California Paid Family Leave
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Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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Will my second EDD PFL caregiving claim be denied due to previous denial? (Mom now in hospice)
I'm at my wit's end trying to navigate the EDD PFL system while caring for my terminally ill mother. Back in January 2025, I filed for PFL as my mom's primary caregiver during her aggressive cancer treatments. That claim was for intermittent leave (20hrs/week). After SEVEN months of silence and dozens of unanswered calls, I finally contacted my assemblyman's office who informed me my claim was denied. I never even received official notification!\n\nNow my mom's condition has significantly worsened and she's been placed in hospice care. I've reduced my work hours to just 5 hours daily (vs. the intermittent schedule before) and filed a completely new PFL claim with updated medical certification reflecting her hospice status.\n\nI'm terrified they'll automatically deny this claim because of the previous one. I honestly don't have the emotional bandwidth to fight another denial while caring for my dying mother. Has anyone dealt with filing a new PFL claim after a previous denial? Will her hospice status make any difference? I'm desperate for any advice on making sure this one goes through.
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Can I get unemployment if I quit after my employer relocated during my maternity leave?
I just finished my maternity leave and was scheduled to return to work tomorrow, but I just found out my company relocated their office while I was out! The old location was literally 5 minutes from my house, but the new one is 45 minutes by car (which I don't have) or almost 2 HOURS each way by bus. An Uber would cost about $25 ONE WAY! With a newborn, I can't be away 12 hours a day (8hr shift + 4hrs commute), and I definitely can't afford daily Ubers plus babysitting costs. My employer says they "might" move back to the original location in March, but nothing's guaranteed. If I quit because of this relocation issue, would I qualify for unemployment benefits while searching for something closer? Has anyone dealt with this situation after maternity leave? What are my options here? I need to decide by tomorrow! Thanks for any advice!
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Quick update on California unemployment eligibility for this situation: As of 2025, EDD has actually been more lenient about commute-related quits, especially for parents returning from leave. The 2024 policy update clarified that a "substantial change in working conditions" includes significant increases in commute time/distance that create undue hardship for parents of young children. The current guideline is that a commute increase of 30+ minutes each way can potentially qualify as good cause for voluntary separation, particularly when childcare is involved. Your 5-minute to 45-minute/2-hour change certainly meets this threshold. Make sure to specify on your application that this was a "employer-initiated substantial change in working conditions" rather than just selecting "quit.
Thank you for this update! That's really encouraging to hear. I'm going to first try to negotiate something with my employer tomorrow, but if that doesn't work out, I'll definitely frame my unemployment claim exactly as you suggested.
Has anyone actually calculated what this would cost her? Let's do the math: - $25 Uber each way = $50/day - Babysitting for 12 hours at even just $15/hr = $180/day - Total daily cost: $230 Assuming you make $25/hr (which is good pay), that's $200/day before taxes. You'd literally be PAYING to go to work! Even with bus transportation: - Bus fare (let's say $5 each way) = $10/day - Babysitting for 12 hours at $15/hr = $180/day - Total daily cost: $190 This is clearly an untenable situation. Document everything, but don't feel guilty about quitting. No reasonable person would expect someone to work under these conditions.
EXACTLY!!!! The system EXPECTS mothers to sacrifice EVERYTHING for work while pretending to care about families! It's all about profits over people!
When will I get PFL baby bonding email after maternity leave ends today?
My pregnancy disability leave (SDI) officially ends today and I'm supposed to transition to baby bonding PFL. My doctor completed all the paperwork last week, but I haven't received any email from EDD about starting the PFL application process. I'm getting really nervous because I can't afford any gap in payments between benefits. Does anyone know how quickly the PFL email typically arrives after SDI ends? I thought it would be automatic? Do I need to do something on my end to trigger it? This is my first baby and I'm completely lost with this whole process.
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Just to add a bit more information - the process should work like this: 1. Your pregnancy disability claim (SDI) ends on your doctor-certified date 2. EDD closes out that claim in their system (1-3 business days) 3. The system automatically generates a PFL application email 4. You complete the PFL application for baby bonding 5. EDD processes your PFL claim (typically 5-7 business days) 6. Your first PFL payment is issued For 2025, the weekly benefit amount for your PFL should be the same as what you received for SDI (60-70% of your wages, depending on your income level). And as I mentioned, payments can be retroactive to avoid gaps in coverage. If by some chance you don't receive the email at all, you can also initiate a PFL claim by calling EDD directly or using their online portal under the "New Claim" option. But it's generally easier to use the email link when it arrives.
This is accurate. Just one correction - the benefit amount for both SDI and PFL in 2025 is actually 55-70% of your wages, not 60-70%. They lowered the minimum percentage last year. The maximum weekly benefit is $1,620 now.
Thanks for this detailed breakdown! Really helps to understand the full process. If I don't get the email by Thursday, I think I'll try the online portal route you mentioned rather than spending hours on the phone.
congrats on your baby! i remember being sooo confused by all this edd stuff with my first. try not to stress too much (easier said than done i know lol). the money always comes eventually even if edd makes it complicated.
Thank you! That's comforting to hear. I'm definitely learning that patience is key with all this EDD stuff.
Can I switch from UI benefits to PFL for newborn without losing money?
Just found out I'm in a weird spot and I need urgent advice. I've been on unemployment since my construction job ended 3 months ago, and I've been collecting UI benefits weekly. My wife is scheduled for a C-section THIS TUESDAY (omg not ready) and I want to be home to help her recover and bond with our first baby. Can I stop my unemployment and immediately apply for Paid Family Leave? I'm concerned that by switching from UI to PFL, I might mess up my benefits or create some kind of overlap problem. Will EDD think I'm trying to double dip or something? And will my PFL amount be the same as what I've been getting on unemployment? I was making about $72k before being laid off if that matters for calculating benefits. Seriously appreciate any advice - kind of panicking because this is all happening so fast, and I don't want to accidentally do something that causes us to lose income right when the baby arrives.
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One additional point: when you file for PFL, there may be a question asking if you're receiving or have applied for other benefits including UI. Answer this honestly - yes, you were on UI but are stopping to switch to PFL. This helps prevent any flags in their system about potential dual benefits claims.
Thank you! I was wondering about that exact question. I'll make sure to be completely transparent about transitioning from UI to PFL.
Also don't forget that PFL is only 8 weeks for baby bonding!!! My husband thought it was 12 weeks but that's only if ur job has CFRA protection (which he didn't since his company was too small). The 8 weeks went by SOO fast 😭
Oh that's good to know. I was thinking it was 12 weeks too! I'll need to plan accordingly for just 8 weeks then. Thanks for pointing that out!
EDD Baby Bonding Payment Delay - Filed After Disability But No Money Yet
I just transitioned from pregnancy disability to baby bonding PFL on December 5th and STILL haven't received a single payment! My disability payments ended right on schedule, then I submitted my baby bonding claim immediately after (exactly as my doctor told me to). It's been over 3 weeks of complete silence from EDD. I've got bills piling up and a newborn at home! I've called 17 times this week alone and can't get through to anyone. The online portal just shows 'pending' with no explanation. Is this normal? How long did others wait after transitioning from disability to baby bonding before seeing payments? I'm seriously panicking about rent next month...
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When I had my baby last spring my benefits were delayed by almost 3 weeks just because of a small error I made on the form. I checked box 6 instead of box 7 or something ridiculous like that. Have you tried checking your claim status online? Sometimes there's a message about what's missing.
I've been checking the online portal multiple times a day and there's nothing there except "pending" with no explanation or requests for additional info. It's so frustrating!
Just wanted to follow up - did you have any luck getting through to EDD? One other thing to consider: sometimes the delay happens because they're recalculating your benefit amount. If your wages changed at all during your base period, they have to recalculate for the PFL portion even if you had the same employer throughout disability and baby bonding.
I used that Claimyr service yesterday and FINALLY got through to a real person! You were right - they said my claim was stuck because my employer submitted quarterly wage info right after I filed, which triggered a manual review. The agent pushed it through and said I should see payment in 2-3 business days. They're going to backpay everything too. Such a relief!! Thanks everyone for your help and letting me know I wasn't alone in this frustration.
Alice Fleming
hey just checking in...did u hear anything back yet?? im in a similar boat and wondering how long ur waiting this time
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Grace Durand
It's been 9 days and still shows
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