Can I certify for UI while waiting for PFL baby bonding claim to process?

You shouldn't certify for UI for the same period you're claiming PFL - that would be considered double-dipping and could cause problems. Since you already put 1/14 as your PFL start date, you should not certify for UI for those weeks. If you do, EDD might flag your account for potential fraud investigation.

same thing happened to me last year!! i certified for UI then applied for pfl and got a letter saying i had to pay back the UI money cuz the benefits cant overlap. super annoying!

This is a common question with PFL baby bonding transitions. Here's what you need to know: 1. You cannot receive UI and PFL for the same period (that's double-dipping) 2. Since you already submitted PFL with a start date of 1/14, do NOT certify for UI for either of those weeks 3. If you've already certified for UI for those weeks, you should contact EDD immediately to explain the situation 4. For future reference, you need to plan these transitions carefully - UI ends the day before PFL starts If you need to reach EDD quickly to sort this out, you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they can connect you directly with an EDD agent instead of waiting on hold for hours. I used their service when I had a similar issue with overlapping claims and got through in about 10 minutes. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5

NEVER EVER certify for UI and PFL for the same weeks!!! EDD's computer system will flag it and then you'll get hit with an overpayment notice months later when you least expect it. They might even add penalties!!! And good luck getting anyone on the phone to fix it - I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone when this happened to me. The EDD system is BROKEN!!

just wondering but did u get pregnancy disability before this? i thought u had to do SDI first, then PFL for baby bonding? im pregnant and trying to figure all this out too lol

Quick tip: When your PFL claim gets approved, it will backdate to your stated start date (1/14). If for some reason you did certify for UI during that time, EDD will eventually catch it and you'll have to repay the UI benefits for those weeks. The good news is that your PFL will likely pay more than UI would have anyway, so financially you're making the right choice by not claiming those UI weeks. One thing to watch out for - sometimes EDD will send automated UI certification notifications even when you have an active PFL claim. Just ignore those notifications if they're for weeks you're claiming PFL.

my pfl claim took almost 3 weeks to process last month and i was freaking out the whole time lol. hang in there!

To answer your follow-up question - yes, EDD will notify you when your PFL claim is approved. You'll get an email notification (if you opted for electronic communications) and a letter in the mail. You can also check your claim status online, but the system isn't always updated in real-time. PFL claims are taking anywhere from 7-21 days to process right now. They're supposed to be processed within 14 days, but there's often a backlog, especially at the beginning of the year.