I just want to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently 8 months pregnant and was laid off 2 months ago, so I've been stress-eating ice cream wondering if I'd have any income after the baby arrives. Reading everyone's experiences has been such a relief - I had no clue I could still get disability and PFL benefits even while unemployed! The timing information is so crucial. I'm going to get all my paperwork organized now and have my OB fill out the medical portions ahead of time so I can file immediately after delivery. The 49-day deadline is definitely something I wouldn't have known about without this thread. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and practical tips! It's amazing how supportive this community is. Dylan, I hope your application goes smoothly and you get the benefits you deserve. Your question has probably helped so many other moms in similar situations! 💕

Hey Dylan! I was in almost the exact same situation last year - laid off during pregnancy and completely clueless about benefits eligibility. The advice everyone has given you is spot on! One thing I'd add that really helped me: when you call EDD (and you should definitely call to confirm your base period eligibility first), ask them to walk you through the entire timeline of benefits. They can tell you exactly when your disability period should start/end and when to file your PFL claim to avoid gaps. Also, don't stress too much about the late filing - I filed about 4 weeks after delivery and they accepted my explanation that I "didn't know unemployed individuals could qualify for SDI benefits." The key is being honest about the confusion. Since you had a c-section, you're looking at potentially 12 weeks total (4 weeks pre-birth if approved + 8 weeks post-birth disability) plus the 8 weeks of PFL bonding. Even if you lose some of the pre-birth period due to late filing, that's still a significant amount of support during this precious time with your little one. Congratulations on your baby girl, and don't let the paperwork overwhelm you - you've got this! 💕

Just wanted to add that timing is really important here! Your husband should file his PFL claim during his first week of leave, not before. EDD requires that you're actually on leave when you file. Also, make sure he keeps all his pay stubs from the partial employer payments - EDD sometimes requests these as verification later in the process. The good news is that once it's set up correctly, the payments usually come pretty regularly. My experience was similar to others here - got about 25% additional from EDD on top of the 60% my employer was paying. Congratulations on your new baby and hope the process goes smoothly for you both!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through this exact situation 6 months ago! My employer paid 60% during my bonding leave and I successfully received PFL benefits for the remaining portion. The key things that helped me: 1) I called EDD before filing to confirm I was eligible (took forever to get through but worth it), 2) I got a letter from my HR department stating exactly how much they'd pay me weekly during leave, and 3) I filed my claim on day 1 of my leave, not before. The whole process took about 2 weeks to get my first payment once approved. One thing nobody mentioned - if your husband's employer uses a third-party payroll company, make sure the wage reporting matches between what his employer reports to EDD and what he reports on his claim. Mine got delayed because of a mismatch there. Good luck!

This entire thread has been such an eye-opener! I'm expecting my first baby in January and my partner is planning to take paternity leave, so I've been researching PFL benefits. Reading through all these experiences is both helpful and terrifying - I had no idea that getting payments could be such a nightmare process. It's incredible how many of you have had to deal with unresponsive specialists and weeks of financial stress just to access benefits you've been paying into. The fact that simple issues like address changes or minor employment date discrepancies can cause such major delays is just mind-blowing. I'm definitely saving all the strategies you've shared - the specific phone number sequence, the timing tips about calling right at 8am or during lunch, and knowing about services like Claimyr as a last resort. The advice about doing a preemptive verification call before leave starts is brilliant too. Thank you all for being so generous with sharing your hard-won knowledge. Stories like Ellie's show that persistence really does pay off, even when the system seems completely broken. It gives me hope that we can navigate this successfully when our time comes. This community is amazing! 💙

Reading through this entire thread as someone who's about to go through the PFL process myself has been both incredibly helpful and absolutely infuriating. The fact that so many new parents have to deal with weeks of financial stress and unresponsive specialists just to get benefits they've already paid for is completely unacceptable. I'm bookmarking all the strategies shared here - especially the main number sequence (1-800-480-3287, press 1, 2, then 4) and the timing advice about calling right at 8am. The Claimyr service recommendations from multiple people give me confidence it's a legitimate option if the regular channels fail. What really stands out to me is how often these delays are caused by simple administrative issues - address changes, employment date discrepancies, missing forms - that could easily be resolved with better communication from EDD. Instead, families are left in limbo not knowing what's wrong or how to fix it. Ellie, I'm so glad you finally got your situation resolved and that your husband can enjoy the rest of his bonding time! Your persistence really paid off, and sharing your experience is going to help so many other families. This thread is proof that community support can make all the difference when navigating broken bureaucratic systems.

I went through almost the exact same situation 8 months ago and want you to know there IS a path forward! Here's what worked for me: **Immediate action items:** - Call 2-1-1 (dial 2-1-1) - they have a database of low-cost mental health providers in your area and can often get you same-day appointments - Your local Women, Infants & Children (WIC) office often has mental health resources specifically for postpartum moms, even if you don't receive WIC benefits - Many Planned Parenthood locations now offer mental health services and understand PPD - worth calling to check **For the SDI claim:** You absolutely CAN file a new claim! I filed mine 3 days before my PFL ended and it went through smoothly. The key is making sure any new provider documents this as a "continuation" or "exacerbation" of your existing postpartum depression, not a brand new condition. **Insurance hack:** Call your insurance and specifically ask about "crisis mental health services" - these often have different coverage rules and shorter wait times than regular therapy appointments. Don't let anyone make you feel like you're not sick enough or that you should just "push through." PPD is a serious medical condition. I ended up needing an additional 10 weeks of SDI and it made all the difference in my recovery. You've got this mama! 💙

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation. As someone who's navigated the EDD system for mental health claims, I wanted to add a few points that might help: **For finding immediate care:** - Many urgent care centers now have behavioral health specialists who can provide same-day evaluations and complete SDI paperwork - Check if your area has "maternal mental health collaborative" programs - these are becoming more common in California and specifically designed for postpartum issues **Important timing detail:** When you file your new SDI claim, make sure to request that the effective date starts the day after your PFL benefits end. There's a specific field for this on the DE2501 form, and it helps prevent any gap in coverage. **Documentation tip:** Ask any new provider to specifically state in their medical certification that your current symptoms represent a "continuation and exacerbation" of your previously diagnosed postpartum depression. This language helps EDD understand that this isn't a completely new condition. The system is frustrating, but please don't lose hope. Postpartum depression is a serious medical condition that deserves proper treatment and time to heal. You're being an excellent advocate for yourself and your baby by recognizing that you need more support right now. Keep us updated on how things go - this community is rooting for you! 💕

Hey Dmitry! Congrats on your upcoming arrival! 🎉 I went through this exact same situation when my daughter was born 8 months ago. Your employer's 30% wage supplement absolutely needs to be reported on your PFL claim - there's no way around it. The good news is that if it's properly classified as a parental leave supplement (which it sounds like it is), it likely won't reduce your PFL benefits. You'll essentially get both! When I filed my claim, I was super nervous about this too, but my HR department provided documentation showing it was a "PFL Wage Integration Benefit" and EDD didn't reduce my state benefits at all. Here's what I'd recommend: When you meet with HR tomorrow, ask them specifically what they call this benefit in their system and how they report it to EDD. Get this in writing if possible. Then on your DE2501F form, be very clear in the additional income section about what this payment is and attach that HR documentation. One more tip - start your PFL claim as soon as baby arrives! There's no waiting period for bonding leave, and the sooner you file, the sooner payments start rolling in. You've got this! The fact that you're planning ahead shows you're going to be an awesome parent. 👶

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year! I had a 25% employer supplement during my bonding leave and was terrified about reporting it correctly. What really helped me was calling the EDD PFL line early in the morning (around 8:05 AM right when they open) - I got through in about 20 minutes versus the horror stories of waiting hours. The rep was super helpful and walked me through exactly how to report the supplement on the DE2501F form. She explained that as long as your employer classifies it properly (which sounds like yours does based on other responses), you'll get both benefits without the supplement reducing your PFL amount. The key is just being transparent about it upfront. Also, definitely keep detailed records of all your conversations with HR and EDD. I created a little folder with all my documentation - it made me feel so much more organized during an already overwhelming time as a new parent. You're doing great by planning ahead! Most people don't think about this stuff until after baby arrives and then scramble to figure it out. Your little one is lucky to have such a thoughtful parent! 💙