I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant and reading through all these responses has been such a wake-up call! My company also offers full pay during maternity leave and I was definitely planning to wait until those benefits ended before thinking about state benefits. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - I had no idea about the 49-day deadline from disability certification date! I'm scheduling a meeting with HR this week to clarify exactly how our company's policy works with state benefits. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like the safest approach is to file the SDI claim as soon as my doctor certifies my disability around 36 weeks, even if I'm getting 100% pay from my employer. One follow-up question - for those whose companies did coordinate benefits behind the scenes, did you notice any difference in your paystubs or was it completely transparent? I'm trying to understand what to expect when I start receiving both employer and potentially state payments. Thanks again for all the helpful advice! 🙏

I'm a mom who went through this exact confusion 18 months ago! My employer also had a generous full-pay maternity policy and I was SO confused about the timing with state benefits. After reading through all these helpful responses, I want to echo what everyone is saying about that crucial 49-day deadline. Here's what saved me: I called EDD directly (took forever to get through, but worth it) and they explained that even though my company called their benefits "in lieu of" state benefits, I still needed to file my SDI claim within 49 days of my doctor certifying my pregnancy disability. Turns out my employer was actually coordinating behind the scenes and would have received the state payments as reimbursement. The key thing I learned: There's literally no downside to filing your DE2501 form on time, but there's a HUGE downside to missing that window. Even if you end up not needing the state payments, you preserve your eligibility for the full benefits timeline including the transition to PFL for bonding time. My recommendation: File as soon as your doctor certifies your disability around 36 weeks, ask HR for written clarification of how they coordinate with state benefits, and don't let generous employer policies fool you into thinking you don't need to file. You've been paying into these benefits through payroll deductions - make sure you can access them if needed! Good luck mama! 💕

Hey Dmitry! I just went through this exact situation with my twins 4 months ago and had the same panic about the employer supplement! You definitely need to report that 30% on your PFL claim - it's required regardless of the classification. But here's the good news: if your employer properly classifies it as a parental leave supplement (sounds like they do), it won't reduce your PFL benefits at all! When I met with my HR team, they provided documentation showing it was classified as "Paid Family Leave Wage Integration" and I got both my full EDD benefit AND the employer supplement. Basically ended up with close to 100% of my normal pay during leave which was a lifesaver with two newborns! My advice: get that HR documentation in writing before you file, be super transparent on the DE2501F form about the supplement, and file online as soon as baby arrives. The whole process was way less scary than I expected once I had proper documentation. You're being so smart to plan ahead - most people figure this out after baby arrives and scramble! Your little one is lucky to have such a prepared parent. Best of luck! 👶✨

Hey there! As someone who literally just went through this process with my first baby 2 months ago, I can totally relate to the anxiety you're feeling! Yes, you absolutely must report that 30% employer supplement on your PFL claim - there's no getting around it. But don't panic! I had a similar 35% supplement from my company and was terrified I'd mess something up. When I met with HR, they provided a letter stating it was classified as a "Paid Family Leave Wage Supplement" and I attached that documentation to my DE2501F form. EDD didn't reduce my benefits at all - I got the full state PFL payment PLUS my employer's supplement, which was incredible! Here's what made the process smooth for me: 1) Get HR documentation in writing about how they classify this benefit, 2) Be completely transparent on the DE2501F form in the additional income section, 3) File online as soon as baby arrives for faster processing, and 4) Keep copies of everything you submit. The fact that you're planning this out ahead of time shows you're going to be an amazing parent! Most people scramble to figure this out after baby arrives. One more tip - if you need to call EDD, try right at 8 AM when they open. I got through in under 30 minutes that way. You've got this! 🍼

Just joined this community because I'm dealing with the exact same issue! Filed my FMLA paperwork 6 weeks ago and haven't heard anything back. The silence is honestly more stressful than the actual situation that required the leave. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the spam folder check or the congressperson option. It's both reassuring and frustrating to see so many people going through this. I'm going to try the systematic approach everyone's suggesting: spam check first, then prep for those brutal hold times, and document everything. The fact that we need a whole strategy just to get basic updates on our applications is ridiculous. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's making me feel less alone in this bureaucratic maze!

Just wanted to add my experience to this thread since I'm seeing so many people going through the same thing! I filed my FMLA paperwork about 10 weeks ago and finally got some movement last week after trying multiple approaches. Here's what worked for me: 1) Called every Monday morning at exactly 8 AM when they open - seemed to have better luck getting through then. 2) Sent a certified letter with delivery confirmation after week 8 - sometimes physical mail gets more attention. 3) Reached out to my employer's HR to make sure they had submitted their portion correctly (turned out there was an issue on their end!). The waiting is absolutely brutal and the lack of communication is unacceptable, but don't give up. Also, definitely check with your employer - mine thought they had submitted everything but there was actually a missing form that held up the whole process for weeks. Hang in there everyone, and keep pushing! 💪

I'm dealing with this exact same situation and it's so stressful! My PFL claim submitted about 5 weeks ago just completely vanished from the system. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though - I had no idea about the 8 AM calling strategy or the pfl@edd.ca.gov email address. I'm definitely going to start that tracking spreadsheet everyone mentioned and try the multi-pronged approach. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become private investigators just to get updates on our own benefits, but seeing so many success stories here gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. The assemblyperson option is also good to know about as a backup plan. Thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences and practical solutions - this community is more helpful than anything I've found on the official EDD website!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now and finding this thread feels like discovering a hidden treasure of actually useful advice! My PFL claim vanished about 4 weeks ago and the stress has been overwhelming, especially when you're counting on that support for family care needs. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm amazed at how common this problem is - it's both reassuring that I'm not alone and absolutely infuriating that the system is this broken. I'm putting together my action plan based on all the successful strategies shared here: • Starting that detailed tracking spreadsheet immediately (this is genius for staying organized!) • Setting my alarm for 7:55 AM to start calling right at 8:00 AM when they open • Emailing pfl@edd.ca.gov with that specific subject line format that actually gets responses • Gathering all my original documentation and confirmation numbers The assemblyperson option is definitely going in my back pocket if the first approaches don't work. It's wild that we need to become private investigators just to track down benefits we've already earned, but seeing so many success stories here gives me real hope that persistence pays off. Thank you all for sharing what actually works instead of just complaining (though the complaints are totally valid too!). This community is more helpful than the actual EDD website. I'll definitely update with my progress - fingers crossed we can all add to the success stories soon! 💪

As someone who just joined this community and is currently pregnant with my first child while running a small consulting business, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the DIEC program either. @Keisha Jackson, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress during what should be an exciting time. Have you considered reaching out to SCORE or your local Small Business Development Center? They sometimes have resources or know about local grants for small business owners facing hardships. Also, some professional associations for graphic designers might have emergency assistance funds - it's worth checking if you're a member of any. I'm definitely going to look into enrolling in DIEC after reading everyone's experiences here. Thank you all for sharing such valuable information!

Hi @Keisha Jackson! I just joined this community and your post really caught my attention because I'm also self-employed (freelance marketing consultant) and trying to plan for a potential pregnancy in the next year or two. Reading through all these responses has been such a reality check for me - I had no idea about the DIEC program either! While I can't help with your current situation, I wanted to mention that some areas have sliding-scale childcare assistance programs that might help you get back to work sooner than planned if needed. Also, if you have any regular clients, now might be a good time to discuss potentially working reduced hours remotely during your recovery period, even if it's just light tasks you can do from home. I'm definitely going to apply for DIEC coverage after reading this thread. Thank you for asking this question - it's helping so many of us who didn't know we needed this information! Wishing you all the best with your pregnancy and hoping you can build up a good financial cushion over the next few months. 💙