Like, could I theoretically file the claim on my last day of work, or do I need to have filed it weeks in advance? I want to make sure I don't accidentally disqualify myself by cutting it too close timing-wise. Also, huge thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more valuable than trying to decode the official EDD website! The tip about calling at 8am is definitely going in my notes.

One more important thing I forgot to mention - make sure you've been at your part-time job for at least a month before beginning your disability claim, if possible. While not technically required for benefits (since your previous job's earnings qualify you), it makes the transition much smoother if you've established yourself at the new workplace. Also, check if your new employer offers any additional maternity benefits, even for part-time employees. Some companies provide supplemental coverage beyond state benefits.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation 2 years ago! I was on UI, got a part-time job, then transitioned to disability for my pregnancy. A few things that really helped me: 1. Keep your UI certification current until you officially start disability - don't stop early "just in case" 2. When you file your disability claim, include a brief note explaining you're transitioning FROM unemployment TO disability (not trying to collect both) 3. Your part-time job actually worked in my favor because it showed I was actively working when I became disabled, which made the claim processing smoother The transition went pretty seamlessly for me, and like others mentioned, your benefit amount will be based on your previous full-time earnings, not the part-time job. The key is just being very clear about the timeline and not overlapping benefits. You've got this! And congrats on both the new job and the baby! 🎉

New member here! This thread has been so incredibly helpful as I'm planning my own return to work with intermittent PFL. I'm due in 6 weeks and want to get prepared early since I'll likely want to do a similar part-time schedule. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned - does anyone know if there are any restrictions on WHICH days of the week you can take as PFL days? Like, could I theoretically do Wednesday/Thursday as my PFL days, or does it need to be consecutive days like Monday/Friday or Thursday/Friday? Also, for those who have done this - did you find that having mid-week PFL days vs end-of-week days made any difference for work continuity or your own adjustment? I'm trying to think through what schedule would work best for both bonding time and maintaining good relationships with my team when I return. Thanks in advance for any insights!

New member here! I've been lurking in this community for a while but finally decided to join after reading this incredibly helpful thread. I'm currently 8 months pregnant with my first and already stressing about how to balance returning to work with wanting to spend time with my baby. Reading everyone's experiences with intermittent PFL has been such a relief - I had no idea this was even an option! My job is pretty flexible and I think they'd be open to a part-time arrangement, but I was worried about the financial aspect of only working 2-3 days a week. @Giovanni Marino - your breakdown of the 40-day calculation was super helpful. If I understand correctly, taking PFL for 2 days a week would let me stretch the benefits over about 5 months? That seems like it could be a perfect transition period. @Dmitry Sokolov - I love your advice about calling EDD before filing online. Did you have any specific questions prepared, or did you just explain your situation and let them guide you through it? For those who've done this successfully, what was the hardest part about managing the intermittent schedule? I'm wondering if it's more challenging to context-switch between work days and bonding days, or if the variety actually makes it easier? Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This thread is giving me so much confidence that I can make this work! ✨

Just to answer your follow-up question about informing your employer: Yes, you should notify your employer before applying for PFL. California recommends giving your employer at least 30 days notice when possible. There's no specific form required for this notification, but it's best to do it in writing and keep a copy for your records. Regarding CFRA job protection with a small employer: As of 2025, CFRA covers employers with 5 or more employees, so if your company has at least 5 employees, you should be covered. CFRA would give you up to 12 weeks of protected leave, meaning they must return you to the same or comparable position when you return. If your company has fewer than 5 employees, you can still get PFL benefits, but you wouldn't have the legal job protection under CFRA. In that case, you might want to try negotiating a written agreement with your employer about your return.

I'm so glad to see you're getting such helpful responses here! I went through something very similar last year when my mom needed extended care after surgery. The biggest thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - copies of all medical documentation, written communication with my employer, and screenshots of my online PFL application. One tip that saved me a lot of headaches: when you get the medical certification form (DE2501F) filled out by your son's doctor, ask them to be very specific about why your presence is required during his therapy sessions. The more detailed the medical justification, the smoother your approval process will be. Also, make sure to apply online through the EDD website rather than mailing forms if possible - it's much faster and you get confirmation that everything was received. You're doing the right thing by exploring PFL instead of unemployment. Your son is lucky to have such a dedicated parent advocating for his needs. This therapy program sounds like it could make a real difference for him!