Can I drive for Uber while receiving EDD PFL baby bonding benefits?

Be careful - when you're on PFL, you're certifying that you're taking time off to bond with your child. If you start earning income through Uber, technically you ARE working and should report those earnings. The EDD can cross-reference with tax info later and potentially hit you with an overpayment notice if they find out you were earning unreported income during your claim period.

my neighbor did doordash during his baby bonding and ended up getting flagged for an audit!!! they made him pay back like $2000 cuz he didnt report any of it. not worth it if u ask me

The EDD considers you either fully able to bond with your child (and thus eligible for PFL) or not. Unlike Disability Insurance which has partial benefits, PFL doesn't have a partial benefit option. If you report income, they'll consider you as having returned to work for those days and will reduce your weekly benefit amount accordingly. The formula they use is: if you work 1-2 days in a week, EDD will pay 5/7 or 4/7 of your weekly benefit amount. If you work 3+ days in a week, you'll get nothing for that week. You do need to report all income when certifying. It's not worth risking an overpayment notice later.

When I was on PFL last year I was working on freelance graphic design projects at night after my husband came home. I reported any days where I worked for 4+ hours as a "work day" on my certification, even though I was still doing all the baby bonding during daytime hours. EDD reduced my benefits for those weeks but I still got some money AND avoided any problems later. Better to be honest than deal with the headache of an audit.

Have you tried calling EDD to ask directly? That's what I would do. BUT GOOD LUCK GETTING THROUGH lol!! I tried calling for THREE DAYS when I had a question about transitioning from disability to baby bonding and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they have this service that calls EDD for you and connects you when an agent answers. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. Worth it to get a definitive answer directly from EDD about your situation.

One more thing to consider - the purpose of PFL baby bonding is to give you time to bond with your newborn. If you're using that time to work a side gig, even if you're technically following the rules by reporting it, you're not using the leave for its intended purpose. Not judging at all - I know finances can be tight with a new baby - but just something to think about.

my cousin said he called the edd and they told him u can work part time while on pfl but u have to report ALL income and theyll adjust ur benefits. dont try to hide it tho cuz they WILL find out eventually

I went through something similar when my daughter was born last year. I was tempted to do some freelance work but ultimately decided against it after talking to an EDD rep. Here's what I learned: even if you report the income properly, working during PFL can still be problematic because you're certifying that you need the full-time leave for bonding. The EDD looks at it as either you need the leave or you don't - there's not really a middle ground. Instead, I ended up applying for WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) which helped with formula costs, and also reached out to local food banks and baby supply programs through our county. Many churches and community centers have diaper/formula assistance programs too. It's worth exploring those options before risking your PFL benefits. The 8 weeks go by fast and then you can pick up side work without any complications!

I'm in a similar situation with my 3-month-old and was considering gig work too. After reading all these responses, it sounds like the risks really outweigh the benefits. The overpayment stories are scary! Have you looked into local food assistance programs? In my area, there are several churches that do monthly baby supply drives with free formula and diapers. Also, if you're breastfeeding at all, even supplementing can help stretch the formula budget. I know Costco's generic formula is significantly cheaper than name brands and meets the same FDA requirements. Sometimes the pediatrician's office has formula samples too if you ask. Those 8 weeks of bonding time are so precious - might be worth tightening the budget in other areas rather than risking your PFL claim.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact dilemma 6 months ago with my newborn. I was SO tempted to do some gig work because PFL only covers about 60% of your regular wages and with a new baby, expenses skyrocket. But after doing tons of research and talking to others who had been audited, I decided it wasn't worth the risk. Instead, I focused on finding every possible assistance program - WIC, local food banks, even contacted the formula companies directly (Similac and Enfamil both have programs for families in need). I also sold some stuff we didn't need on Facebook Marketplace and asked family/friends if they had any unused baby supplies. It was tough financially but I'm so glad I didn't jeopardize my PFL benefits. Those 8 weeks went by way faster than I expected and now I'm back to work and can do side gigs without any worries. Hang in there - this phase is temporary but an overpayment situation could haunt you for years!

Hey @Freya Thomsen - I totally understand the financial pressure with a new baby! I went through this same situation last year. After a lot of research and talking to EDD directly (took forever to get through), here's what I learned: any work during PFL needs to be reported, even just a few hours of Uber. They'll reduce your benefits based on days worked, and if they find out later through tax records that you didn't report income, you could face serious overpayment penalties. Instead of risking your claim, I'd suggest applying for WIC ASAP (covers formula and other baby essentials), checking with local food banks, and asking your pediatrician about formula samples. Many churches and community centers also have baby supply programs. The financial squeeze is temporary but messing up your PFL could cost you thousands later. Those bonding weeks are so precious - trust me, they fly by faster than you think! Hang in there mama, you've got this! 💪

I'm a new parent going through this same dilemma right now! Reading through everyone's experiences has been so eye-opening. It sounds like the consensus is pretty clear - the risk of getting hit with overpayment penalties far outweighs any short-term financial relief from gig work. I had no idea about all these assistance programs like WIC and formula company programs. Does anyone know if there are specific websites or resources where you can find a comprehensive list of baby assistance programs by county? I'm in San Bernardino County if that helps. Also, for those who mentioned selling items on Facebook Marketplace - any tips on what baby-related items sell well? We have so much stuff we received as gifts that we're not using. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and advice - this community is amazing! 🙏

I completely understand the financial stress you're going through - formula costs are absolutely insane! But after reading all these responses, I have to echo what everyone else is saying: it's just not worth risking your PFL benefits. The EDD is really strict about this stuff and they WILL find out eventually through cross-referencing tax records. I've seen too many people get burned with massive overpayment bills. Instead, definitely look into WIC (the application is surprisingly quick), ask your pediatrician for formula samples, and check out local food banks and church programs. Also, if you haven't already, compare formula prices at different stores - places like Walmart and Target often have better deals than regular grocery stores, and store brands are just as good nutritionally. Those 8 weeks of bonding time are irreplaceable and will be over before you know it. Hang in there! 💙

I'm a former EDD claims specialist and I want to emphasize what others have said - DO NOT work Uber or any gig work while on PFL without reporting it. The EDD has automated systems that cross-reference 1099 income with benefit periods, and they WILL catch unreported earnings eventually. I've processed dozens of overpayment cases where people thought "just a few hours here and there" wouldn't matter. The penalties are severe - not only do you have to pay back the benefits, but there are additional fines and interest charges that can double the amount owed. PFL is specifically designed for full-time bonding leave, not partial work scenarios. If you report the Uber income, they'll likely consider those as work days and reduce your weekly benefits accordingly. Your best bet is exploring the assistance programs others mentioned - WIC, local food banks, and community resources. The financial pressure is real but temporary; an overpayment debt can follow you for years and even result in wage garnishment. Please don't risk it!

As someone who just went through this exact situation 3 months ago, I can't stress enough how important it is to avoid any unreported work during PFL. I was also struggling financially and considered doing some freelance work, but after calling EDD (finally got through after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned) they made it crystal clear that ANY income needs to be reported. The agent told me that even if you work just one day in a week, they'll reduce that week's benefit, and if you work 3+ days you get nothing for that entire week. What really opened my eyes was learning that they have systems that automatically flag discrepancies between your benefit periods and tax filings - it's not a matter of IF they'll find out, it's WHEN. Instead, I applied for WIC (took about 10 days to get approved), found a local food pantry that specifically helps new parents, and even got connected with a program through our hospital that provides formula vouchers for families in need. I also switched to store-brand formula which saved us about $40 per week. Those 8 weeks are SO precious and they really do fly by. Once you're back to work, you can drive Uber guilt-free without any risk to your benefits. Trust me, the peace of mind is worth way more than the extra cash would have been!

I'm also dealing with this exact dilemma with my 6-week-old! The financial pressure is so real - between formula, diapers, and all the unexpected baby expenses, it feels like our budget is stretched to the breaking point. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening though. The stories about overpayment penalties and audits are honestly terrifying. I had no idea EDD had such sophisticated systems for tracking unreported income! What's really helpful is learning about all these assistance programs I never knew existed. I'm definitely going to apply for WIC tomorrow and start calling around to local churches and community centers about baby supply programs. The tip about contacting formula companies directly for assistance programs is genius - I never would have thought of that! It's tough to swallow your pride and ask for help, but these responses have made it clear that the risks of gig work during PFL are just too high. Those overpayment bills could haunt us for years, whereas this financial crunch is temporary. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and advice - this thread has probably saved me from making a very costly mistake! 🙏