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I just went through this same situation a few months ago with my twins! Here's what I learned that might help: 1. Yes, you'll need to file separate DE2508 forms again - treat it like a completely new claim even though it's for the same baby. 2. You CANNOT file early for PFL baby bonding (unlike disability claims). I made this mistake and had to resubmit everything. File on your exact first day of leave - set phone reminders! 3. Make sure both you and your husband coordinate with your respective HR/payroll departments about the exact transition date. When my husband's leave started the day after mine ended, there was initially some confusion about overlapping vs consecutive claims. 4. Processing times are definitely longer for second claims right now - mine took almost 3 weeks vs 5 days for my initial claim. Budget for this delay! 5. Pro tip: Take screenshots of your online submission confirmations and save all confirmation emails. EDD's system has been glitchy since their updates and having this documentation saved me when my claim temporarily "disappeared" from their system. The whole process is worth it though - enjoy your extended bonding time with your little one! 💕
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with twins - that must have been quite the process! The tip about taking screenshots is brilliant, especially with all the system issues people are mentioning. I'm definitely going to document everything thoroughly. Your point about coordinating the exact transition date between spouses is really important. We're planning for my husband's leave to start immediately after mine ends, so I'll make sure both our HR departments understand the sequential timing to avoid any confusion about overlapping claims. Did you run into any issues with EDD questioning why you were taking leave in chunks rather than all at once? I'm a bit worried they might flag our applications as unusual since we're both splitting our time.
As someone who just went through this exact process last month, I can confirm what others have said - you'll need new DE2508 forms and unfortunately cannot file early for PFL baby bonding (I tried and got rejected too!). One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to make sure you both check your EDD online accounts before filing to ensure all your personal information is still current. My address had changed since my first claim and I didn't realize it until my payment got delayed because the mail went to my old address. Also, when you file on your respective start dates, do it early in the morning if possible. The EDD online system tends to be slower/glitchier during peak hours. I filed mine at 6 AM on my first day and it went through smoothly. Your plan to have your husband start immediately after you sounds perfect - that's exactly what we did and it worked great for maximizing family time while ensuring income continuity. Just make sure you both communicate those exact dates to your employers clearly to avoid any payroll coding issues. Good luck with your bonding time! It's such a special period and worth all the paperwork hassle. 🍼
Great point about checking your EDD online account info beforehand! I didn't even think about address changes potentially causing delays. The early morning filing tip is also really smart - I've heard EDD's system can be super slow during business hours. Quick question - when you say you filed at 6 AM, was that Pacific time? I'm on the East Coast but obviously dealing with California EDD, so I want to make sure I'm timing it right for their system. Also, did you get any kind of immediate confirmation that your application went through, or did you have to wait to hear back? Thanks for all the helpful details - it's so reassuring to hear from people who just went through this process recently!
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I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - it's absolutely infuriating that new parents have to go through this stress when they should be focusing on their babies. I'm a new mom too and had a similar experience with EDD delays, though not quite as severe as yours. What helped me was actually contacting my state assembly member's office (you can find yours at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov). They have constituent services that can intervene with EDD on your behalf. I sent them an email explaining my situation with my claim number and timeline, and within 3 business days an EDD supervisor called me directly and resolved the issue. My payments started flowing within a week after that. It's ridiculous that we have to escalate to elected officials to get basic benefits we've paid into, but sometimes that's what it takes to cut through the bureaucratic mess. Also, document everything - dates you called, reference numbers, what you were told - it helps when you're explaining the situation to your assembly member's office.
This is incredibly helpful advice - I never even thought about contacting my assembly member's office! I've been so focused on trying to get through to EDD directly that I didn't realize there were other options. Going to look up my representative today and send them an email with all my documentation. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to escalate this high just to get benefits we've already paid for, but if it works I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thank you for sharing this - hopefully it will help other struggling parents in this thread too!
I'm going through the exact same thing and it's absolutely maddening! Filed my pregnancy disability claim 3 months ago, had my baby 5 weeks ago, and still haven't received a single payment. What makes it worse is that I can see in my online account that they've been "processing" my claim for over 2 months now with zero updates or communication about what's causing the delay. I've burned through all my savings and we're now relying on credit cards just to buy groceries and baby supplies. The stress is overwhelming when you're already dealing with postpartum recovery and a newborn. Reading through these comments, it sounds like contacting your assembly member might be the way to go - I'm definitely going to try that next. It's absolutely criminal that a system designed to support families during one of the most vulnerable times in our lives is this broken. Hang in there everyone, and thank you for sharing your experiences - at least we know we're not alone in this nightmare!
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this too - it's heartbreaking how many of us new parents are going through the same financial nightmare with EDD right now. The fact that they can just leave our claims in "processing" limbo for months with zero communication is absolutely unacceptable. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about contacting my assembly member's office too - it seems like that's been the most effective solution based on what others have shared here. We shouldn't have to escalate to elected officials just to get basic benefits we've paid into our entire working lives, but if that's what it takes then so be it. Thank you for sharing your story - knowing that others are fighting the same battle makes me feel less alone in this mess. Hoping we all get our payments soon and can focus on what really matters - our babies!
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I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my PFL claim in early September and it's been complete radio silence since then. This thread is honestly a godsend - I was starting to think I was the only one dealing with these crazy delays. I'm definitely going to try that email template from William first, then move on to the early morning calling strategy if that doesn't work. The idea of contacting my local representative is something I never even thought of, but after reading Olivia's success story, it might be worth a shot if all else fails. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become expert system navigators just to get basic updates on our own cases, but at least we can help each other figure this mess out. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - knowing I'm not alone in this bureaucratic nightmare actually helps a lot! 🙏
Ahooker-Equator, you're definitely in good company here! I just joined this community after dealing with my own PFL nightmare - filed in August and still waiting. This thread has been incredibly helpful, and I'm actually bookmarking all the advice to create my own action plan. One thing I'd add based on what I've learned from other forums - try to get everything in writing when you do talk to someone. I've heard horror stories of people being told different things by different agents. Also, if you're on social media, sometimes tweeting at EDD gets faster responses than their regular channels (weird but apparently true). The whole situation is beyond frustrating, but at least we've got this amazing community to lean on. Sending good vibes that all of us stuck in this limbo get some movement soon! 💪
I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation - submitted my PFL claim back in late August and it's been complete silence from EDD ever since! This thread has been incredibly helpful though, so thank you Katherine for starting this discussion. I'm definitely going to try a multi-pronged approach based on everyone's advice: starting with William's professional email template, then moving to the early morning calling strategy that Vanessa mentioned, and if all else fails, contacting my local representative like Olivia did successfully. It's honestly mind-blowing that we have to become experts in government bureaucracy navigation just to get updates on our own benefit claims, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions. The spreadsheet tracking idea from Fatima is brilliant too - I wish I had started documenting everything from day one! Here's hoping we all get some movement on our cases soon. Hang in there everyone! 💪
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I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now! Just got denied for PFL last week with the "full wage continuation" reason, even though I was on completely unpaid leave for 7 weeks. It's absolutely infuriating when you know for a fact you didn't receive a single penny, but their system somehow thinks otherwise. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - I was starting to think I was going crazy! It's clear this is a widespread system glitch at EDD. I'm definitely going to follow the detailed game plan everyone's shared: 1. Request my wage history from EDD to see what bogus data they have 2. Get a letter from payroll (not just HR - great tip!) confirming $0 earnings for those exact dates 3. Gather all my pay stubs showing zero income 4. Make sure all dates match perfectly with my original claim @Marcus Marsh - don't give up hope! Based on all these success stories, it sounds like this gets resolved in 5-6 weeks with full back pay once you provide the right documentation. It's just a matter of proving to EDD that their system made an error. We've got this! 💪 Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is a lifesaver when dealing with EDD's broken system!
@CosmosCaptain I'm so glad I found this thread! I just got my denial letter yesterday for the exact same reason - "full wage continuation" even though I was on unpaid leave for my dad's cancer treatment. It's crazy how many of us are dealing with this identical EDD system error! Your 4-step plan sounds perfect - I'm going to follow the exact same approach. The tip about getting the letter from payroll instead of HR is something I never would have thought of but makes total sense. It's so reassuring to see all these success stories with the 5-6 week timeline and full back pay. I was feeling so defeated after getting that denial, but now I'm feeling hopeful that this is just a matter of fixing EDD's data error with the right documentation. Thanks for laying out the plan so clearly - let's keep each other posted on our progress! This community support is everything right now 🙏
I just went through this exact same nightmare! Got denied for PFL about 3 months ago with the "full wage continuation" reason even though I was on completely unpaid leave caring for my sick mom. I was so confused and frustrated at first, but after following similar advice to what everyone's sharing here, I successfully got it overturned! Here's what worked for me: 1. I requested my wage/claim history from EDD online - it was free and showed me exactly what incorrect wage data they had on file 2. Got a detailed letter from my company's payroll department (not HR) stating I received $0 wages during my leave dates 3. Included screenshots from our payroll portal showing zero earnings 4. Wrote a clear appeal letter explaining the error with all supporting docs The whole process took about 7 weeks from appeal submission to getting my back pay deposited. It's definitely stressful waiting, but don't lose hope! This type of denial gets overturned all the time once EDD sees the proper documentation proving their system made an error. @Marcus Marsh - I know it's frustrating but you've got this! The advice from @Justin Trejo and @Keisha Taylor is spot on. Just be super thorough with your documentation and make sure all dates match exactly. EDD's system clearly has bugs but they do fix these errors once you prove them wrong! 💪
Isabella Costa
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm not due until late summer but I'm already trying to plan ahead for my C-section and leave. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - do any of you know if there are any differences in the SDI/PFL process if you're planning to take leave intermittently rather than all at once? My job has some flexibility where I might be able to work part-time for a few weeks before going full-time on leave. Also, I've been wondering about the tax implications - are the SDI and PFL payments taxable income? I want to make sure I'm setting aside the right amount for tax season. Thanks for creating such a comprehensive resource here!
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LordCommander
•Great questions, Isabella! For intermittent leave, it can get more complicated with SDI/PFL. From what I understand, SDI typically requires you to be completely unable to work due to your medical condition, so part-time work during recovery might not qualify. However, PFL does allow for intermittent use in some cases - you'd need to coordinate this carefully with both EDD and your employer. I'd definitely recommend calling EDD to discuss your specific situation before making any part-time work commitments. As for taxes, yes both SDI and PFL payments are considered taxable income at the federal level, though they're not subject to California state income tax. You'll receive 1099-G forms for tax filing. I learned this the hard way and had to scramble to pay extra taxes the following year! Setting aside about 10-15% of your benefit payments for federal taxes is probably a good rule of thumb, depending on your tax bracket.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
This thread is such a goldmine of information! As someone who's currently 35 weeks pregnant and scheduled for a C-section next month, I can't thank you all enough for sharing your real experiences. I've been stressing about this exact process for weeks and my OB's office wasn't very helpful when I asked about the SDI timeline. Based on everything I've read here, I'm planning to: 1. Talk to my doctor at my next appointment about ensuring the medical certification reflects 8 weeks recovery for C-section 2. File SDI claim right after delivery 3. Set up that dedicated folder system someone mentioned with all documents 4. Apply for PFL about 10 days before SDI ends 5. Budget for a potential 2-3 week payment gap One quick question - for those who successfully transitioned from SDI to PFL, did you have to provide any additional medical documentation for the PFL application, or was it mainly just proving the birth happened? I'm trying to get all my paperwork organized in advance since I know I'll be exhausted those first few weeks with a newborn. You've all made me feel so much more prepared for this process. The EDD website is basically useless compared to the practical advice shared here!
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Heather Tyson
•Hi Zoe! Your plan looks great - you're definitely on the right track! To answer your question about PFL documentation: you won't need any additional medical documentation for the PFL application itself. The main requirements for PFL are proof of birth (birth certificate or hospital discharge papers) and proof of your relationship to the child. Since you're the birth parent, that relationship is automatically established. The PFL application focuses on the bonding aspect rather than medical recovery, so it's much simpler from a documentation standpoint than the SDI claim. I'd recommend having a certified copy of the birth certificate ready as soon as you can get it from the hospital - some people have had delays getting this document which can hold up the PFL application. Also, don't stress too much about being exhausted during those first weeks - most of the heavy lifting is done with the initial SDI application. The PFL transition is pretty straightforward once you get the hang of the system. You've got this! 💪
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