I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! After getting my Notice of Computation, I was able to start certifying within a few days. My first payment hit my account about 10 days after my first certification. The key things that helped me: 1) Set up direct deposit immediately (saved me almost a week vs waiting for the debit card), 2) Certified as soon as the option became available in my account, and 3) Made sure all my info was accurate to avoid any holds. Don't stress too much - once the process gets rolling, it's pretty reliable. Just keep checking your account daily for certification opportunities!

Just wanted to share my recent experience to give you some hope! I got my Notice of Computation about 3 weeks ago and was in the same anxious boat as you. Here's my timeline: Got the notice on a Tuesday, was able to certify for my first week that Friday, and my payment hit my account the following Wednesday (so about 8 days total). The key was setting up direct deposit right away - I almost made the mistake of waiting for the debit card but changed my mind after reading posts here. Also, I found that logging into the EDD site around 6 AM worked way better than trying during the day when everyone else is on there. Hang in there, the waiting is brutal but once it starts flowing it's pretty consistent!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Definitely call EDD as soon as possible - I made the mistake of waiting a few days thinking it wouldn't matter, but they told me I should have reported it immediately. The good news is they were able to update my return date without too much hassle once I got through to someone. Just be prepared for potentially long wait times on the phone. Also, make sure you have your claim number ready and be clear about your new return date. They'll ask you to confirm it multiple times. One thing that helped me was writing down exactly what I wanted to say before calling so I didn't get flustered. Hope this helps and congrats on being able to return to work sooner! 💪

Just wanted to add my two cents here - I actually went through this exact same situation last month! I originally planned to take 8 weeks but ended up feeling ready to return after 6 weeks. I was super worried about the whole process but it turned out to be way easier than I expected. I called the EDD customer service line (1-877-238-4373) around 8:30 AM on a Tuesday and only waited about 20 minutes, which felt like a miracle! The representative was really helpful and updated my claim right away. She explained that as long as you report the change before your original return date, there shouldn't be any issues with overpayments. I also got an email confirmation the same day which gave me peace of mind. My advice would be to call sooner rather than later - don't overthink it! The EDD deals with these kinds of updates all the time. Good luck with your return to work! 🍀

I'm so sorry you're dealing with your daughter's health complications again - that must be absolutely terrifying as a parent. Based on everything shared here, it really sounds like you should be eligible for a new 8-week PFL period since your first claim started in March 2024 and we're now past that 12-month mark. I went through something similar with my husband's cancer treatment last year, and the timing confusion nearly gave me a panic attack! What I learned is that the 12-month period is based on when you FIRST applied, not when you finished using benefits. So your June 2024 usage doesn't reset anything - you became eligible for a fresh 8-week cycle this past March. A couple of things that really helped me: - I called EDD and had them walk through my specific situation before applying (definitely try that Claimyr service if you can't get through - it's legit and saved me days of calling) - I made sure to get the DE2501F form filled out very specifically about why my presence was medically necessary for his care - I applied as soon as I had all the paperwork ready rather than waiting until the last minute Also, since your company is large enough for FMLA, definitely get that paperwork started too for job protection. My HR department was actually really helpful in coordinating both applications. Hoping your daughter's surgery goes smoothly and that you can focus on her recovery without the financial stress. You're doing everything right by being there for her! 💙

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's ongoing respiratory issues - that must be incredibly stressful for your whole family. Based on everything shared in this thread, it really sounds like you should be eligible for a new 8-week PFL period since your first claim started in March 2024 and we're now well past that 12-month mark. I haven't been through this exact situation myself, but I wanted to add something that might help: when you call EDD to confirm your eligibility (which I definitely recommend doing first), it might be worth asking them to also check that your SDI contributions are showing up correctly in their system. Sometimes there can be delays or errors in how employer contributions get processed, and it's better to catch any issues early rather than after you've submitted your application. Also, since you mentioned your HR department wasn't sure about the rules, you might want to ask them if they have a benefits specialist or someone who deals with leave policies regularly. Larger companies often have someone who's more familiar with how state disability and family leave programs work alongside company policies. The stress of having a sick child plus worrying about finances is just overwhelming, but it sounds like you're asking all the right questions and getting great advice here. Wishing your daughter a successful surgery and smooth recovery! 💙

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I was on pregnancy disability from August through November 2024, then transitioned to PFL for baby bonding through February 2025. Like literally everyone else here, I had absolutely no clue about the tax withholding option when I applied - I was just desperately trying to get my benefits approved while dealing with severe morning sickness and then figuring out life with a newborn. Reading through all these experiences has finally made everything click for me. I now understand that I need to report my two 1099-G forms separately (one for SDI pregnancy disability, one for PFL baby bonding) and that both are federally taxable but completely exempt from California state taxes. The 12-18% federal tax estimates everyone's sharing are super helpful for budgeting, even though it's definitely stressful to think about owing that much when we're already adjusting to baby expenses. Based on all the positive feedback here, I'm definitely going with TurboTax since it seems to handle these EDD benefits correctly and walks you through the process step by step. And I'm really hopeful about those tax credits everyone mentioned - knowing that our lower income from extended leave plus having our first baby might qualify us for the Child Tax Credit and possibly EITC gives me some hope that the final tax bill won't be as brutal as I'm imagining. Seriously, thank you to everyone who shared their experiences in this thread! It's honestly infuriating that EDD provides zero guidance about any of these tax implications when you're applying, especially when new parents are already completely overwhelmed. This community has made what felt like an impossible situation actually manageable!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I was on pregnancy disability from May through August 2024, then switched to PFL for baby bonding through November. Like everyone else here, I completely missed the tax withholding option when applying - I was so focused on just getting approved while dealing with hyperemesis and then recovery. What's been most eye-opening from reading everyone's experiences is understanding that the two 1099-G forms (one for SDI pregnancy disability, one for PFL baby bonding) need to be entered separately and that both are federally taxable but CA state exempt. The 12-18% federal tax estimates people are sharing really help with planning, even though it's definitely not what any new parent wants to budget for! I'm planning to go with TurboTax based on all the positive feedback about how it handles these EDD benefits correctly and prompts you about the CA exemption. And I'm really encouraged by hearing how the Child Tax Credit and other credits from having lower income during leave actually made a significant difference in reducing people's overall tax liability. One question for those who've already filed - did you notice if TurboTax automatically caught all the credits you were eligible for, or did you need to specifically look for things like EITC? I want to make sure I'm not missing any opportunities to offset the tax bill! Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made this whole confusing process so much less intimidating!

I'm a new parent who just found this thread and OH MY GOD thank you all for sharing your experiences! I've been stuck in "pending" hell for 2.5 weeks with my PFL baby bonding claim and was convinced something was catastrophically wrong with my application. Reading through everyone's stories has been both reassuring (apparently this nightmare is "normal"?!) and absolutely infuriating that EDD doesn't communicate ANY of this timeline information. My pregnancy disability ended about 2 weeks ago and still shows "PAID" status, so based on all your experiences it sounds like I'm right in that mysterious waiting period for it to switch to "CLOSED." I've called maybe 30 times and either get disconnected or sit on hold until my baby needs something and I have to hang up - it's literally impossible to get through! I'm definitely going to try the dual phone strategy at exactly 8:00 AM tomorrow with both the main PFL number and the disability transfer method. Also planning to call that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) that several people mentioned - had no idea that even existed! The Wednesday afternoon timing tip and "press 0 repeatedly" hack sound promising too. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a PhD in EDD strategy just to access benefits we've already paid into, but I'm so grateful this community exists to help each other survive this broken system. You all have been more helpful than the entire EDD website! Will definitely report back if I manage to get through. Sending love to all the exhausted parents fighting this bureaucratic nightmare while caring for newborns! 💜

I'm a new parent dealing with this exact same PFL nightmare and this thread has been such a lifesaver! Filed my baby bonding claim about 3 weeks ago and have been stuck on "pending" status with absolutely zero communication from EDD. I've called probably 40+ times and either get busy signals or sit on hold for over an hour while trying to manage my newborn - it's honestly torture! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening. I had NO idea that the 2-3 week wait after your final pregnancy disability payment is actually normal processing time! My disability ended about 10 days ago and still shows "PAID" but not "CLOSED" yet, so sounds like I'm right in that waiting period everyone's talking about. I'm definitely going to try the dual phone strategy tomorrow at exactly 8:00 AM - calling both the main PFL number and using the disability transfer method. Also planning to try that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) and the "press 0 repeatedly" trick. The Wednesday afternoon timing tip sounds promising too! It's absolutely insane that new parents have to become EDD detectives just to access benefits we've already paid into through our paychecks. But I'm so grateful for this community - you all have been more helpful than the entire EDD website! Will definitely report back if I have any success getting through. Thank you for sharing all these real strategies that actually work! 🙏