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Eleanor Foster

Can I cancel my EDD PFL baby bonding claim and return to work after running out of job protection?

I'm in a really complicated situation and need help asap! I started my baby bonding leave 3 weeks ago and filed for EDD PFL benefits. Yesterday my employer called saying I've used up all my job-protected leave (CFRA/FMLA ran out) and I need to return to work by Monday or risk losing my position. I had originally planned for 8 weeks of baby bonding but now I'm panicking! Can I just show up at the EDD office in person to cancel/pause my PFL claim? I tried calling the EDD number but got stuck in a 2+ hour wait, and I have a toddler plus newborn at home so staying on hold forever isn't working. Will EDD be mad if I stop my claim early? Do I need to file something special to tell them I'm returning to work? I'm scared of getting an overpayment notice if I mess this up!

Lucas Turner

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wait you can just go back to work during baby bonding?? i thought u HAD to take the full 8 weeks once u start it... can anyone even do that??

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Kai Rivera

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You can absolutely return to work before using all your PFL baby bonding benefits. The 8 weeks is the MAXIMUM benefit time available, not a requirement. Just make sure to report your return-to-work date to EDD to avoid overpayment issues. If you've already certified for weeks after your return date, you'll need to contact them to correct that information.

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Anna Stewart

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This happened to me last year!! My FMLA was shorter than I thought cuz I had used some during pregnancy. I just went back to work and then called EDD after I started. It took 90 minutes on hold but I finally got thru and told them my return date. They stopped my claim and I didn't have any problems.

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That's such a relief to hear! Did you have to pay anything back? And did they ask for any documentation from your employer about your return date?

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Layla Sanders

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Unfortunately, the EDD offices don't handle PFL claims in person like that. You can't just walk in and cancel your claim. You NEED to call the PFL office directly at 1-877-238-4373. What you should do: 1. Report your return to work date on your next certification 2. If you've already certified for future weeks, you must call to correct this 3. Document everything - when you returned, when you called, who you spoke with And just to clarify something important - job protection (FMLA/CFRA) and PFL benefits are completely separate things. Your employer can require you to return even if you haven't used all your PFL benefits, as long as your job protection period has ended.

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But wait I'm confused... if FMLA and PFL are separate then why can't OP just keep getting PFL payments while going back to work? Or take the remaining PFL time later in the year?

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Kaylee Cook

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I literally JUST DEALT with this exact issue. Trying to reach EDD by phone is a NIGHTMARE. I spent 3 days trying before I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD agent in under 20 minutes! Totally worth it when you're dealing with something time-sensitive like this. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 Btw when I finally got through, the agent told me I needed to report my return-to-work date ASAP to avoid overpayment. If you've already certified for weeks after your return date, they'll need to adjust your claim.

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Lucas Turner

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is that an actual real service?? seems kinda sketch to pay someone just to make a phone call 4 u...

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BEWARE of OVERPAYMENTS! I made this mistake and ended up owing EDD $2,700! You MUST report your return-to-work date to EDD immediately. If you've certified for any days AFTER you return to work, and you said you weren't working when you actually were, they WILL catch this and send you an overpayment notice. The right way to handle this: 1. If you haven't certified yet for the period including your return date, just report it accurately on your next certification 2. If you've already submitted a certification claiming benefits for days after your return date, you MUST call EDD to correct this ASAP 3. Document everything!!! When you returned, when you notified them, confirmation numbers, etc. The system does eventually catch these things during employer quarterly reporting. Trust me, it's not worth the stress of dealing with collections later.

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Thank you for the warning! I definitely don't want to owe money back. I haven't certified for any days after my return date yet, so sounds like I should be ok if I'm accurate on my next certification. Did you have any issues stopping your claim early besides the overpayment?

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Lara Woods

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this whole system is RIDICULOUS honestly!!! we're supposed to be caring for our newborns but instead we spend hours on phones with govt agencies and stressing about paperwork and overpayments and employers forcing us back too soon. my baby was only 6 weeks when i had to go back and i cried every day dropping her at daycare. the US is so backward with parental leave compared to literally every other developed country ughhhhh

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I hear you! My sister in Canada got 12 months paid leave. TWELVE MONTHS! And here we are fighting for 8 weeks. It's absolutely heartbreaking.

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Kai Rivera

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Here's what you need to know about canceling your PFL claim early: 1. You CAN return to work before using all your PFL benefits. The 8 weeks is a maximum, not a requirement. 2. You MUST report your return-to-work date to EDD. This is critical to avoid overpayment issues. 3. How to report: - On your next certification, accurately report your return date - If you've already certified incorrectly, call 1-877-238-4373 to fix it - You cannot handle this in person at an EDD office 4. Documentation: Keep records of your return date, communications with EDD, and any confirmation numbers. 5. Unused weeks: Any unused portion of your 8 weeks remains available until your child turns 1. You could potentially take them later if your employer approves (though without job protection). One important note: If you certified that you were not working on days you actually were working, this could be considered fraud. Always be accurate with your certifications.

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Thank you so much for all this detailed information! This makes me feel so much better about the situation. I'll make sure to be super accurate on my certification. I'm returning Monday, so I'll note that on my form. If I have trouble with the online system I'll try calling.

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Theodore Nelson

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I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation! As someone who's been through similar challenges with EDD, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help: If you do end up needing to call EDD and can't get through, try calling right when they open at 8 AM - the wait times are usually shorter then. Also, have all your information ready: Social Security number, claim number, exact return-to-work date, and pen/paper to write down any confirmation numbers they give you. One thing that helped me was setting up the online EDD portal if you haven't already - sometimes you can update certain information there without having to call. And definitely screenshot or print everything for your records! The good news is that returning to work early won't cause problems as long as you report it accurately. The system is designed to handle people going back before their full benefit period ends. You're being responsible by addressing this proactively instead of just hoping it works out. Hang in there - juggling a newborn, toddler, work stress AND government bureaucracy is incredibly hard. You're doing the right thing by getting this sorted out quickly!

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Ravi Gupta

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This is such helpful advice! I didn't even know about the online portal - I've been trying to do everything by phone. I'll definitely try calling at 8 AM on Monday when they open. Do you remember if there's a specific option to press when you call to report a return to work date? I'm worried about getting stuck in the wrong phone menu and having to start over.

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