Adding to what everyone else has said - I'm a newcomer here but went through this exact situation with my PFL claim last month! One thing that really helped me was creating a timeline of all my important dates (baby's birth date, when I started leave, when I filed the claim, etc.) before calling EDD. The rep was able to quickly identify that my issue was similar to @Ethan Moore's - I had filed too early. But having all those dates ready made the call go much smoother and faster. Also, if you end up needing to appeal, don't be intimidated by the process. The hearing officers are actually pretty understanding, especially for baby bonding cases. They deal with these timing mix-ups all the time. One last tip: if you're breastfeeding, you might also qualify for disability benefits during the initial recovery period, which is separate from the bonding leave. Worth asking about if you haven't already! Hope this helps and congrats on your little one! 🎉

Hey James! I just went through a similar situation with my baby bonding claim a couple months ago - totally understand the frustration! 😤 One thing I learned is that you can actually request an expedited copy of your DE 2514 notice by calling the SDI customer service line directly and asking them to email it to you instead of waiting for mail. They can usually send it within 24-48 hours if you explain that you're trying to meet appeal deadlines. Also, while you're gathering info, make sure to check if your employer submitted all the required forms on their end (like the DE 2501). Sometimes disqualifications happen because of missing employer documentation that you have no control over, but it's still your responsibility to follow up on. The appeal process isn't as scary as it seems - I ended up winning mine because it turned out EDD had incorrect information about my employment dates. Just make sure you file within that 30-day window even if you don't have all the details yet! Hang in there and don't let the bureaucracy get you down. You deserve those benefits for bonding with your little one! 👶💙

This thread has been absolutely life-changing for me! I'm 7 months pregnant and just accepted a new job offer that starts in two weeks. I was literally losing sleep over whether I'd have any leave benefits, but reading through everyone's experiences has completely put my mind at ease. The way everyone broke down the differences between PDL, PFL, and CFRA was so helpful - I finally understand that the medical recovery portion (PDL) is protected immediately, which is huge! And seeing so many success stories of people who switched jobs during pregnancy gives me so much confidence that I made the right decision. @Zoe Stavros your timeline is almost identical to what mine will be, so I'm thrilled to hear your company had policies beyond the legal minimums. I'm definitely going to schedule that HR conversation as soon as I start and ask all the right questions thanks to everyone's advice here. One thing I wanted to ask - for those who filed PFL claims after switching jobs, was there any delay in processing because you had multiple employers? I want to make sure I'm prepared for any potential hiccups when the time comes. Thank you all for creating such an incredible resource! This community is amazing and you've all made what felt like an impossible situation feel totally manageable. 🤗

I'm 6 months pregnant and just got offered my dream job! I was so worried about the timing after reading horror stories online, but this entire thread has been such a reality check in the best way possible. You've all shown that switching jobs during pregnancy is not only doable but can actually work out really well with the right knowledge and preparation. The breakdown everyone provided about PDL being immediately available regardless of tenure is HUGE - I had no idea about that protection! And @Zoe Stavros seeing your exact timeline and success story gives me so much hope since I'd be in almost the same situation. I'm definitely going to use all the strategies mentioned here: researching company D&I programs, asking about family leave policies beyond legal minimums during my HR meeting, creating that timeline document @Giovanni Moretti suggested, and keeping all my paystubs organized. One question - for those who disclosed pregnancy after starting a new job, did you find there was an "ideal" time to have that conversation? I'm thinking around 2-3 weeks in once I've settled but before I start showing obviously. Thank you all for turning what felt like a nightmare scenario into something I actually feel confident about! This community is incredible! 🌟

I'm a single mom who went through this exact situation two years ago! The EDD name change delay is so stressful when you're already dealing with pregnancy anxiety. Here's what I learned: even though the online portal took forever to update (mine took 16 business days!), my benefits weren't delayed at all. The most important thing is that you went in person - that creates an official record in their system that overrides the portal display issues. When I filed my pregnancy disability claim, I wrote "Name change in progress - confirmation #[your number]" at the top of my DE2501 form and attached a copy of my marriage certificate. The EDD processor was able to see the pending change in their internal system and processed everything normally. Also, make sure when you transition to the baby bonding portion later that you reference the same confirmation number on your DE2508 form. You're being so proactive handling this now instead of waiting - that's exactly the right approach! The bureaucracy is frustrating but you've got all the right pieces in place.

I'm a new member here and just wanted to say how reassuring this thread is! I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant and was planning to update my name with EDD after getting married next month, but reading about everyone's experiences has me thinking I should do it sooner rather than later. It sounds like the key takeaways are: go in person (not over the phone), keep detailed records including confirmation numbers, list both names on all forms, and don't panic if the online portal takes weeks to update since the internal system works faster. The advice about writing "Name change in progress - confirmation #[number]" on forms and attaching marriage certificates seems really practical. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful to learn from people who've actually been through this process rather than just guessing what might happen!

This thread has been so incredibly helpful - thank you to everyone sharing their experiences! I'm currently 6 weeks into my PFL bonding time and have been struggling with complications that my doctor didn't anticipate when we originally planned my return timeline. Reading through all these detailed responses gives me so much hope and practical guidance. The tips about working with specialists (not just your OB), being extremely specific about work limitations, and downloading the DE2501 form ahead of time are game-changers. I had no idea I needed to be so detailed about functional restrictions. What really stands out to me is how important it is to frame these as NEW medical conditions separate from normal postpartum recovery. That distinction seems to be the key to getting approved rather than denied. I'm planning to start this process next week - going to schedule appointments with both my OB and a specialist, download the form to review ahead of time, and make sure I apply about 10 days before my PFL ends to minimize any gap in benefits. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation - don't feel guilty about needing more time to recover! Every person and every birth is different, and complications happen. Our health and our babies' wellbeing have to come first. This community proves that there are options even when HR departments aren't helpful. 💕 Sending strength to all the mamas navigating this process!

This entire thread has been incredibly informative and reassuring! As someone who's currently 4 weeks into PFL bonding time and starting to worry about my return to work date, I can't express how valuable all of these shared experiences have been. What's really striking is how many people had no idea this was even possible - including me until reading this! It seems like there's a real knowledge gap where people think you only get your initial pregnancy disability plus PFL bonding time, and that's it. But clearly there are legitimate options for additional support when genuine complications arise. A few key takeaways that seem consistent across everyone's experiences: - Work with specialists beyond your OB for documentation - Be extremely specific about functional limitations on the DE2501 form - Frame your condition as separate from normal postpartum recovery - Apply about 10 days before PFL ends to minimize benefit gaps - Keep detailed records of everything The emphasis on not feeling guilty about needing more recovery time really resonates too. It's so easy to feel pressure to "bounce back" on some predetermined timeline, but every pregnancy and birth is different. Some people need more time, and that's completely valid. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share such detailed, helpful information. This kind of community support makes navigating these complex systems so much more manageable! 💕

Hey Amara! I went through this exact situation when my twins were born last spring - was working full-time at a medical office and part-time at a retail store. EDD absolutely used both incomes for my benefit calculation and I ended up getting about $1,320/week which was roughly 66% of my combined weekly earnings from both jobs. One tip that saved me a lot of stress: I actually printed out copies of both the DE2508 (your application) and DE2515 (employer form) and hand-delivered them to both HR departments with a cover letter explaining the timeline and deadlines. This way I knew for sure they received everything and understood what was needed. My retail job's HR was pretty overwhelmed and I think having the forms in hand with clear instructions made all the difference. Also, since you mentioned March 2025 - start gathering your pay stubs from both jobs now covering at least the past 18 months. EDD's wage database is usually accurate but having your own records as backup can speed things up if there are any discrepancies. The whole process took about 2.5 weeks from application to first payment once both employers submitted their paperwork. One last thing - as the dad you have up to a full year to use your 8 weeks of bonding leave, so you have flexibility to coordinate with your wife's schedule and maximize your family time together. Congrats on the upcoming arrival and good luck with the application process!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - currently working two part-time jobs (30 hrs/week at a daycare and 25 hrs/week doing admin work) and expecting my first baby in May 2025. Reading everyone's experiences has given me so much confidence that EDD will actually use both incomes for the calculation, which is a huge relief since I was worried about only getting benefits based on one job. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about starting early with both HR departments - the daycare is pretty good with paperwork but the admin job is just a small office that probably hasn't dealt with PFL before. Creating a timeline document and hand-delivering the forms sounds like the way to go. One quick question for those who've been through this - did you find it helpful to give your employers a specific deadline for submitting their DE2515 forms, or did you just ask them to do it "as soon as possible"? I'm thinking of giving them a date that's maybe a week earlier than when I actually need it submitted, just to build in some buffer time in case they're slow to respond. Thanks again to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world info that makes all the difference when planning for something this important!