I'm so sorry you're going through this awful situation! What your employer did is absolutely illegal - they cannot just "accept a resignation" you never gave. That's textbook wrongful termination and pregnancy discrimination. But YES, you can definitely still file for PFL! I went through something very similar last year when my employer tried to push me out after my maternity leave. Your PFL eligibility is based on your base period wages (from when you qualified for SDI), not your current employment status. Since you already received SDI benefits, you've proven you have the qualifying wage history for PFL. You've been paying into this system through every paycheck - those 8 weeks of baby bonding benefits belong to YOU. File your DE 2501F form TODAY - don't wait another minute! Their illegal "resignation" stunt has zero impact on your PFL benefits. With 70+ employees, your company should have provided CFRA job protection too, so definitely document everything about that phone call. I ended up filing a DFEH complaint and consulting with an employment attorney (many work on contingency for these cases). It was worth it to hold them accountable for their illegal behavior. Don't let them intimidate you - focus on your baby and claim what you've already paid for! This community has your back! 💪

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this terrible situation on top of caring for a newborn! What your employer did is absolutely illegal - they cannot just "accept a resignation" that you never actually gave. That's wrongful termination and pregnancy discrimination, plain and simple. But YES, you can definitely still file for PFL! Your eligibility is completely locked in based on your base period wages from when you qualified for SDI, NOT your current employment status. Since you already successfully received SDI benefits, you've proven you have all the qualifying wage history needed for PFL. You've been paying into this system through every paycheck - those 8 weeks of baby bonding benefits are rightfully YOURS. File your DE 2501F form immediately - don't let another day pass! Their illegal actions have zero impact on your PFL eligibility. You've earned these benefits and deserve every penny. Also, with 70+ employees, your company is absolutely required to provide CFRA job protection for bonding leave. Document everything about that phone call where they "accepted your resignation" - date, time, exact words, everything. Then seriously consider filing a complaint with DFEH and consulting with an employment attorney. Many handle pregnancy discrimination cases on contingency. Don't let them steal what you've already paid for! Focus on your precious baby and claim what's rightfully yours. You've got this mama! 💪

Update: I just applied online through my SDI account! It was actually pretty straightforward. There was a button that said "File a PFL Claim" right on the main page after logging in. The whole process took about 15 minutes. I made sure to set my PFL start date as the day after my disability ends. Now I'm just waiting for approval. Thanks everyone for your help! I'll update again when I hear back about approval.

Congratulations on successfully filing your PFL claim online! That's awesome that you got it done so quickly. Just a heads up - keep checking your SDI account regularly over the next week or so to see when your claim status updates. In my experience, once it shows "approved" online, your first payment usually comes within 2-3 business days after that. Also, if for some reason you don't see any updates after 10 days, don't panic! Sometimes there can be small delays if they need to verify information with your employer or if there's a high volume of claims being processed. But based on what others have shared here, it sounds like most baby bonding transitions go pretty smoothly. Enjoy your bonding time with your little girl! 💕

As someone who just went through this transition 3 months ago, I want to emphasize how important it is to stay organized during this process! I created a simple folder (both physical and digital) with all my EDD documents, doctor's notes, and important dates. This saved me so much stress when I had questions or needed to reference something quickly. Also, don't hesitate to ask your doctor's office to help clarify the timeline - they deal with these disability certifications all the time and can often give you a clearer picture of when your post-birth recovery period will end. My OB's office was actually more helpful than EDD in explaining the process! One last thing - if you're planning to take the full 8 weeks of baby bonding PFL, make sure your employer knows the timeline so they can plan accordingly. Good luck with everything - you've got this! 💪

One thing I wish someone had told me when I went through this - if you're planning to breastfeed, make sure you understand how pumping breaks work with your PFL timeline! I assumed I could just figure it out later, but it actually affects your return-to-work planning. California law requires employers to provide reasonable break time for pumping, but coordinating that with the end of your 8-week PFL baby bonding period takes some advance planning. I ended up having to have awkward conversations with HR about pumping accommodations literally days before returning to work because I hadn't thought about it during my PFL. Just something to add to your organization folder if it applies to your situation! The whole transition is stressful enough without last-minute surprises about workplace logistics.

I'm currently in this exact situation and just wanted to add my experience! I work full-time at a dental office and also do IHSS care for my elderly neighbor (about 10 hours/week). After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I called EDD yesterday and the rep confirmed everything everyone has shared here. She told me that dual employer situations with IHSS are super common and that I absolutely MUST list both jobs on the DE2501 form. The key is being crystal clear about which position I'm taking leave from. I'm going to write "CONTINUING IHSS CARE - NOT REQUESTING LEAVE" for the neighbor's care and put my actual last work date for the dental office. What really put my mind at ease was when she explained that my benefit will be calculated based on the proportion of wages I'm losing. Since my dental office job is about 85% of my total income, I'll receive roughly 85% of my calculated weekly benefit amount. This thread has been absolutely amazing - way more helpful than anything on the EDD website! Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences. It's made navigating this process so much less stressful knowing that transparency and clear documentation is all that's needed.

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! I work full-time at a physical therapy clinic and also do IHSS care for my grandmother (about 14 hours/week). I was completely overwhelmed trying to figure out the DE2501 form until I found this discussion. What's really helped me understand from everyone's experiences is that EDD needs to see ALL your employment to calculate benefits properly - it's not about hiding anything, it's about giving them the complete picture. I'm going to list both my PT clinic job and IHSS position, but add a note like "CONTINUING IHSS CARE - NO MATERNITY LEAVE REQUESTED" to make it super clear which job I'm taking leave from. The most reassuring thing from reading all these responses is knowing that EDD deals with IHSS + full-time job combinations constantly. As long as I'm transparent about everything and honest during the bi-weekly certifications, it should all work out fine. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences here - you've made this whole process feel so much less intimidating! The EDD website is absolutely terrible for explaining these scenarios, but this community has been incredible.

I'm so sorry you're going through this financial stress - it's absolutely exhausting waiting for EDD payments when bills are piling up! I went through almost the exact same timeline last year. Filed in early January, got my DE 429D notice in late February, and then received payment 7 business days later via direct deposit. The computation notice is definitely a great sign that you're in the home stretch! While you're waiting those final days, I'd recommend calling EDD at exactly 8:00 AM when they open (much better success rate) and try the "2-1-1" method others mentioned. Also set up text alerts from your bank so you'll know immediately when the deposit hits. Since your savings are drained, definitely look into local emergency assistance programs - call 211 to find resources in your area for emergency rent/utility help while you wait. And don't forget to file your PFL claim (DE 2501FP) about 1-2 weeks before your disability ends to avoid a payment gap. Based on everyone's experiences here, you should see that lump sum payment covering all those weeks very soon - probably within the next week! The waiting is brutal but you're so close to the finish line. Hang in there! 💪

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and your post really resonates with me! I filed my maternity disability claim in early February and just got my DE 429D notice a few days ago. The financial anxiety has been overwhelming - I've been living off credit cards and help from my parents while waiting for any sign of progress. Reading through all these responses is giving me so much hope though! It sounds like most people are getting paid within 5-10 business days after receiving that computation notice, which means we should both see relief very soon. I've been following the advice here about setting up bank text alerts and trying to call at exactly 8:05 AM when EDD opens. The fact that there's no clear timeline information anywhere on EDD's website is so frustrating - this community thread has been more helpful than anything official I could find! Based on everyone's experiences, it really does seem like the DE 429D notice is the signal that we're finally in the home stretch. Hang in there! From what everyone is saying, that lump sum covering all those weeks should hit your account any day now. We've survived the worst part of the waiting game! 🤞