I went through this exact same situation just a few months ago and I totally understand your anxiety! Getting the DE 429D notice is actually a really positive sign - it means EDD has processed your claim and calculated your benefits. In my case, I received my first payment exactly 9 business days after getting that computation notice. The waiting is absolutely brutal, especially when bills are piling up. A few things that helped me get through those final days: I set up text alerts from my bank so I'd know immediately when the deposit hit, and I called EDD at exactly 8:00 AM when they opened (much better chance of getting through than later in the day). Based on your timeline, you should definitely see payment within the next week or two. When it does come, it'll be a lump sum covering all eligible weeks from January 5th (minus the 7-day waiting period), which should help you catch up on those bills. In the meantime, consider looking into local emergency assistance programs - many counties offer temporary help for people waiting on benefits. Hang in there - you're so close to the finish line! That computation notice really is the light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm currently going through this exact same process and the anxiety is so real! I filed my disability claim in mid-January and got my DE 429D notice about 10 days ago. Like you, I've been checking my bank account obsessively every single day since then. Based on all the experiences shared in this thread, it really seems like we're both in that final week or two before payment hits. The consistency in people's timelines (5-10 business days after the computation notice) is really reassuring. I've been following the advice here about calling at 8:05 AM and setting up bank alerts, which has helped with the anxiety a bit. The financial stress while waiting is just overwhelming, especially with a new baby. But reading everyone's experiences here gives me so much hope that our lump sum payments are coming very soon! We've made it through the worst part of the waiting - that computation notice really does seem to be the signal that we're almost at the finish line. Hang in there! 💪

Dylan, first off congratulations on your baby girl! 🎉 I'm so glad you asked this question because I was literally in the exact same boat just 3 months ago. Everyone here is absolutely right - you MUST file a separate PFL application using the DE2508 form. It's not automatic at all, which is honestly ridiculous given how overwhelming everything is with a newborn! I almost made the same mistake of just waiting for something to happen automatically. Thankfully I found some helpful folks online who steered me in the right direction. The key things: log into your SDI Online account, find the DE2508 form, and make sure your PFL start date is the day after your last SDI payment ended. Have all your baby's birth info ready before you start the application - it'll save you from having to stop mid-way through like I did! One thing that really helped me was taking a screenshot of my confirmation number immediately after submitting. Also, don't stress if there's a few days delay in processing - it's totally normal. Those 8 weeks of bonding time are absolutely precious and so worth getting this paperwork sorted out properly. You've got this mama! 💕

Dylan, huge congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! 🎉 As a new mom myself who went through this exact confusion just 4 months ago, I can totally relate to how overwhelming and confusing the EDD system is during such a precious time. Everyone here is absolutely spot-on - you definitely need to file a separate PFL application using the DE2508 form through your SDI Online account. The transition is NOT automatic, which honestly feels like a cruel joke when you're sleep-deprived and trying to figure out bureaucracy with a newborn! I made the mistake of waiting almost a week thinking something would happen automatically, and it nearly cost me benefits. The key is setting your PFL start date for the day after your last SDI payment ended to avoid any gaps. Make sure you have your baby's birth certificate info handy before starting the application - I had to abandon it halfway through to hunt for documents! One tip that saved me stress: take a screenshot of your confirmation number immediately after submitting, and turn on email notifications in your account to track processing status. It took about 2 weeks for my benefits to start coming through. You're doing amazing navigating all this while caring for your little one. Those 8 weeks of bonding time are going to be absolutely magical! 💕

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now - laid off at 30 weeks pregnant with baby due in August! Reading through everyone's responses has been SO helpful because I was completely panicking about losing benefits. One thing I wanted to add that my friend who works in HR mentioned - make sure you get a copy of your wage and tax statement (W-2) from your employer before you leave, and keep all your pay stubs from the past 18 months. EDD uses these to calculate your base period earnings, and it's much easier to get them now than trying to track them down later when you're dealing with a newborn. Also, has anyone dealt with the timing if baby comes early? I'm worried about what happens if I go into labor before my severance period ends - do I need to notify my former employer or just focus on filing the disability claim? Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's such a relief to know this is possible even after being laid off! 🙏

I'm actually an EDD claims specialist and wanted to clarify a few things I'm seeing in this thread that might help you avoid common mistakes: 1) **Base period calculation**: Your benefits are calculated from quarters 2-5 before your claim starts, NOT your most recent earnings. Since you've been working for 2+ years, you should have sufficient earnings history. 2) **Severance timing**: This is crucial - you CANNOT receive SDI benefits while receiving severance pay for the same time period. You'll need to wait until your severance period ends OR have your doctor certify that your disability began before the severance period. 3) **Filing timeline**: File your SDI claim (DE 2501) when you actually become disabled due to pregnancy, typically 4 weeks before your due date unless medically necessary earlier. Don't file "just in case" - it needs to be when you're genuinely unable to work. 4) **Medical certification**: Your doctor must certify the exact dates you're disabled. Being pregnant alone isn't enough - you need to be unable to perform your regular work duties. The good news is that layoff status doesn't affect your eligibility as long as you have the required earnings history. Just make sure your timeline is clean: severance ends → disability begins → SDI → PFL → unemployment if needed. Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about the process!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare while trying to recover from your c-section! I just went through the exact same situation 6 months ago - employer date error, PFL denial, the whole mess. My appeal took about 5 weeks total and I was approved with full backpay. Here's what I learned that might help: **File your appeal ASAP** - you only have 30 days and the clock is ticking! When you call to confirm they received it, ask specifically for expedited processing due to "postpartum recovery from emergency c-section requiring extended healing time." **Documentation that helped me**: - Simple one-page appeal letter with bullet points explaining the employer error - Copies of my last 4 pay stubs clearly showing my actual last work date - A signed letter from my manager acknowledging their mistake - Screenshot of my employee portal showing correct employment dates **Practical tip**: Call every Tuesday morning around 8:30 AM for status updates. I found Tuesday mornings had the shortest wait times. The financial stress while waiting was awful, but looking back, it was 100% worth fighting for. You deserve this recovery time, especially after an emergency c-section! Don't let their incompetence pressure you into returning before you're ready. Also, join some local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook - other moms were incredibly generous with baby supplies while I was waiting for my appeal, which really helped stretch our budget. You've got solid documentation and employer date errors have a very high success rate on appeal. Hang in there mama - you've got this! 💪💕

I'm going through a PFL appeal right now too (employer also messed up my dates) and I'm about 2 weeks in. Reading through all these responses has been SO helpful - I had no idea about half of these resources and strategies! A few things I've learned so far that might help: **Document everything** - I started a spreadsheet tracking every call, reference number, and who I spoke with. It's helped me sound more organized when following up. **Multiple submission methods** - I sent my appeal by certified mail AND fax AND uploaded it through the EDD portal. Redundancy seems smart given how often things get "lost" in their system. **Local resources** - My county actually has a workforce development office that helps with EDD issues for free. Might be worth checking if yours does too. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you're trying to heal and care for a newborn. But seeing all these success stories gives me hope that we'll get through this! The system is broken but we're not powerless. Hang in there mama - you're not alone in this fight! 💪 Keep us updated on how it goes!

Quick question - does anyone know if changing your name affects your claim in any way? Like, does it reset anything or cause delays? I'm in the middle of receiving benefits and don't wanna mess that up.

Just wanted to share my recent experience - I actually managed to get through to EDD on my third try by calling right when they opened at 8am. The agent was super helpful and walked me through everything. She said the name change usually takes 5-7 business days to process once they receive your documents. Also, pro tip: they prefer if you send a certified copy of your marriage certificate rather than just a regular photocopy. It might take a bit longer to get one, but it speeds up their processing time. Hope this helps someone! 🤞