Can I take EDD PFL in smaller chunks or must I use all 8 weeks at once?

You can absolutely take PFL intermittently! Unlike SDI/pregnancy disability, Paid Family Leave for baby bonding can be split up. You just need to take it in minimum increments of 2 weeks at a time in most cases. You have 12 months from your child's birth to use all 8 weeks. Your employer might have additional requirements though, so double check your company's leave policy too.

No no no its not like UI at all!!!! PFL is totally diferent system even tho its all EDD. With UI you certify every 2 weeks but with PFL you apply for specific dates. I did baby bonding last year and tried to change my dates halfway thru and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! ended up losing 2 weeks of benefits cause of paperwork problems.

when my twins were born i took 4 weeks right away then saved the other 4 weeks for when my mom had to go back home (she was helping us). worked great but scheduling with edd was confusing. had to fill out another claim form for the second part.

I'm planning mine too! Due in April and sooo confused by all this. My coworker said I need to take all 8 weeks together but that doesn't work for us financially. Following this thread for clarity...

I just went through this whole process and found out there's a difference between what EDD allows and what your employer might require. California law says employers must allow PFL in minimum 2-week increments, with one exception: you're allowed ONE period of leave that's less than 2 weeks per year. So technically you can do something like: 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 2 weeks, and then 1 partial week. But here's where it gets complicated: if you're covered under CFRA or FMLA (job-protected leave), those have different rules that overlap with PFL. My HR department was totally confused about this and I spent hours on the phone with EDD trying to straighten it out. I eventually used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual PFL specialist at EDD. They have this service where they connect you directly to an EDD agent instead of waiting on hold for hours. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. The EDD agent explained everything clearly and helped me plan my intermittent leave correctly.

I think everyone here is making this more complicated than it needs to be. PFL is simple - you get 8 weeks TOTAL for baby bonding. You can split it up however you want (with minimum 2-week chunks usually) and you have a whole year from birth to use it. Submit the claim form, get approved, and then figure out your dates. Just make sure your employer is on the same page!

one more thing nobody mentioned - when u do intermittent leave u have to do a new claim form each time. Its not like just calling in, you gotta do paperwork each chunk of time. keep copies of EVERYTHING cuz edd lost my paperwork once.