Can I apply for EDD baby bonding PFL in advance or wait until start date?

You can absolutely apply for baby bonding PFL in advance! EDD actually recommends filing your claim no earlier than 9 days before your planned leave start date, but no later than 41 days after your leave begins. When you complete the DE2508 form (the PFL claim form), you'll indicate your future start date (Dec 15). The system will hold your application and process it closer to your actual leave date. This gives EDD time to review and approve your claim so payments start promptly. Make sure you have all your documentation ready when you apply - baby's birth certificate and your return-to-work documentation from your PDL claim.

i did my baby bounding like 2 weeks b4 i wanted to start it and put the date i wanted to begin and it was fine but my freind tried to do it like a month ahead and they made her reapply closer to the date so dont do it TOO early

BE CAREFUL!!! I tried to apply for my PFL like 3 weeks before my start date and it caused nothing but PROBLEMS! EDD somehow got confused and thought I was trying to start immediately, even though I clearly put my future date. Then they denied me saying I didn't provide proper documentation because I was still working!!!! Had to call them 27 TIMES before getting through to fix it. The EDD system is COMPLETELY BROKEN. Just wait until 1 week before your start date to be safe. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING.

Just wanted to clarify something important - there's a difference between Disability Insurance (DI) for pregnancy/childbirth and Paid Family Leave (PFL) for baby bonding. You mentioned returning from "postpartum leave" - that was likely your DI claim. Now you're applying for PFL baby bonding, which is a separate benefit with a separate application (DE2508 form). To answer your specific question: The official EDD guidance is to apply no earlier than 9 days before your PFL start date. You can do it online through your SDI Online account. If you're having trouble reaching EDD to ask questions, I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was getting nowhere with EDD for weeks, but Claimyr got me connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5

when i had my baby last year i did NOT apply early because my friend did that and EDD messed up her claim and she had to wait extra weeks for payment and had to keep calling them. i waited until exactly the day i wanted to start and had no problems. just my experience tho!

To answer your follow-up question about online vs. paper - I definitely recommend applying online through your SDI Online account. It's generally processed faster and there's less chance of paperwork getting lost. The online system has a specific field for your intended start date, so it's clear you're planning for future leave. Just make sure to have your documentation ready to upload - usually the birth certificate and possibly something showing you've returned to work after your DI claim. Based on everyone's comments here, applying 1-2 weeks before your planned start date seems to be the sweet spot - not too early to confuse the system, but early enough to get processed before your leave actually begins.

Anyone know if you can apply for baby bonding leave intermittently? Like can I take 2 weeks now, go back to work, then take the remaining 6 weeks later? My husband just lost his job so we're trying to figure out how to maximize our benefits while still having some income coming in. Sorry for hijacking the thread, just seemed related.

I'm actually going through this exact process right now! I submitted my PFL baby bonding claim exactly 7 days before my intended start date. My claim is showing as "pending" but the EDD rep I spoke with said that's normal and it should switch to approved right around my actual start date. One thing to note - make sure your PDL/DI claim is fully closed out before you submit your PFL claim. If there's any overlap or confusion between the two, it can cause major delays. I had to explicitly confirm with EDD that my DI claim was fully processed and closed before they would accept my PFL application.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through this exact same situation last month! I applied for my PFL baby bonding exactly 10 days before my planned start date through the online portal. The key thing that helped me was calling EDD about a week after I submitted to confirm they had all my documents and that my previous DI claim was properly closed. The rep was actually really helpful and walked me through the timeline - she said my claim would automatically activate on my specified start date as long as everything was in order. One tip: when you upload your birth certificate, make sure it's crystal clear and all four corners are visible in the scan. I had to resubmit mine because part of the state seal was cut off in my first upload. Good luck with your application! It sounds like you're being smart about timing it right.

I went through this same situation about 6 months ago and wanted to share what worked for me! I applied exactly 8 days before my planned start date through the online system, and everything went smoothly. One thing I'd add to the great advice already shared - make sure to save/screenshot your confirmation page after you submit your application. I had a weird glitch where my application disappeared from my account for like 3 days, but having that confirmation number helped when I called EDD to track it down. Also, if your employer uses a third-party administrator for leave (like Sedgwick or Matrix), give them a heads up about your PFL start date too. They sometimes need to coordinate with EDD on the backend, and it can speed things up if they know what's coming. The 1-2 week window before your start date really does seem to be the sweet spot based on my experience and what I'm reading here. Good luck with your application, Maya!

Just chiming in as someone who recently went through this process! I applied for my PFL baby bonding leave about 12 days before my intended start date, and it worked out perfectly. The key thing I learned is to make absolutely sure your previous DI claim shows as "paid" for all weeks before you submit your PFL application. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're planning to take the full 8 weeks of bonding leave, make sure you understand how the waiting period works. There's typically a 7-day unpaid waiting period, but if you've already served one during your DI claim, you won't have to serve another one for PFL. Also, keep in mind that PFL pays about 60-70% of your wages (up to the weekly maximum), so plan your budget accordingly. The payments usually start within 2-3 weeks of your claim being processed if everything goes smoothly. Sounds like you're on the right track with applying about 10 days in advance!

Just wanted to add my experience since I literally just went through this exact process! I applied for PFL baby bonding 9 days before my start date (which was perfect timing based on all the advice here). One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure your employer knows your exact start and end dates for PFL before you apply. My HR department needed to update their system with my leave dates, and having that coordination beforehand made everything so much smoother with EDD. Also, if you're breastfeeding/pumping, don't forget that you might be able to extend your leave or transition to a different type of claim if you have complications. But hopefully you won't need to worry about that! The online application really is the way to go - it took me about 20 minutes to complete and upload all my documents. Just make sure you have a stable internet connection because there's nothing worse than losing your progress halfway through!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said about applying 1-2 weeks before your start date - that really seems to be the sweet spot! I went through this process about 4 months ago and applied exactly 10 days before my planned start date. One additional tip I haven't seen mentioned: make sure to check that your employer has correctly reported your wages to EDD for the base period they'll use to calculate your benefits. I discovered there was a discrepancy in my reported wages that could have affected my benefit amount, but catching it early meant EDD could verify the correct information with my employer before processing my claim. Also, keep your phone handy the week after you apply - sometimes EDD will call if they need to clarify anything about your claim, and it's much faster than waiting for mail correspondence. The whole process was much smoother than I expected after reading horror stories online. Following the 10-day rule and having all documents ready really made a difference. You've got this, Maya!

I went through this exact situation earlier this year and wanted to share what worked for me! I applied for PFL baby bonding exactly 9 days before my intended start date through the online portal, and everything processed perfectly. A few things that really helped me: 1. I called my HR department first to confirm they had my exact leave dates in their system 2. I double-checked that my DI claim was completely closed (all payments showed "Paid" status) 3. I took screenshots of every page during my online application, including the final confirmation The online system was actually really user-friendly for specifying future dates. There's a clear field where you enter your intended start date, and it doesn't cause confusion like some people have experienced. One thing I'd add - make sure you have your Social Security card handy when you apply, not just the number. The system sometimes asks you to verify specific details from the physical card during the application process. Based on all the experiences shared here, applying 9-10 days before your December 15th start date sounds like the perfect timing. You'll have everything processed and ready to go! Good luck with your application!

I just wanted to add one more consideration that I learned the hard way - make sure you understand how your employer's leave policy interacts with EDD PFL! Some companies require you to use accrued vacation/sick time concurrently with PFL, while others let you save your PTO for after your leave ends. I found out too late that my company had a "coordination of benefits" policy where they required me to use up all my vacation days during my PFL leave, which meant I came back to work with zero PTO banked. It didn't affect my EDD payments, but it definitely impacted my financial planning. Also, if you're planning to extend your leave beyond the 8 weeks of bonding (maybe unpaid FMLA), make sure you understand how that transition works too. Some people I know had issues where their employer thought their leave was ending when PFL ended, even though they had approved additional unpaid time. Definitely worth having that conversation with HR before you submit your application so there are no surprises! The 9-10 day timing everyone's recommending sounds perfect based on all these experiences.

Hi Maya! I'm new to this community but going through a very similar situation - I'm planning to take PFL baby bonding starting in January after finishing my PDL last month. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the consensus is pretty clear: apply about 9-10 days before your intended start date through the online portal. I love how everyone has shared their real experiences rather than just repeating the generic EDD website info. A couple questions based on what I'm seeing here: 1. When you check that your DI claim is "closed," does that mean all payments show as "Paid" in your account, or is there a specific "Claim Closed" status somewhere? 2. For those who mentioned coordinating with HR beforehand - did you need to get any specific forms or documentation from them for your PFL application? Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed experiences! This thread is way more helpful than anything I found on the official EDD site.

Hi Maya! I'm also a new parent who just went through this process a few weeks ago, and I wanted to share my experience since it sounds like we had almost identical situations. I applied for PFL baby bonding exactly 8 days before my planned start date, and everything went perfectly! Here's what I learned: 1. The online application really is the way to go - it took about 25 minutes and I could upload all my documents right there 2. Make sure your birth certificate scan shows all four corners clearly (like Dylan mentioned above) 3. Double-check that your DI claim shows all payments as "Paid" before applying 4. Screenshot your confirmation page - this saved me when I had a minor glitch with my account One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you're planning to return to work part-time after your bonding leave, make sure you understand how that might affect any future claims. I ended up needing some additional time off due to childcare issues, and having that conversation with EDD early helped avoid complications. The 9-10 day window you're planning sounds perfect based on everyone's experiences here. You've got this! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions - this community has been such a lifesaver for navigating EDD.

Hi Maya! I'm also navigating the PFL baby bonding process right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add one more tip that saved me some stress - when you're preparing your documents, make sure you have the certified copy of your baby's birth certificate, not just a regular copy. EDD can be picky about this, and I learned the hard way when my first application was delayed because I uploaded a regular photocopy instead of the certified version. The certified copy has raised seals and special paper that shows up clearly even in scanned form. Also, based on all the great advice here about timing, I'm planning to apply exactly 10 days before my start date too. It seems like that sweet spot of 8-12 days before really is the key to avoiding both the "too early" problems and the "too late" payment delays. One last thing - if you have any complications during your PDL recovery that might affect your return-to-work date, make sure those are fully resolved and documented before applying for PFL. EDD wants to see a clear transition from disability leave to family bonding leave. Best of luck with your December application! This community support has been amazing for navigating all these EDD complexities.

Hi Maya! I'm currently going through the exact same process and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm planning to take my PFL baby bonding leave starting in February after completing my PDL in November. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going with the 9-10 day window before my start date. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - when I called EDD last week to ask some general questions, the representative mentioned that they've been processing PFL applications much faster lately (within 10-14 days instead of the usual 3-4 weeks) as long as all documentation is complete and correct. She also emphasized something that aligns with what several people mentioned here - making absolutely sure there's no overlap between your DI and PFL claims in their system. Apparently that's one of the most common causes of delays because it triggers additional manual review. I'm keeping a checklist based on all the great advice in this thread: certified birth certificate, clear scans showing all corners, confirm DI claim is fully paid out, coordinate with HR on exact dates, apply online 10 days before start date, and screenshot everything. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences - this is so much more helpful than the generic EDD guidance!

Hi Maya! I just went through this exact same process about 3 months ago and wanted to share my experience since it sounds like we had very similar situations. I applied for my PFL baby bonding leave exactly 9 days before my planned start date through the online portal, and everything went smoothly! One thing that really helped me was creating a simple timeline checklist about 2 weeks before applying: - Confirmed my DI claim showed all payments as "Paid" - Ordered a certified copy of my baby's birth certificate (regular copies won't work!) - Contacted HR to confirm they had my exact leave dates in their system - Gathered all my documents and made sure scans were crystal clear - Set a reminder to apply exactly 9 days before my start date The online application was actually pretty straightforward and took about 20-25 minutes. The system handled the future start date perfectly - there's a specific field where you enter your intended begin date, so no confusion there. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you're planning to breastfeed when you return to work, consider mentioning this in any communications with your employer now. Some companies need advance notice to ensure proper accommodations are in place, and it's one less thing to worry about when you're actually back at work. Based on all the great advice in this thread, your plan to apply about 10 days before December 15th sounds perfect! You've got this!