Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through a similar situation recently! I was also laid off early in my pregnancy and had to navigate this maze of benefits. One thing I learned that might help you: when you're on UI between SDI and PFL, make sure you're genuinely available and actively looking for work. Don't just go through the motions because you're planning to take PFL later - EDD can review your job search activities retroactively if they suspect you weren't truly available. Also, if you do find a job before you take your PFL, you might be able to take it intermittently while working (depending on your employer's policies). Just something to keep in mind as another option! The timing you're planning sounds reasonable - waiting until baby is 4-5 months old for bonding time can actually be really nice because they're more interactive by then. Best of luck with everything!

I'm in a really similar situation right now - also had my baby recently and trying to figure out the best way to handle the transition between benefits! This thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my own research: make sure to keep copies of ALL your paperwork from each benefit program. When I transitioned from SDI to UI, having my SDI award letter helped speed up the UI process since they could see my previous earnings history. Also, if anyone else is reading this and in a similar boat - the 12-month window for PFL starts from your baby's birth date, NOT from when your SDI ends. So even if you take a few months of UI in between, you still have that full year to use your bonding time. @Mateo Hernandez your plan sounds really solid! I'm probably going to follow a similar approach. It's so stressful trying to navigate all this while also being a new parent, but knowing other people have successfully done this exact thing makes me feel much more confident. Good luck with the job search and congratulations on your new baby! 🍼

You're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed by this process! I went through the same panic at 37 weeks with my second baby because I completely forgot about the EDD paperwork with everything else going on. Here's what worked for me to get organized quickly: 1. Start your SDI claim online TODAY - seriously, don't wait! Go to edd.ca.gov, create your account, and begin filling out the DE2501. You can save your progress and come back to finish it later. 2. Call your OB's office first thing Monday morning and tell them you need the medical certification completed ASAP. Most offices are used to this and can turn it around quickly if you explain your timeline. 3. Since your HR person is out, send an email to your supervisor or whoever handles coverage explaining your situation and asking about the company's maternity leave policy. Keep it simple but get their response in writing. 4. The good news: SDI pays about 60-70% of your wages, and you can start receiving benefits up to 4 weeks before your due date if your doctor certifies you're unable to work due to pregnancy. 5. Don't stress about getting everything perfect right away - you can always call EDD to make corrections if needed (though the wait times are brutal, so try to get it right the first time). The fact that you're tackling this at 36 weeks instead of waiting until you're in labor puts you WAY ahead of where many people are. Take a deep breath - you've got this! 💙

Oh honey, I feel your panic! I was in the EXACT same boat at 35 weeks with my first - totally spaced on the EDD stuff while focusing on getting the nursery ready and baby prep. Here's what you need to know to calm those nerves: You're actually NOT too late! You can apply for SDI up to 9 days before you stop working, so you have time. Here's your action plan: 1. Go to edd.ca.gov RIGHT NOW and create an SDI Online account. Start filling out form DE2501 - you don't have to finish it all at once, just get started. 2. At your next OB appointment, tell your doctor you need the medical certification portion completed. They do this all the time and know exactly what to fill out. 3. Since your HR person is out, send an email to your manager explaining your maternity leave timeline and ask about company policy. Keep it professional but get their response in writing. 4. You'll get about 60-70% of your wages through SDI for pregnancy disability, then transition to PFL for baby bonding after you recover. 5. The whole process is done online now, which makes it much easier than the old mail-in system. I know it feels overwhelming, but literally thousands of California moms go through this exact process every month. The system is designed for this! You're being super responsible by starting at 36 weeks instead of waiting until you're in active labor like some people do. Take a deep breath - you've got this mama! 💪✨

Wow, what a stressful situation to deal with while you have a newborn! I'm really impressed by how thoroughly you're researching everything upfront though - that's going to save you so much headache down the road. I wanted to add one thing I learned when I was navigating PFL last year: make sure to keep copies of your actual PFL application screens/confirmations, not just the final approval. I had a situation where EDD's system showed different information than what I had originally submitted, and having screenshots of my actual application helped resolve the discrepancy quickly. Also, since you mentioned budgeting concerns with the severance potentially affecting your PFL - even in the worst case scenario where your benefits get reduced, you'll still have that severance cushion plus unemployment after PFL ends. It's not ideal, but you're not going to fall through the cracks completely. One last thought: if you haven't already, consider setting up your EDD online account now before you submit your PFL application. Sometimes there are delays in account setup, and having it ready can make the whole process smoother. You've got this! The fact that you're asking all these smart questions now shows you're going to handle whatever comes your way. Congratulations on your little one, and I hope the benefits process goes as smoothly as possible for you!

I'm so sorry you're going through this incredibly stressful situation! The timing is absolutely awful, but I'm really impressed by how proactively you're handling everything. I went through a similar situation in late 2023 - got laid off during my PFL period (though not on the exact day it started like you). A few things that might help based on my experience: 1. **Document the layoff timeline**: Since you were laid off the exact day your PFL eligibility began, keep detailed records of when you notified your employer about your intended PFL start date vs. when they announced the layoff. This timing could be important if you ever need to challenge anything later. 2. **Get multiple confirmations about severance classification**: That email from HR is great, but I'd also suggest asking them to confirm what specific codes or language they're using when reporting to EDD and other agencies. Sometimes internal classification doesn't match external reporting. 3. **Consider the bigger picture**: With 3 months severance + 8 weeks PFL + unemployment eligibility after, you actually have a pretty good runway. It's not the situation you planned for, but you're not without options. 4. **Keep detailed records of everything**: Screenshots of applications, confirmation numbers from phone calls, copies of all correspondence. EDD can be unpredictable about what they might question later. You're asking all the right questions upfront instead of figuring it out after problems arise. That's going to serve you well through this process. Hang in there, and congratulations on your little one!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm currently pregnant with my first baby and after reading through everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I need to educate myself about EDD benefits BEFORE any complications arise. For those of you who successfully got extended disability time for premature births - did you have to provide specific medical documentation beyond just the doctor's certification form? I'm thinking things like NICU discharge summaries, pediatrician notes about ongoing health issues, or documentation of postpartum complications you mentioned? Also, I'm curious about the timing - how quickly after you stopped working were you able to get your amended disability claims processed? I know EDD can be slow, but wondering if premature birth situations get expedited handling given the urgent nature. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences. This information could be life-changing for families dealing with unexpected complications!

I'm a labor and delivery nurse who sees families deal with EDD complications all the time, especially after premature births. Your situation is unfortunately very common, but absolutely fixable! The most important thing to understand is that premature births create unique medical circumstances that justify extended disability benefits. When I help families with their paperwork, I always emphasize these key points to include in medical certifications: 1) The physical trauma of emergency/early delivery often requires longer recovery than standard births 2) Interrupted sleep patterns from NICU visits and hospital stress impact healing 3) Breastfeeding/pumping complications with preemies create additional physical demands 4) Caring for a medically fragile infant requires extended recovery time for the mother 5) Postpartum anxiety/depression rates are significantly higher for NICU parents Your son's ongoing breathing issues and adjusted developmental age are absolutely relevant medical factors. I've seen doctors successfully certify 10-12 weeks of disability for similar situations, especially when there's good documentation of the NICU stay and ongoing complications. Don't let EDD's initial response discourage you - I've watched families go from getting denied to receiving 20+ weeks of combined benefits once they had proper medical advocacy. Your OB should be familiar with writing these extended certifications for premature birth cases. If they seem unsure, you can reference other successful cases or even ask to speak with their office's patient advocate who handles disability paperwork. You're not asking for anything unreasonable - you're asking for what the system is designed to provide in exactly these circumstances!

I'm currently navigating this exact same situation! I work full-time as a graphic designer and also provide IHSS care for my elderly father (about 12 hours/week). I was honestly losing sleep over how to handle the DE2501 form correctly, but this thread has been absolutely incredible. Reading everyone's real experiences has made it crystal clear - I need to list BOTH employers but be super explicit about which job I'm taking leave from and which I'm continuing. I'm planning to write something like "CONTINUING IHSS SERVICES - NOT REQUESTING MATERNITY LEAVE" next to my father's care entry on the form. What really helped me understand is that EDD actually WANTS the complete employment picture to calculate benefits properly - they're not trying to trick us or penalize us for having multiple jobs. They just need to know what wages we're actually losing during our leave period. Thank you so much to everyone who shared their successful experiences here! It's made me feel so much more confident about tackling this paperwork. The EDD website is practically useless for these common dual employer scenarios, but this community has been a lifesaver. I'm due in July and now I feel prepared to get everything filed correctly without all the stress and confusion I was feeling before!

I'm in the exact same boat! I work full-time at a tech startup and also do IHSS care for my mom (about 14 hours/week). This thread has been such a game-changer for me - I was literally Googling "EDD multiple employers" at 2am last night because I was so stressed about filling out the forms wrong. What's become super clear from everyone's experiences is that transparency is everything. I'm going to list both my startup job and my IHSS position on the DE2501, but I'll add a clear note like "CONTINUING IHSS CARE - NO LEAVE REQUESTED" for my mom's care. The thing that really clicked for me is understanding that EDD needs to see your complete wage picture to calculate benefits correctly, but they're totally fine with you continuing one job while taking leave from another. It's actually pretty logical once you think about it that way. Thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experiences here! The EDD website is absolutely terrible at explaining these common scenarios, but this community has been incredible. I feel so much more confident about getting my paperwork submitted correctly now. You've all saved me from weeks of anxiety!