Baby bonding PFL application timing question - can husband apply before start date?
Quick question about timing for EDD PFL baby bonding leave applications! My husband is scheduled to start his baby bonding leave this coming Monday (8/12). Can he submit his PFL claim on the EDD website now (before his actual start date), or does he need to wait until Monday when his leave officially begins? We're trying to make sure everything is submitted correctly to avoid any delays with his claim processing. Our HR dept gave conflicting info - one person said apply now, another said wait until the leave starts. Anyone know the correct procedure? Thanks!!
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Victoria Stark
He can absolutely apply now! The EDD actually recommends applying for PFL no more than 2 weeks before the start date. Applying a few days before his leave begins is perfect timing. Make sure he has his last day worked filled in correctly and that the start date for benefits shows as 8/12. The system will accept his application as long as the benefit start date is within that 2-week window.
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Hassan Khoury
•Oh thank goodness! I was worried we'd mess something up. Do you know if he needs the DE2501 form from his employer already completed, or can he submit that separately?
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Benjamin Kim
dude i literally just went thru this for my baby bonding leave last month. its better to apply right now bc the system takes forever to process everything. my claim took like 3 weeks to get approved and then another week for $ to hit my account. def dont wait!!!
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Hassan Khoury
•Thanks for the heads up on the timing! Did you have any issues with your claim or was it just the standard processing time that took a while?
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Samantha Howard
Actually, you're confusing two different forms. For baby bonding PFL, he'll need the DE2508 form, not DE2501 (that's for disability/pregnancy). And yes, he should apply now, but know that his claim won't start processing until his leave actually begins. Also make sure he has proof of relationship with the baby (birth certificate or other documentation) ready to upload. One more thing - if your baby is over 1 year old, he's not eligible for bonding leave through PFL.
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Hassan Khoury
•You're right - I was mixing up the forms! Our baby is only 3 months old, so we're definitely within the eligible period. Thank you for the correction!
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Megan D'Acosta
The WHOLE EDD system is designed to delay your benefits as much as possible!!! Apply NOW and then call EVERY DAY once his leave starts to make sure they're processing it. I waited 7 WEEKS for my baby bonding money last year because of some "processing error" they never explained. They won't tell you if something's wrong unless you keep calling.
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Sarah Ali
•omg yes this!!! my husband's claim got stuck for over a month and we had no idea until he finally got through to someone!
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Ryan Vasquez
I was in a similar situation with my wife and baby bonding leave about 3 months ago. Absolute nightmare trying to get through to EDD when we had questions about the application. After spending HOURS on hold over multiple days, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD rep in under 20 minutes. Totally worth it - saved me so much frustration! Check their demo at https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 or visit claimyr.com. They basically call EDD for you and connect you when they reach an agent.
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Hassan Khoury
•I've never heard of this before, but we'll definitely keep it in mind if we run into issues. The hold times are ridiculous from what I've heard!
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Benjamin Kim
•yeah i used this too when my claim got stuck. worked pretty good but the edd lady was still kinda useless lol. better than waiting on hold all day tho
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Avery Saint
When my husband did his baby bonding leave he applied exactly 10 days before his start date and everything went perfectly fine. But make sure he has a copy of the birth certificate scanned and ready to upload with his application! And I think there's supposed to be some form that you sign too saying you consent to him taking the bonding leave? Our baby is 15 months now and it's all a blur honestly lol but I'm pretty sure there was something I had to sign...
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Samantha Howard
•The form you're thinking of is only needed if parents are splitting the bonding time. Each eligible parent gets their own 8 weeks of PFL baby bonding that can be taken anytime in the first 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement. No consent form needed unless they're coordinating consecutive bonding periods for the same child.
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Victoria Stark
To answer your original question about the DE2501 form - that's actually for Disability Insurance claims (like pregnancy disability). For baby bonding PFL, he needs the DE2508 form for Paid Family Leave. And he doesn't need any forms from his employer beforehand - he just needs to apply online, and the EDD system will send the necessary notices to his employer automatically. They'll verify his employment and last day worked after he submits the claim.
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Hassan Khoury
•Thank you for clarifying! He's going to apply today then. I appreciate everyone's help!
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Sarah Ali
good luck with everything!! babies grow sooo fast, it's amazing your husband can take bonding time. my hubby only got 2 weeks off when our little one was born in february and it wasn't nearly enough. make sure he soaks up every minute of that bonding time!!! 💖👶
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