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. 🍼

I just want to echo what everyone else has said about NOT being able to file early for PFL baby bonding - this is such a common misconception! I made the same mistake thinking I could file ahead like with disability claims. One thing that really helped me was creating a checklist ahead of time with everything I'd need ready to go on filing day: - Updated employer info and exact last day worked - Baby's birth certificate - Bank account info for direct deposit - Any previous PFL claim reference numbers I also set up calendar reminders for both the filing date AND to follow up if I didn't hear anything within 2 weeks. The second claims really do take longer to process - mine was almost 3 weeks vs 1 week for my first claim. Your plan sounds really smart with the back-to-back scheduling! Just make sure both your employers are crystal clear on the exact handoff date. My sister and her husband did something similar and it worked out perfectly once they got through the initial paperwork hurdles. Also seconding the advice about filing early in the morning - the EDD system is definitely more reliable before everyone else logs on for the day!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone still struggling with this - I had the exact same overlapping dates issue between PFL and disability claims last month. After reading all the great advice here, I called the PFL-specific number (1-877-238-4373) at exactly 8:00 AM on a Wednesday and got through after about 40 minutes on hold. The rep was incredibly helpful and fixed my start date in under 5 minutes once I had my confirmation numbers ready. One thing I didn't see mentioned - they also sent me an email confirmation with a case reference number after making the change, so definitely ask for that! The correction showed up in my online account within 24 hours. Also, pro tip: when you're on hold, don't hang up even if it seems like forever - I was tempted to hang up at the 35-minute mark but I'm so glad I stuck it out. This thread gave me the motivation to keep trying, so thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! 🙏

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Made the mistake of entering the wrong start date on my PFL claim and now it's overlapping with my disability benefits. It's so frustrating knowing this is probably a simple fix but getting through to someone feels impossible. I've been calling for over a week with no luck - either busy signals or hours on hold just to get disconnected. Reading through all these comments is giving me so much hope though! Definitely going to try calling that PFL-specific number (1-877-238-4373) at 8 AM sharp tomorrow with all my confirmation numbers ready. Thank you everyone for sharing what actually worked - this community is honestly a lifesaver when dealing with EDD's impossible system! 🙏

I'm dealing with a similar situation - my claim has been pending for about 3 weeks now. One thing that helped me was logging into my account and checking if there are any "action items" or document requests that might not be obvious at first glance. Sometimes they'll request additional verification docs but it's buried in the interface. Also, I found that calling the technical support line (not the main claims line) can sometimes get you through faster, and they can at least tell you if there are any obvious issues with your claim. The wait times are still brutal, but it's another option to try. Really hoping both of our claims get processed soon - this whole system needs a serious overhaul!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the waiting and uncertainty is incredibly stressful when you're depending on these benefits. I went through something similar last year and it took about 7 weeks total before I saw my first payment. A few things that helped me: 1) I kept detailed notes of every time I called and what they told me, 2) I made sure to certify for benefits every two weeks even though the claim was pending (you can backdate payments once it's approved), and 3) I contacted my assemblymember's office after week 4 - they actually have staff specifically for EDD issues and can sometimes get answers faster than calling directly. The system is definitely overwhelmed, but don't lose hope. Your claim will eventually get processed, and you should receive all the back payments you're owed once it goes through. Keep pushing and advocating for yourself!

After reading through all the comments, it sounds like what the person at your wife's work was referring to is the California Training Benefits (CTB) program through unemployment insurance, NOT an extension of PFL. To clarify the process for that (which is NOT designed as a parental leave extension): 1. Your wife would need to separate from her employer after PFL ends 2. She would apply for regular Unemployment Insurance 3. She would need to enroll in an approved training program 4. She would apply for the CTB program specifically This is NOT a seamless extension of benefits and has different eligibility requirements and benefit calculations. It also requires job separation, which means losing employer health insurance and other benefits. I'd strongly suggest speaking with an EDD representative directly before making any decisions based on this information.

I'm a new parent myself and went through this same confusion a few months ago. The unfortunate reality is that there's no legitimate 6-month PFL extension program in California. The 8 weeks of paid family leave for baby bonding is the maximum the state provides. However, here are some actual options that might help your situation: 1. Check if your wife's employer offers any supplemental parental leave benefits beyond what the state provides 2. Look into whether she has any accrued vacation/sick time that could extend her paid time off 3. Ask HR about a gradual return-to-work schedule or temporary part-time arrangement 4. See if your employer offers dependent care assistance or flexible spending accounts for childcare costs The California Training Benefits program others mentioned is real, but it's not designed for this purpose and would require your wife to quit her job first - which could create bigger financial problems given the loss of health insurance and other benefits. I'd recommend calling EDD directly to confirm there aren't any pilot programs or special circumstances that apply to your situation, but don't get your hopes up for a 6-month extension. Focus on practical solutions with her current employer instead.

Just updating to let everyone know that I got this resolved! It took 4 days total - 2 days for ID.me to respond and 2 more to complete the account merge. I used Claimyr to get through to EDD (took about 25 mins to connect) and explained the situation. They put a note on my account and told me to call back once the ID.me issue was fixed. After ID.me merged my accounts, I called EDD again and they were able to push my PFL claim through. Payment is being deposited tomorrow! Thanks everyone for your help with this stressful situation.

Oh wow, reading through all these experiences is both helpful and terrifying! I'm 8 months pregnant and planning to apply for PFL in a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I have multiple ID.me accounts from different job applications over the years. Should I try to sort this out BEFORE I apply for PFL, or wait until it becomes a problem? It sounds like being proactive might save me a lot of headache later, especially with a newborn!