Congratulations on your baby coming so soon! 🎉 As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the amazing advice everyone has shared and wanted to add my own experience from going through this process just 2 months ago. You can absolutely file tomorrow - don't wait! The 7-day waiting period is about when payments begin, not when you can submit your claim. I filed the day after my last work day and while I didn't get paid for that first week, my benefits started on day 8 as expected. One thing I'd emphasize that really saved me stress: create a simple checklist and timeline for yourself. Mine looked like: Day 1 (tomorrow) - file claim online early in the day, Day 3-4 - call automated line to confirm claim received, Week 2 - follow up if still showing pending, etc. Having that roadmap helped me stay calm when the process felt overwhelming. Also, if your company offers any kind of supplemental disability insurance or paid leave that might cover that first week, definitely check with HR today before you leave! I discovered my employer had a small benefit that covered the waiting period but I almost missed the deadline to apply. The system definitely has its quirks and delays, but most people do get through it successfully. You're asking all the right questions and getting excellent advice here. Wishing you a smooth delivery and that your claim processes quickly! 💕

Congratulations on your upcoming arrival! 🎉 As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this thread closely since I'm also expecting and trying to figure out all these EDD requirements. Your question really resonated with me because I was confused about the same timing issue! From everything I've read here, it sounds like you can definitely file tomorrow (your first official day off work) - the 7-day waiting period is just about when you start receiving payments, not when you can submit your claim. I've been taking notes on all the great advice shared here, and the key points seem to be: file online as soon as possible, make sure your doctor faxes the medical certification directly to EDD rather than submitting it yourself, take screenshots of everything during the filing process, and budget for about 3 weeks without payment to account for both the waiting period and processing time. It's definitely nerve-wracking dealing with all this paperwork when you should be focusing on your baby, but seeing how many people have successfully navigated this process (even with some bumps along the way) is really encouraging. The community here has been incredibly helpful in breaking down what can feel like an overwhelming system! Wishing you a smooth delivery and hoping your claim processes quickly! Thanks for asking the questions many of us newcomers are wondering about too! 💕

idk if this helps but i had to deal with pfl last year and they kept loosing my docs 🤦‍♂️ make sure u get confirmation when u send stuff in

Been through this twice now - the key is to be proactive! When they send that vague "additional information" request, call them ASAP to get specifics. In my experience, they usually want employment verification (like a letter from HR), medical documentation if it's health-related, and sometimes wage statements. Also, send everything via certified mail or their online portal if they have one - regular mail has a habit of "disappearing" with government agencies. Good luck! 🤞

This has been such a helpful thread! I'm just starting my PFL baby bonding leave next week and was totally clueless about how the payment schedule works. Reading everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease - I was expecting some kind of fixed monthly payment like a regular paycheck, but the certification-based system actually makes more sense once you understand it. I'm definitely going to set up those text notifications and direct deposit right away based on all your advice. The tip about certifying on the very first eligible day and then expecting payment within 2-3 business days is exactly the kind of concrete timeline I needed. And building in that 3-5 day buffer for budgeting is so smart - I was planning to cut things way too close. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and timelines. This community is way more informative than any official EDD documentation I've found!

Wow, this thread is incredibly thorough! As someone who just started my PFL application process last week, I'm bookmarking this entire conversation. The clarification about the certification-based schedule vs. fixed calendar dates is exactly what I was confused about. I was trying to figure out if payments come on the 1st and 15th or something like that, but now I understand it's all tied to when you complete your biweekly certification. The practical tips about text notifications, direct deposit setup, and keeping a calendar tracker are going straight into my preparation checklist. And that advice about building in a 3-5 day payment buffer for budgeting is gold - I was definitely planning to cut things too close financially. One quick question for those who've been through this - should I expect any kind of confirmation email or notification when my initial claim is approved and I'm placed on the certification schedule? I submitted everything but haven't heard back yet and I'm getting a bit anxious about the timeline. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences! This community knowledge is way better than anything I found on the official EDD site.

Yes, you can split up your PFL baby bonding time! You have 12 months from your baby's birth to use all 8 weeks. You can take it in increments as small as 1 day if your employer approves. Just remember that each time you want to claim a new portion of your PFL, you need to submit a new claim form for that specific period. Many parents save some PFL time for holidays or when their partner goes back to work. The only requirement is that you take it within that first year.

Just wanted to add my experience from going through this transition last month! I filed my PFL claim exactly 7 days before my SDI ended (following the advice I found here actually), and the transition was seamless - no gap in payments at all. One tip that really helped me: when you're filling out the PFL application online, there's a section that asks about "previous claims" - make sure to reference your SDI claim number there. It seems to help EDD connect the two claims faster. Also, don't panic if your EDD account looks weird for a day or two during the transition - mine showed confusing status updates but the payments came through on schedule. The whole process was way less scary than I expected after reading everyone's horror stories!

I went through this exact same issue last month! What worked for me was going to the EDD office in person with my ID and Social Security card. I know it's a pain, but the staff there were actually really helpful and got me back into my account within about 30 minutes. They can override the security question thing if you have proper ID. Might be worth checking if there's an office near you that's open for walk-ins.

I had a similar issue a few months ago and here's what finally worked for me: I used the "Account Recovery" option on the EDD website, but the key was being very patient with the process. It took about 3-4 business days for them to verify my identity through their automated system. Make sure you have your SSN, driver's license number, and the phone number/email associated with your account ready. If the automated recovery doesn't work, there's also a "Contact EDD" form you can fill out specifically for account access issues - it's buried pretty deep in their help section but it exists. They'll usually get back to you within a week. Don't give up, the system is frustrating but it does work eventually!