Can I use EDD PFL for baby bonding just 2-3 days per week instead of full-time?

Yes, you absolutely can use PFL for intermittent leave! I did this last year after my maternity leave ended. The technical term is "intermittent bonding" and EDD definitely allows it. You need to coordinate with your employer though since they need to certify your time off. When you file your claim, there's a section where you indicate you're doing intermittent bonding rather than continuous. Then when you certify each period, you only claim the specific days you weren't working. So if you work Monday/Wednesday/Friday, you'd only claim Tuesday/Thursday on your certification form. This stretches out your 8 weeks of benefits over a longer period since you're only using partial weeks at a time. Just make sure both your employer and EDD are on the same page about your schedule.

I tried this and it was a COMPLETE NIGHTMARE. EDD kept messing up my claim and saying I was still working full-time so they denied payments. Called 67 times and no one could fix it!!! Had to re-file my entire claim and start over because someone at EDD "couldn't understand my schedule" according to the one person who finally answered. If you do this, document EVERYTHING, take screenshots of all your submissions and get names of every person you talk to. The system is NOT set up well for part-time baby bonding even though it's technically allowed!!

my sister just did this! she works tuesday wednesday thursday and uses pfl for monday and friday. she said its called partial baby bonding i think? her work hr helped setup the paperwork because they had another employee do it before

I understand your confusion - the EDD website doesn't make this very clear. You're asking about what's officially called "intermittent Paid Family Leave" or "part-time PFL." Here's how it works: 1. You can take PFL on specific days of the week rather than consecutively 2. You'll need to complete form DE 2508 indicating your intermittent schedule 3. When certifying for benefits, you'll only report the specific days you're on leave 4. Your employer needs to verify your work schedule/days off 5. This extends your claim period - instead of 8 consecutive weeks, your benefits stretch over more calendar weeks until you use all available days One important note: Your employer must approve this arrangement. While EDD allows intermittent leave, your company policies might require continuous leave, so check your employee handbook too. This option is perfect for parents wanting a gradual return to work while still bonding with their new child.

After spending WEEKS trying to get through to EDD about my maternity leave transition, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent and got all my questions answered. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 With intermittent PFL, it's really important to get clear answers directly from EDD because there are specific rules about how to certify correctly. The agent I spoke with explained exactly how to fill out the forms for my 3-day work week schedule. Saved me from making mistakes that could have delayed my payments.

Just wanted to add a quick note that my claim processor told me that while you CAN do intermittent leave, they are much more likely to audit these claims because they want to verify you're not working on the days you claim PFL. So make sure your employer's records match exactly what you're telling EDD or it could cause problems.

Anybody else notice that the EDD website contradicts itself on this? One page says you can take PFL "all at once" and another page mentions intermittent leave is possible. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS PEOPLE!!! 🙄

To answer your follow-up question - yes, for intermittent PFL baby bonding, you get a total of 8 workweeks which equals 40 days if you work a standard 5-day week. Each day you claim counts as 1/5 of a week against your total benefit. So if you're working 3 days a week and claiming PFL for 2 days, it would take 20 weeks to use all your benefits (40 days ÷ 2 days per week = 20 weeks). Just be aware that all PFL claims must be completed within a 12-month period from the first day you claim benefits. So plan your schedule to use all benefits within that timeframe.

i forgot to mention this but when my sister did it she said her first payment was delayed like 3 weeks because they had to review her claim more carefully or something. just plan for that maybe

My coworker just had a baby and is doing exactly what you're asking about! She works W-F and uses PFL for M-T. Her doctor filled out the form wrong initially which caused delays but otherwise its working fine now.

Just wanted to share my experience since I'm currently doing this! I've been using intermittent PFL for baby bonding for the past 6 weeks - working Mon/Tue/Wed and home with my son Thu/Fri. The key things that made it smooth for me: - Got everything in writing from HR before starting - Filed my claim online and specifically selected "intermittent" bonding leave - Made sure to only certify for the exact days I was off (Thu/Fri in my case) - Kept detailed records of my work schedule vs PFL days My payments have been consistent and on time. The only hiccup was that my first certification took about 2 weeks longer to process than normal, but after that it's been smooth sailing. One tip: if your employer uses a payroll system that tracks PFL, make sure they understand your schedule too. My payroll dept initially coded all my days as PFL which would have caused issues with EDD. Good luck mama! This arrangement has been perfect for easing back into work while still getting quality bonding time. 💕

Thank you all for sharing your experiences! This is incredibly helpful. I'm feeling more confident about pursuing the intermittent PFL route now that I've heard from people who've actually done it successfully. @Giovanni Marino - your detailed explanation about the 40-day calculation is exactly what I needed to know. The 12-month window is good to keep in mind too. @Ethan Brown - I love that you kept detailed records. That seems like it would be crucial for avoiding any confusion with EDD. Did you use any specific app or just a simple spreadsheet to track everything? One more question for everyone - when you initially filed your claim, did you have to wait until after you actually started your part-time work schedule, or were you able to file in advance knowing you'd be doing intermittent leave? I'm hoping to get everything set up before I officially return to work next week. Also planning to reach out to HR tomorrow to make sure we're totally aligned on the paperwork side. Thanks again everyone! This community is amazing! 🙏

I'm currently going through this exact situation! Just started my intermittent PFL for baby bonding last month and it's been working great so far. I work Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday and use PFL for Monday/Friday. A few things I learned that might help: - Make sure to file your claim BEFORE your first PFL day to avoid any payment delays - When you certify every two weeks, be super precise about which specific dates you're claiming - I write them down as I go to avoid mistakes - My employer had to submit a wage verification form confirming my reduced schedule, so definitely loop in HR early The nice thing about intermittent leave is you get to ease back into work while still having those precious bonding days. My 8-week old loves our Monday/Friday adventures together! One heads up though - my friend who did this said EDD sometimes takes longer to process intermittent claims, so just be patient with the first few payments. After that it should be smooth sailing. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions - happy to share what I've learned!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been so helpful! I just had my baby boy 7 weeks ago and my employer is also allowing me to return part-time. I was nervous about the paperwork and potential complications, but reading everyone's experiences gives me confidence that intermittent PFL is definitely doable. @Rami Samuels - I love that you're doing Mon/Fri bonding days! That sounds like the perfect balance. How did your employer handle coordinating the wage verification with EDD? Did HR reach out to you for any additional documentation? @Giovanni Marino - thank you for breaking down the 40-day calculation so clearly. That mathematical breakdown really helps me understand how to plan this out over the next several months. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who've done this successfully, did you find it better to start with your intermittent PFL immediately when returning to work, or did you try working full-time first and then transition to the part-time + PFL schedule? I'm trying to figure out the best approach for both my mental adjustment and to avoid any administrative hiccups with EDD.

I just went through this process a few months ago and wanted to share some specific tips that really helped me! I work Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and use PFL for Thursday/Friday with my 4-month-old. Here's what made the biggest difference for me: 1. **Call EDD before filing online** - I know it's a pain to get through, but the agent walked me through exactly how to fill out the intermittent sections. This prevented mistakes that could have delayed everything. 2. **Set up a simple tracking system** - I use my phone calendar to mark "W" for work days and "PFL" for leave days, then screenshot it before each certification. Makes it super easy to be accurate. 3. **Get your employer's process in writing** - My HR gave me a one-page summary of exactly what they needed from me and when. This avoided so much back-and-forth confusion. 4. **File 7-10 days before your first PFL day** - This gives EDD time to process and contact your employer for verification without any gaps in coverage. The intermittent schedule has been amazing for bonding while keeping my career on track. My Thursday/Friday adventures with my little guy are the highlight of my week! Feel free to DM me if you want more specifics about any part of the process. This community helped me so much when I was figuring it all out! ✨

Hey everyone! I'm brand new to this community but have been following this thread closely as I'm in almost the exact same situation as the original poster. Just had my first baby 5 weeks ago and planning to return to work part-time next month. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly helpful - especially hearing from people like @Dmitry Sokolov and @Rami Samuels who are currently making intermittent PFL work successfully. It's so reassuring to know this is definitely possible! I'm planning to work 3 days a week (probably Mon/Wed/Fri) and use PFL for the other 2 days. Based on what I've learned here, my action plan is: 1. Meet with HR this week to get our part-time arrangement officially documented 2. Call EDD before filing online to get guidance on the intermittent sections 3. File my claim about a week before my first PFL day 4. Set up a simple tracking system for certification accuracy One question I haven't seen addressed - for those doing 2 PFL days per week, how long did it realistically take to use up your full 8 weeks of benefits? I'm trying to plan out my timeline and want to make sure I stay within that 12-month window @Giovanni Marino mentioned. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences! This thread has been a goldmine of practical advice. I'll definitely report back on how my process goes to hopefully help future parents navigating the same situation! ✨

New member here! This thread has been so incredibly helpful as I'm planning my own return to work with intermittent PFL. I'm due in 6 weeks and want to get prepared early since I'll likely want to do a similar part-time schedule. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned - does anyone know if there are any restrictions on WHICH days of the week you can take as PFL days? Like, could I theoretically do Wednesday/Thursday as my PFL days, or does it need to be consecutive days like Monday/Friday or Thursday/Friday? Also, for those who have done this - did you find that having mid-week PFL days vs end-of-week days made any difference for work continuity or your own adjustment? I'm trying to think through what schedule would work best for both bonding time and maintaining good relationships with my team when I return. Thanks in advance for any insights!