Great question about the timing! PFL bonding leave must be taken within the first 12 months after your baby's birth (or placement for adoption). So your husband could technically wait up to a year, but practically speaking most people take it within the first few months. There's no requirement that both parents take their leave consecutively or even close together. When I took my PFL about 6 months after my wife's leave ended, EDD didn't give me any trouble at all. Just had to provide the birth certificate and fill out the DE2508 form like normal. The key is that each parent's 8-week clock is independent - so even if there are gaps between when you each take leave, you're still entitled to your full 8 weeks as long as it's within that first year. One tip: if you're planning to space out the leaves, keep copies of all your documentation handy since you might need to reference dates and details months later when the second parent files their claim!

One thing to keep in mind with twins - while California doesn't give you extra PFL weeks for multiples, you might want to consider the practical aspects of caring for two newborns when planning your leave schedule. I have twin boys (now 18 months) and honestly, those first few months were intense! My husband and I initially planned to take our PFL back-to-back, but we ended up overlapping for about 2 weeks because managing twins alone was really challenging, especially with feeding schedules and sleep deprivation. If your budget allows for some unpaid time or if you have vacation days, you might want to build in a little buffer. Also, stock up on all your paperwork ahead of time - with twins, you'll have even less time to deal with EDD forms and calls. Good luck with your March arrivals!

This is such great timing for this thread! I'm actually expecting my second baby in a few months and will need to use PFL again. Last time was 3 years ago and I completely forgot about the debit card wait time - I was panicking thinking something was wrong when it didn't arrive immediately after approval. It's really helpful to see that the 7-10 business day timeline is still accurate. One thing I learned from my first experience is to definitely set up that automatic transfer to your bank account like @Fatima Al-Farsi mentioned. The BofA EDD card works fine but having the money in your regular checking account just makes budgeting so much easier, especially when you're dealing with all the expenses that come with a new family member!

I'm in a similar waiting period right now - got approved last Friday and still checking the mailbox every day! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the 7-10 business day timeline is pretty consistent, and I love that tip about the plain white envelope - I definitely would have overlooked that. @Giovanni Moretti your experience with the address issue has me paranoid, so I just double-checked mine in the system and thankfully it looks correct. @Sofia Perez thanks for mentioning that Claimyr service - good to know there's a backup option if I need to get through to someone quickly. It's amazing how much anxiety this waiting period creates when you're trying to plan finances around a new family situation! Will definitely update when my card arrives.

Anyone else notice that the hold music is like... weirdly catchy? I caught myself humming it at the grocery store the other day 😂

I just went through this exact same situation last month! The incorrect return-to-work date was driving me crazy because it was affecting my benefit calculation. When I finally got through (after what felt like forever), the rep was actually really helpful. They were able to fix it right over the phone once I provided my correct start date and explained the situation. The key is having any documentation ready - I had my job offer email saved on my phone which made it super easy. The change showed up in my account within 2 business days. Hang in there, you'll get through eventually!

Good news! After your disability extension ends, the transition to baby bonding PFL is usually much smoother. The processing time for PFL is typically 5-7 days once you submit the DE2501FP form. Also, don't forget that if you have any paid leave through your employer (vacation, PTO, etc.), you can coordinate that with your state benefits. Some employers even offer supplemental benefits that top-up your state payments to match your full salary. Worth checking your company's parental leave policy if you haven't already!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation right now! My doctor submitted my extension paperwork 10 days ago and I'm still waiting to hear back from EDD. The anxiety is real - especially when you're already dealing with recovery and a newborn. One tip that helped me stay sane: I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all my dates (when I requested the form from my doctor, when they said they'd submit it, when I called to follow up, etc.). It's helped me stay organized instead of just sitting around wondering what's happening. Also, I noticed someone mentioned the Claimyr service earlier - I'm seriously considering trying it if I don't hear something by Friday. Has anyone else here actually used it? I'm desperate to talk to a real person at EDD but those hold times are absolutely brutal when you're caring for a baby. Really hoping both of us hear good news soon! This whole process is way more stressful than it needs to be during what's already such a challenging time.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here! As someone who's also trying to navigate this system for the first time, this thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding how strict EDD is with that first birthday cutoff. It's disappointing that there's no flexibility, but at least now I know to plan accordingly and start my claim early enough to use all 8 weeks before my baby turns 1. The suggestion about combining PFL with vacation time or employer leave is really smart too - that way you can still get close to your ideal timing while not losing any benefits. This community has been such a lifesaver for getting real-world advice that you just can't find in the official EDD documentation!

I'm dealing with this exact timing issue right now too! My baby is due in February and I was hoping to save my PFL for when my partner goes back to work in the fall, but it sounds like I'll be cutting it way too close to that first birthday deadline. It's so frustrating that they give you this benefit but then have such an inflexible cutoff that can make you lose weeks of it. I wish there was at least a grace period or some way to use those benefits later if you don't need them immediately after birth. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this has definitely changed my planning. Better to know now than find out the hard way like some of you did! I think I'll look into that intermittent leave option to spread out my 8 weeks strategically while still finishing before the birthday.