Can I apply for PFL again after using it last year for my child's hospitalization?

The PFL 12-month benefit period is based on the start date of your first claim. So if you started your first claim in March 2024, your benefit period would have ended in March 2025. Any unused portion of your 8 weeks would expire then, and you'd be eligible for a new 8-week period. Since it sounds like you used all 7 weeks (3+4) of your previous benefit period, and your first claim was over 12 months ago, you should be eligible for a fresh 8 weeks now. Make sure to get the correct documentation from your daughter's doctor (the DE2501F form) before applying.

I went through this with my son last year!!! The 12-month period starts on the first day of ur first claim period, NOT when u finish using the benefits. So if u started using benefits in March 2024, then once March 2025 hit, you're eligible for a new 8 weeks regardless of when u took the other parts. I made this mistake and waited too long thinking I couldn't apply again but my coworker set me straight!

Be careful with this! When I had to take care care of my mom last yer, I thought I could apply for a new benefit period after the 12 months but got DENIED because i guess there's some rule about needing to have paid enough into SDI during the previous quarters? Make sure your work contributions are all up to date before you apply or you might get denied like me. The whole system is ridiculous and seems designed to make it impossible to understand.

Does your employer have more than 50 employees? If so, have you checked if you qualify for FMLA protection as well? You get 12 weeks of FMLA every 12 months which could run concurrently with your PFL. Just something to consider for job protection while you're out.

I had to call EDD about a similar situation with my PFL claim for my husband's care, and it took me THREE DAYS of constant calling to finally get through. When you need to confirm your eligibility, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it got me connected to an actual EDD representative in under 25 minutes after I'd wasted days trying on my own. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 Totally worth it because the EDD rep was able to check my specific situation and confirm exactly what benefits I was eligible for, which was such a relief after all the confusion.

I think there might be some confusion in some of these responses. The 12-month benefit period for PFL works like this: 1. You are eligible for 8 weeks of PFL benefits within a 12-month period 2. This period begins when you take your first day of PFL 3. After that 12-month period ends, you become eligible for a new 8-week benefit period In your case, since your first claim started in March 2024, your benefit period would have ended in March 2025. Since we're now past that date, you should be eligible for a new 8-week period, regardless of when you used the remaining weeks from your previous benefit period. If you're unsure, I strongly recommend getting confirmation directly from EDD before making arrangements with your employer.

Dont forget to get the doctors note BEFORE u apply!!! The form is super specific and they rejected my first application cuz the doctor didnt fill it out right. so frustrating!!!

The whole system is SO broken. I got approved for PFL to care for my father after a stroke but then they randomly stopped payments halfway through with ZERO explanation. Took 5 weeks to sort out and turned out to be some stupid clerical error on THEIR end! Make sure you keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit and follow up constantly.

Just to add some clarification based on the discussion: 1. Yes, the PFL 12-month benefit period starts from the beginning date of your first claim 2. Your eligibility for a new claim depends on this 12-month period ending, not when you last used benefits 3. You need to meet base period earnings requirements for each new claim 4. The proper form for care of a family member is the DE2501F (different from the disability form) 5. Having your doctor complete this correctly is critical Since your first claim was in March 2024 and it's now past March 2025, you should be eligible for a new 8-week claim period as long as you meet the earnings requirement (which it sounds like you would if you've been working consistently).

I'm going through something similar right now! My mom needs care and I'm trying to figure out if I can use PFL again after taking it about 14 months ago. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - especially the clarification about the 12-month period starting from your first claim date, not when you finish using benefits. One thing I learned from my HR department is that you can also check your SDI contribution history on the EDD website to make sure you meet the base period requirements before applying. It's under "State Disability Insurance" in your online account. Might save you some worry about getting denied for earnings issues. Hope everything goes smoothly with your daughter's surgery and that you get the benefits you need! 💙

I'm really sorry to hear about your daughter's ongoing health challenges - having a child with respiratory issues that require hospitalization is so incredibly stressful, and then having to worry about finances on top of that just makes everything worse. From everything I've read in this thread and my own experience with PFL, you should definitely be eligible for a new 8-week benefit period! Since your first claim started in March 2024, your 12-month period ended this past March, which means you qualify for fresh benefits now regardless of when you used those 4 weeks in June. I had a somewhat similar situation with my mom's care last year and made the mistake of overthinking the timing rules. What really helped was calling EDD directly and having them look up my specific claim history - they were able to confirm exactly what I was eligible for and when. It took forever to get through (definitely try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you get frustrated with the hold times), but having that official confirmation gave me so much peace of mind. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here: make sure you keep detailed records of everything throughout this process. I learned the hard way that EDD sometimes has delays or issues with their systems, and having copies of all your paperwork and confirmation numbers saved you a lot of headaches if anything gets lost in their system. Sending you and your daughter all the best for her upcoming surgery. You're being such a good parent by making sure you can be there for her recovery! 💙

I'm so sorry you're dealing with your daughter's health complications again - that must be absolutely terrifying as a parent. Based on everything shared here, it really sounds like you should be eligible for a new 8-week PFL period since your first claim started in March 2024 and we're now past that 12-month mark. I went through something similar with my husband's cancer treatment last year, and the timing confusion nearly gave me a panic attack! What I learned is that the 12-month period is based on when you FIRST applied, not when you finished using benefits. So your June 2024 usage doesn't reset anything - you became eligible for a fresh 8-week cycle this past March. A couple of things that really helped me: - I called EDD and had them walk through my specific situation before applying (definitely try that Claimyr service if you can't get through - it's legit and saved me days of calling) - I made sure to get the DE2501F form filled out very specifically about why my presence was medically necessary for his care - I applied as soon as I had all the paperwork ready rather than waiting until the last minute Also, since your company is large enough for FMLA, definitely get that paperwork started too for job protection. My HR department was actually really helpful in coordinating both applications. Hoping your daughter's surgery goes smoothly and that you can focus on her recovery without the financial stress. You're doing everything right by being there for her! 💙