make sure u submit ur PFL claim ONLINE not by mail!!!! i sent mine by mail and it got lost and i had to reapply & lost 2 weeks of pay. the online system is way faster anyway. also the xmas break doesnt matter, my sister works for a school and she just transitioned to PFL when her doctor released her regardless of school schedule.

To summarize the correct process for everyone: 1. Apply for PFL online through SDI Online about 1-2 weeks before your disability ends 2. For baby bonding PFL, you need proof of relationship (birth certificate) but NOT a doctor's certification 3. If you have postpartum depression, speak with your doctor about potentially extending disability before transitioning to PFL 4. Your employer's schedule (school break) has no impact on EDD's processes or timelines 5. PFL and SDI are separate claims that require separate applications The timing around holidays can make the transition more confusing, but the process itself is the same. Don't wait until your disability ends to apply for PFL!

my friend said sometimes if u check ur EDD card balance randomly money just shows up there even b4 the website updates to say approved lol maybe check that too

This is actually true! My claim status was still showing as pending online, but when I checked my BofA EDD card balance, the funds had been deposited. The online status updated about 48 hours later. The systems don't always sync immediately.

Update: I talked to my doctor and had her complete a new DE2501 form specifically stating I'm "medically restricted to a maximum of 20 hours of work weekly due to pregnancy complications." She was happy to rewrite it that way! I filed the claim online last Friday and uploaded the doctor's certificate. Fingers crossed it processes smoothly. Thanks everyone for your help and advice on this - I had no idea partial disability was even an option and was panicking about losing half my income without any support.

I've been through this!!!! My pregnancy last year had similar restrictions at 24 weeks and I got partial disability while working 15 hrs/week instead of my usual 40. My advice: CALL EDD if your claim doesn't show as processing within a week. Mine got stuck because my employer reported my earnings wrong and it took FOREVER to fix. Don't wait like I did thinking it was just normal processing time. Also, hot tip: the disability payments are based on your highest quarter earnings from like 15-18 months ago, NOT your current salary. So if you got a raise recently, it won't be reflected in your benefit amount. I was so confused when my payments were lower than expected!

Update: I finally got through to EDD this morning. They were using my income from a different employer that I haven't worked for since 2023! The agent fixed it and recalculated my benefit - should be getting $1,240/week which is a HUGE difference. Thanks everyone for the advice. They're sending an adjusted payment within 7-10 days.

btw for anyone else reading this thread, when ur taking care of a family member with PFL make sure u get the right medical certification form filled out correctly!! my doctor didnt check the right box for care duration and my initial claim was denied. had to resubmit everything and lost 3 weeks of benefits during the appeal process

To answer your follow-up question about employer verification - EDD does contact the employer directly, but sometimes employers don't respond promptly. Your husband can call his HR department to verify they received and responded to EDD's request. This is often the biggest cause of delays with PFL claims.

Update: Just wanted to let everyone know that my husband's claim was FINALLY approved yesterday (so it took exactly 22 days). The status changed to approved on his EDD account, and we got an email notification too. Thanks for all the helpful advice! Now we're just waiting for the payment to come through.