I'm going through the same thing right now! From what I've gathered reading through these comments, it sounds like calling early in the morning is key. @Fatima Al-Mansour your step-by-step breakdown is super helpful - I'm definitely going to try the 8:01 AM call strategy. It's frustrating that the online system seems so unreliable, but at least there are workarounds. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone going through this - I successfully reestablished my leave about 3 weeks ago. The 8:01 AM call strategy definitely works! I also recommend having your Social Security number, original claim number, and the dates you need to reestablish ready before you call. One thing I learned is to be super specific about WHY you need to reestablish - they asked me detailed questions about the gap in my leave. Also, don't hang up until they give you a confirmation number or case number for your reestablishment request. Write it down! It saved me from having to start over when I had to call back with additional documents. The whole process took about 10 days once I actually got through to someone. Hang in there everyone! 💪

I'm in a similar situation - just had my baby 3 weeks ago and completely forgot about filing for baby bonding leave until now. Reading through all these comments is giving me some hope! Has anyone here actually gotten approved for retroactive pay when they applied weeks after the fact? I'm worried I waited too long but sounds like it might still be worth a shot. Also @Dallas Villalobos - love that you included crying as step 4 😂 probably gonna need that too!

I went through this exact same thing about 6 months ago! I totally spaced on filing my baby bonding claim until my baby was almost 2 months old (new parent brain is SO real). I was convinced I'd missed my chance, but it turns out California actually allows you to file retroactively up to 49 days from when your leave should have started. The process wasn't as bad as I expected - I called the PFL line, explained my situation honestly, and the agent walked me through everything. I had to submit additional paperwork explaining the delay, but I got approved for the full 8 weeks retroactively. My biggest tip: call on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning right at 8am, have your baby's birth certificate and your employment info ready, and don't be afraid to ask questions. The agents are actually pretty understanding about late filings, especially for new parents. You've got this! 💙

I actually just finished my 8 weeks of baby bonding PFL last month and chose paper checks. First payment took about 12 days after approval, then the rest came pretty regularly about 5-6 days after certifying. I had one check that was delayed in the mail for almost 2 weeks though, which was super stressful since we were counting on that money for bills. If your financial situation is tight, direct deposit might be better just for the reliability factor. Good luck with your decision and congrats on your little one!

I went through this exact decision last October for my PFL claim and ended up choosing direct deposit after going back and forth for days! My biggest concern was also security, but I figured my credit union has pretty good fraud monitoring. The payments came through like clockwork - usually 2-3 days after I certified biweekly. The one thing I'd suggest is setting up account alerts on your bank account so you get notified immediately when deposits hit. That way if something goes wrong, you'll know right away instead of waiting and wondering. Also make absolutely sure you enter your routing and account numbers correctly when you set it up - I triple checked mine because I was so paranoid about typos causing delays. Whatever you choose, just remember the most important thing is getting those benefits to support you and your baby girl during this time!

This thread has been so educational! I'm a new parent myself and had no idea about the complexity of California's leave system. Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how important it is to advocate for yourself and double-check everything with both HR and EDD. The fact that you almost missed out on 2 weeks of paid PFL because of miscommunication is exactly why these discussions are so valuable. It's frustrating that such an important system is so poorly explained, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share their real experiences. Congratulations on your new baby and I'm so glad you got those extra paid weeks figured out!

As a California parent who just went through this exact situation last year, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get everything in writing from both your HR department and EDD! I had a similar experience where my HR initially told me I only had 6 weeks of PFL, but when I called EDD directly, I discovered I was entitled to the full 8 weeks. The key lesson I learned is that even HR departments sometimes aren't fully up to date on all the changes to California's leave laws. I also recommend keeping detailed records of all your leave dates and payments - it really helps when you're trying to figure out what benefits you've used and what's still available. Congratulations on your new baby, and I'm so happy you discovered those extra 2 weeks of paid leave! Those early weeks are so precious.

I went through almost the exact same thing at 29 weeks pregnant! My company gave us literally 2 hours notice before shutting down permanently. I was terrified about losing my maternity benefits, but it actually worked out fine. The most important thing I learned: being unemployed does NOT affect your SDI eligibility at all. You paid into the system for 7 years - that money is YOURS. The state disability insurance comes from your previous earnings, not your current employment status. Here's what saved me time and stress: 1. I applied for both unemployment AND SDI on the same day (unemployment for immediate income, SDI to start 4 weeks before due date) 2. I printed out my wage statements from my online portal before my company's systems went dark 3. I had my doctor's office put a rush on the medical certification One thing that surprised me - I actually got my first unemployment payment faster than I expected, which helped bridge the gap until SDI kicked in. Just remember to stop certifying for unemployment the week your disability benefits start. You're going to be okay! The timing is scary but the safety net exists for exactly this reason. Focus on your health and that baby - the paperwork stuff will sort itself out! 🤗

Oh honey, I'm so sorry this happened to you! What terrible timing, but please don't panic - you're going to be okay! I went through something similar when my employer suddenly filed for bankruptcy at 34 weeks. I was absolutely terrified, but it turns out that being laid off actually doesn't affect your SDI/PFL eligibility AT ALL. These are state programs that you've been paying into for 7 years through your paychecks - think of it as insurance you've already bought and paid for. Here's what I wish someone had told me right away: - Apply for SDI online ASAP (even before you're technically disabled) to get the paperwork started - Get your final paystub and any employment documentation before your company completely disappears - Your benefits are calculated based on your previous earnings, not current employment status - The timing actually works out okay since you weren't planning to start leave for a few more weeks anyway The hardest part for me was just not knowing what to expect, but once I understood that my job status didn't matter for disability benefits, it was such a relief. You've EARNED these benefits - they can't take them away from you! Take care of yourself and that baby. The state systems aren't perfect but they do work, and you're going to get through this! 💕