Can I use remaining PFL benefits 1-2 days per week after returning to work?

Yes, you can definitely use your PFL intermittently! I did this last year. You don't need to file a new claim if your original one is still active (within 12 months of your first day of benefits). You just need to indicate the specific days you're taking off on your certification forms. Make sure you're very precise about which exact dates you didn't work when you certify every two weeks. The tricky part is that EDD's system doesn't always process intermittent leave smoothly, so keep detailed records of everything.

i did this after maternity leave!!!! took wednesdays + fridays off for like 2 months & it was amazing. just put the dates on ur certification when they come up. super easy

Be VERY careful with this! I tried doing intermittent PFL and ended up with a NIGHTMARE situation. The EDD system kept marking me as "returned to work full time" and cancelling my remaining benefits. Had to call them 27 TIMES before someone fixed it properly. They kept saying their computer system "isn't designed well" for intermittent leave. Make sure you document EVERYTHING and call them immediately if your certification shows any problems!! The online system is practically DESIGNED to create problems with part-time PFL!!

I had similar issues trying to reach EDD about my intermittent leave schedule. After getting disconnected about 8 times, I finally used Claimyr to connect with an EDD agent (claimyr.com). They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. The agent explained that for intermittent PFL you need to clearly report which specific days you're using benefits during each certification period, and they confirmed my remaining balance. Saved me hours of redial frustration.

To answer your original question more specifically: Yes, you can use your remaining 4 weeks of PFL benefits intermittently. Here's what you need to know: 1. Your total benefit amount doesn't change, but instead of 4 consecutive weeks, you'd use partial weeks over a longer period 2. When certifying, you'll report only the specific days you took off for bonding 3. Your weekly benefit amount will be prorated based on the number of days used 4. You must use all benefits within 12 months of your initial claim filing date 5. Your employer must be notified according to your company's leave policy (usually 30 days notice for scheduled leaves) 6. No new claim is needed - just continue certifying your current claim Make sure to keep detailed records of all your communications with EDD and your employer. While intermittent PFL is absolutely allowed under California law, the implementation can sometimes be challenging.

i think ur overthinking this tbh. my sister did this and just filled out the forms when they came. as long as ur honest about which days u worked vs which days u took for bonding they figure it out. the money is less each week obviously since ur working partial weeks but its not that complicated

Just to add my experience since I eventually did get it resolved... I found out that the KEY is to get an EDD rep who ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS intermittent PFL. Most of them don't seem properly trained on it! When you call, if they sound uncertain AT ALL, hang up and try again. The competent agent finally put a note in my file that I was on intermittent leave and should NOT be auto-closed when I report partial work hours. This made all the difference.

My cousin who works in HR said something about this being called "intermittent PFL" and said theres special codes employers use for it on their end. Maybe ask your HR for the "intermittent PFL" forms specifically? Thats all I know sorry

Thank you all so much for the helpful responses! Based on everyone's advice, I'm going to go ahead with the intermittent schedule - taking Mondays and Fridays off for the next few months. I'll make sure to: 1. Keep super detailed records of which days I take off 2. Be very specific when filling out my certifications 3. Get written confirmation from my employer about the schedule 4. Call EDD ahead of time to notify them of my plan I'll update this thread once I've gone through a certification cycle to let everyone know how it went. Really appreciate all the help!

That's a great plan! One small tip - when you call EDD to notify them ahead of time, ask them to put a note in your account that you're approved for "intermittent bonding leave" and specifically mention that you should NOT be flagged as "returned to full-time work" when you report partial work days. This proactive step could save you from some of the system glitches others have mentioned. Also, consider taking screenshots of your online account balance before and after each certification just in case you need to reference them later. Good luck with your new schedule - it sounds like a perfect way to ease back into work while still getting quality time with your baby!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - just returned to work after 6 weeks of PFL and have 2 weeks remaining. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like intermittent PFL is definitely doable but requires some extra attention to detail. One thing I'd add is to make sure you coordinate with your manager about the schedule change well in advance. My company required me to submit a formal request for intermittent leave even though I was already approved for PFL. Also, if you're breastfeeding, the part-time schedule can actually work really well since you'll have more time for pumping sessions at home on your off days. @Cole Roush - your plan sounds solid! I'm curious to hear how your first certification goes. The screenshot tip from @Jace Caspullo is brilliant - I wish I'd thought of that earlier in my leave process.

This is such valuable information! I'm currently 6 months pregnant and already thinking about how to structure my PFL when the time comes. Reading through everyone's experiences with intermittent leave is really eye-opening - it sounds like it could be perfect for gradually transitioning back to work while still maximizing bonding time. Quick question for those who've done this successfully: did you find that taking specific days (like Mondays/Fridays for long weekends) worked better than spreading it out more randomly? I'm trying to think about what would work best with my work schedule and my partner's schedule too. Also, @Cole Roush, definitely keep us updated on how your certification process goes - I'm sure other expectant parents following this thread would love to hear about your experience!

I've been following this thread closely since I'm planning to do something similar in a few months! One thing I wanted to add based on my research is that California law actually guarantees your right to take PFL intermittently - it's in the Family Rights Act. So if your employer pushes back on the schedule, you can reference that. Also, I called EDD yesterday to ask about this exact scenario and the rep told me that as long as you're clear about which days are "PFL days" vs "work days" on your certification, their system should handle it fine. She did emphasize being very specific with dates though - don't just put "2 days this week" but actually list "Monday 4/7 and Friday 4/11" or whatever the exact dates are. One more tip - if you're planning to do this regularly (like every Monday/Friday), consider setting up a calendar or reminder system so you don't accidentally forget to mark a day correctly on your certification. A small mistake there could apparently cause bigger headaches later!

This is such a fantastic resource! As someone who's currently on PFL and considering going back to work soon, this thread has answered so many questions I didn't even know I had. The level of detail everyone has shared is incredible - from the technical aspects of certification to the practical tips about coordinating with employers. I'm particularly grateful for @Danielle Mays' breakdown of how the benefits are calculated and @Sayid Hassan's warning about potential system issues. It sounds like the key takeaways are: be extremely detailed with dates, document everything, and don't hesitate to call EDD if something seems off with your certification. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've done intermittent PFL, did you find that your employer was generally supportive of the flexible schedule? I'm worried about how this might be perceived at my workplace, even though I know it's legally protected. Any advice on how to present this to management in a positive way would be really helpful! Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing! 💙

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently 7 months pregnant and trying to plan my PFL strategy. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm definitely considering the intermittent approach for my last few weeks of benefits. One question I haven't seen addressed - does anyone know how intermittent PFL affects your return-to-work timeline for job protection purposes? I know CFRA gives you 12 weeks of job-protected leave, but I'm wondering if stretching out PFL over several months changes how that's calculated. For example, if I take 6 weeks consecutively and then use my remaining 2 weeks intermittently over 2 months, does my job protection extend for those full 2 months or just for the actual days I'm using PFL? Also, @Cole Roush - please do update us on how your first certification goes! I'm really curious to see if the process is as straightforward as some people have described or if you run into any of the system issues others have mentioned. Your experience will definitely help shape my own planning. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences. This is exactly the kind of real-world information that's so hard to find elsewhere!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm currently 8 weeks into my PFL and was feeling stressed about having to choose between taking my remaining time all at once or potentially losing it. Reading everyone's experiences with intermittent PFL has been such a relief - it sounds like exactly what I need to ease back into work gradually. The detailed advice about being super specific with dates on certifications and keeping thorough documentation is incredibly valuable. I'm definitely going to follow @Savannah Glover's suggestion about setting up a calendar system and @Jace Caspullo's tip about taking screenshots of my account balance. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who've successfully done intermittent PFL, did you find that the reduced weekly benefit amount (since you're working partial weeks) was still worth it financially? I'm trying to weigh the financial impact against the benefits of having that extra bonding time and more gradual transition. My employer offers some flexibility, but the reduced income for those weeks is something I need to factor into my decision. Thanks to everyone for sharing such honest and detailed experiences. This community is amazing for getting real-world insights that you just can't find in the official EDD documentation! 🙏

This thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm currently on week 5 of my PFL and have been debating whether to take my remaining 3 weeks all at once or try the intermittent route. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm leaning heavily toward the intermittent approach - it sounds perfect for gradually adjusting back to work life while still maximizing bonding time. I really appreciate all the practical tips, especially about being ultra-specific with dates on certifications and the suggestion to get EDD to put a note in your file about intermittent leave approval. The screenshot idea for tracking account balances is genius too! One additional tip I'd like to share based on my own experience so far - when I initially applied for PFL, I found it helpful to keep a simple spreadsheet tracking all my communications with EDD, including dates, times, and representative names. I'm planning to continue this approach if I go the intermittent route, since it sounds like clear documentation is even more important when you're not taking consecutive weeks. @Cole Roush - really looking forward to your update on how the certification process goes! Your experience will definitely help inform my own decision. Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your knowledge and experiences. This community is incredible! 🙌

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm currently 4 months pregnant and already researching PFL options, so finding this detailed discussion about intermittent benefits is perfect timing. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like intermittent PFL could be exactly what I need - the idea of gradually transitioning back to work while maintaining bonding time really appeals to me. I'm taking notes on all the practical advice shared here, especially about being extremely detailed with certification dates, keeping thorough documentation, and proactively communicating with EDD about intermittent leave plans. The tip about asking EDD to put a specific note in your file to prevent auto-closure issues seems crucial based on @Sayid Hassan's experience. One question for the group - for those planning or considering intermittent PFL, have you found it helpful to discuss this option with your healthcare provider during pregnancy? I'm wondering if getting their input early on about postpartum recovery and bonding needs might help strengthen the case with both employers and EDD when the time comes to actually implement an intermittent schedule. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find in official documentation! Really hoping @Cole Roush updates us on how the certification process goes - it will definitely influence my own planning. 🤱

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! As a new parent who just started back to work after 6 weeks of PFL, I was feeling overwhelmed about how to use my remaining benefits. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences with intermittent PFL has given me so much confidence that this is the right approach for my family. I'm particularly grateful for the specific tips about certification details, documentation strategies, and proactive communication with EDD. The advice about asking EDD to put notes in your file to prevent system auto-closures seems absolutely crucial based on the experiences shared here. One thing I wanted to add - I actually called EDD this morning after reading this thread, and the representative I spoke with confirmed that intermittent PFL is definitely supported and that the key is being "crystal clear" about which specific dates are PFL days versus work days when certifying. She also mentioned that if you're consistent with your schedule (like every Monday/Friday), it actually makes their processing easier. I'm planning to start my intermittent schedule next week - taking Mondays and Thursdays off for the next 6 weeks to use up my remaining benefits. I'll definitely follow everyone's advice about screenshots, detailed records, and clear communication with both EDD and my employer. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences! I'll make sure to update this thread with how my certification process goes to help future parents navigating this decision. This community is amazing! 💙👶

This thread is absolutely incredible! As someone who's currently on week 3 of PFL and was stressing about whether to take my remaining 5 weeks consecutively or risk "losing" them, reading everyone's detailed experiences has been such a relief. The intermittent approach sounds perfect for what I need - a gradual transition back to work while still maximizing precious bonding time with my little one. I'm blown away by the level of practical detail everyone has shared, from @Danielle Mays' breakdown of how benefits are calculated to @Sayid Hassan's honest warning about potential system issues. The recurring themes seem clear: be incredibly specific with dates, document everything meticulously, and don't hesitate to be proactive with EDD communication. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to call EDD this week to discuss my intermittent plan and get those crucial notes added to my file. I'm thinking of taking every Friday off for the next 5 weeks, which would give me those wonderful long weekends for bonding while still maintaining momentum at work. The tip about taking screenshots of account balances is genius - definitely doing that! And I love the spreadsheet idea for tracking all communications. It's clear that success with intermittent PFL really comes down to being organized and proactive. Thank you to everyone for sharing such honest, detailed experiences. This community is providing the real-world guidance that's impossible to find anywhere else! Can't wait to see @Cole Roush's update on how the certification process goes. 🙏💙

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently 8 months pregnant and have been researching PFL options extensively, but finding real experiences like these has been incredibly difficult until now. The level of detail everyone has shared about intermittent PFL is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm particularly struck by the consistent advice about being extremely specific with certification dates and the importance of proactive communication with EDD. The warning about potential system glitches from @Sayid Hassan is eye-opening, but it's reassuring to see that these issues can be resolved with persistence and the right approach. Based on everything I've read here, I'm already planning to use intermittent PFL for my last few weeks of benefits. The idea of taking 1-2 days per week to gradually transition back to work while maintaining bonding time sounds perfect for my situation. I'm definitely going to implement the strategies mentioned here: keeping detailed records, taking screenshots of my account, and getting proactive notes added to my EDD file. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've done intermittent PFL successfully, did you find that having a support network at work (understanding colleagues, supportive manager) made a significant difference in how smoothly the process went? I'm thinking about how to best prepare my team for my eventual intermittent schedule. Thank you to everyone for being so generous with sharing your knowledge and experiences. This thread should honestly be a required reading resource for all California parents planning PFL! Really hoping @Cole Roush and @Luca Esposito keep us updated on their certification experiences. 🙏💙