Can I use unemployment first then PFL for my 3-month-old? Best order to maximize benefits?

You CAN use unemployment first and then PFL, but there are some important things to consider: 1. For unemployment, you must be able and available for work, actively looking for work, and willing to accept suitable work if offered. If you're caring for your baby full-time, this might be difficult to certify truthfully. 2. PFL can be taken anytime within the first 12 months after your child's birth, so you have flexibility on timing. 3. When you switch from unemployment to PFL, you'll need to notify EDD that you're no longer available for work because you'll be bonding with your child. 4. Your weekly benefit amount might be different between unemployment and PFL, so calculate which gives you more money weekly. I personally did unemployment first for about 6 weeks after my SDI ended, then switched to PFL for the full 8 weeks. It worked out fine, but I had to be very careful with my unemployment certifications.

i did this backwards and regret it!! used my pfl right after sdi then tried to get on unemployment but they said i wasnt looking for work during pfl (duh i was with my baby) and it messed up my claim. took 6 weeks to sort out and i lost benefits. definitely do unemployment first!!!

The real question is whether you're ACTUALLY available for work right now. If you're taking care of a 3-month-old full-time with no childcare, then claiming unemployment is technically fraud because you're not truly available to accept work. EDD can audit you and demand repayment plus penalties if they determine you weren't eligible. I'm not judging - I know how hard it is financially with a baby - but be very careful about certifying that you're available for work if you aren't. They specifically ask if there was any reason you couldn't accept work each week.

I wanted to clarify something important: PFL does NOT need to be taken immediately after SDI. You have the full 12 months after birth to use your 8 weeks of baby bonding PFL benefits. They can be split up too - you can take 4 weeks now and 4 weeks later if you want. Also, make sure you're financially comparing the two benefits. In 2025, PFL pays 70% of your wages up to the maximum weekly benefit amount. Unemployment usually pays less. Calculate which gives you more money weekly to maximize your benefits. One strategy: Use unemployment until you find a good job opportunity, then use PFL before starting the new position. This gives you maximum flexibility and income.

Has anyone else had NIGHTMARE trying to reach EDD to ask these kinds of questions?? I've been calling for 2 WEEKS trying to get clarification about switching from unemployment to PFL and either get disconnected or told the wait is 4+ hours!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!! All I want is a simple answer from someone official.

i think everyones missing something important here... if ur still within the first 12 months after birth u can actually get more money by doing PFL first becuz it pays more weekly than unemployment? PFL pays 70% of ur salary in 2025 but unemployment has that low maximum. and then after PFL u can still get unemployment for however many weeks u have left on ur claim. thats what i did and it worked perfect for me. more money + same amount of time off.

Just a warning that I've seen several people get hit with overpayment notices because they weren't truly available for work while on unemployment but caring for children. One friend had to repay $4,800 and was disqualified from benefits for a year. EDD has been cracking down on this specific issue lately. If you do unemployment, make sure you have childcare lined up and are ACTUALLY able to accept work. They can check if you're applying for jobs, and if you decline interviews or offers, that's a red flag. Document everything carefully.

Here's what I'd recommend based on what you've shared: 1. Calculate exact benefit amounts for both programs in your specific case 2. If you have part-time childcare available and are genuinely willing to work, start with unemployment 3. Give yourself a specific timeframe (maybe 8-10 weeks) on unemployment while job searching 4. Then transition to PFL before your baby turns 1 year old 5. Make sure to formally close your unemployment claim before starting PFL 6. When PFL ends, you can reopen your unemployment claim if needed The key is honest certification during unemployment. You must be able to work, available for work, and actively seeking work. Keep detailed records of your job search activities for at least 3 years in case of an audit.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this exact situation! I used unemployment for 10 weeks first, then switched to PFL for the full 8 weeks when my daughter was about 5 months old. A few practical tips that helped me: - I set up interviews during my mom's babysitting days to show I was genuinely available for work during unemployment - I kept a detailed log of all job applications and interviews (saved my butt during an EDD review) - When I was ready to switch to PFL, I called EDD to formally close my unemployment claim first - don't just stop certifying - I reopened my unemployment claim after PFL ended and still had weeks remaining The transition worked smoothly because I was completely honest about my availability. During unemployment weeks, I was truly ready to work if the right opportunity came up. During PFL, I was 100% focused on bonding with my baby. One thing to note: your unemployment claim year doesn't pause during PFL, so factor that into your timing. But overall, this strategy gave me 18 weeks total at home with higher pay during the PFL portion. Worth the extra paperwork!

As someone who just went through this decision myself, I can't stress enough how important it is to be 100% honest about your availability during unemployment. I made the mistake of certifying that I was available for work when I really wasn't (my daycare had a waiting list and I was essentially full-time caregiving), and EDD caught it during a routine audit 8 months later. I had to pay back $3,200 in unemployment benefits plus a 30% penalty. The stress and financial hit was way worse than just using PFL from the start would have been. If you genuinely have reliable childcare and are truly willing to accept job offers, then the unemployment-first strategy can work. But if there's any doubt about your actual availability, I'd honestly recommend just going straight to PFL. The peace of mind is worth it, and you'll still get good benefits without the risk of overpayment issues later. Also, keep in mind that job searching with a 3-month-old is EXHAUSTING even with help. Make sure you're being realistic about what you can actually handle during this time.

I'm in a very similar situation with my 4-month-old daughter! After reading through all these responses, I'm leaning toward using PFL first even though it means less total time off. The overpayment horror stories really got my attention - I can't afford to risk having to pay back thousands plus penalties. And honestly, even with my partner able to watch the baby part-time, I'm not sure I'm mentally ready to be "on" for job interviews and applications right now. The sleep deprivation is real! One thing I'm curious about - has anyone successfully used PFL in chunks rather than all 8 weeks at once? Like maybe 4 weeks now and saving 4 weeks for later in the year when daycare spots might open up? I'm wondering if that flexibility might be a good middle ground. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, both good and bad. This community is so helpful for navigating these complex benefit decisions!

I'm also navigating this decision with my 2-month-old twins! Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly eye-opening, especially the warnings about EDD audits and overpayment issues. After going through all the responses, I think I'm convinced that honesty is absolutely crucial here. The unemployment system requires that you be genuinely available for work - not just technically available on paper. With newborns, that's a really high bar to meet consistently. What's swaying me toward the PFL-first approach is that even though it might mean less total time off, it's guaranteed money without the stress of potentially having to pay back benefits later. Plus at 2-3 months postpartum, I'm realizing I'm probably not in the best headspace to be competitive in job interviews anyway. For those who successfully did unemployment first - were you actually applying to jobs you wanted, or just going through the motions to meet requirements? I'm worried about accidentally getting a job offer I'd have to turn down, which could mess up my eligibility. The flexibility of splitting PFL into chunks also sounds really appealing. Maybe 6 weeks now while I'm still adjusting to life with twins, then 2 weeks later for a smooth daycare transition. Thanks everyone for being so transparent about both the successes and mistakes!

Reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful! As someone who just started this process with my 2-month-old, I wanted to share what I've decided after weighing all the options. I initially wanted to do unemployment first to maximize total time off, but the overpayment stories really scared me. The reality is, with a 2-month-old who's still not sleeping through the night, I'm honestly not in the right headspace to be genuinely "available and actively seeking work" that unemployment requires. I've decided to go with PFL first - all 8 weeks starting next month. Even though it means less total time off compared to doing unemployment first, the peace of mind is worth it. No risk of audits, no stress about job applications I'm not mentally ready for, and I get the higher weekly benefit amount ($980/week vs $450/week unemployment in my case). The plan is to use PFL now for pure bonding time, then reassess in a few months when I'm more recovered and my son is more predictable. If I still need more time off, I can explore unemployment then when I'm truly ready to work if the right opportunity comes up. For anyone else struggling with this decision - trust your gut about whether you're genuinely ready to work right now. The extra few weeks off aren't worth the financial and legal risks if you can't honestly meet unemployment requirements.