Confused about SDI end date after delivery - only 6 weeks instead of 8?

the same thing happened to me last summer! its totally normal. SDI is 6 weeks for regular delivery, 8 weeks for c-section. then you transition to PFL for baby bonding which is another 8 weeks. so youll get 14 weeks total (or 16 if u had a c-section). just make sure u apply for PFL before ur SDI runs out!!

The previous commenter is correct. Standard SDI for pregnancy disability is 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for cesarean section. This covers your recovery period. After that, you can transition to PFL for bonding time, which gives you an additional 8 weeks of benefits. The letter you received is the standard notification that EDD sends when your SDI claim is approaching its end date. They're instructing you to file for PFL if you want to continue receiving benefits for bonding with your baby. I recommend filing your PFL claim (DE 2501FP form) about 1-2 weeks before your SDI ends to ensure a smooth transition without gaps in payment. You can file online through your SDI Online account.

Just want to clarify something I learned the hard way - for PFL baby bonding, you DON'T need a doctor's certification (unlike SDI). You'll need to provide your child's birth certificate or hospital documentation showing their date of birth, plus your employer information for wage verification. The form for PFL bonding is DE 2501FP, not the regular disability form. Also, if you're planning to go back to work part-time after your SDI ends, make sure to report it correctly on your PFL application. You can still receive partial PFL benefits while working reduced hours, but it gets complicated with the calculations.

not to hijack the thread but has anyone else noticed how IMPOSSIBLE it is to get through to actual humans at EDD lately?? i had a similar issue with my maternity transition and needed to talk to someone asap but was on hold for LITERALLY 3 hours before getting disconnected. then tried again next day, same thing. i was about to lose my mind with a newborn crying in the background the whole time!

Its actualy diffrent depending on ur job 2... my company has its own short term disability plan that runs at the same time as CA SDI but gives me 8 wks for regular birth. So OP - check with ur HR or benefits dept. Maybe u get extra coverge that way?? But ya like everyone is saying the normal CA timeline is: * 4 wks BEFORE birth: SDI (optional) * 6 wks AFTER vaginal: SDI * 8 wks AFTER c-section: SDI * + 8 wks bonding time: PFL I also got confused bcuz i thought the total SDI was 8 weeks but its actually 6 unless u have complications or cesarian.

Just be careful not to wait too long to apply for PFL! I waited until after my SDI ended and had a 3-week gap with no income because of processing delays. EDD is SWAMPED after the holidays. The letter telling you to apply for PFL is automated - they send it to everyone. But definitely follow that advice!

Just a final tip: when you file your PFL claim, take screenshots of everything you submit and note your confirmation number. The EDD systems sometimes have glitches, and having documentation of what you submitted and when can save you headaches if there are any issues with your claim processing.

Hey Diego! I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and totally understand the panic. Everyone here has given you great advice - the 6 weeks SDI for vaginal delivery is completely normal, then you transition to PFL for bonding time. Just wanted to add one thing that helped me: if you're breastfeeding, you might be eligible for additional SDI weeks if you have complications like mastitis or other nursing-related issues that prevent you from working. My doctor was able to extend my SDI by 2 weeks when I had severe engorgement issues. But definitely file for PFL as your backup plan regardless! Also, when you do file the PFL claim, make sure your employer information is exactly as it appears on your paystubs - any discrepancies can cause delays. Good luck with everything!

Hey Diego! I'm actually going through this transition right now too - my baby was born on November 15th and I just filed my PFL claim last week. The whole process was way less scary than I thought it would be! One thing that really helped me was calling my doctor's office to confirm whether I had a vaginal delivery or if there were any complications that might qualify me for the 8-week SDI period. Turns out I had a small tear that required stitches, but my doctor said that still counts as a normal vaginal delivery for SDI purposes - only major complications or c-sections get you the extra 2 weeks. The PFL application was actually pretty straightforward once I had all my documents ready. Just make sure you have your baby's birth certificate (or hospital discharge papers work too), your Social Security card, and accurate employer info. The whole thing took me maybe 20 minutes online. Hang in there! I know it's stressful with a newborn, but it sounds like you're on the right track. And definitely don't wait - file that PFL claim ASAP to avoid any payment gaps!

Diego, I just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through this same confusion! I had my daughter in October and was also panicking when I saw my SDI ending at 6 weeks instead of 8. Everyone here has given you excellent advice - the 6 weeks is totally standard for vaginal delivery. What really helped me was creating a little timeline on my phone to track everything: - SDI ends January 16th for you - File PFL by January 10th (give yourself a buffer!) - PFL covers 8 weeks of bonding time - Total leave: 14 weeks (6 SDI + 8 PFL) One small tip that saved me stress: when you file the PFL online, the system will ask you to upload your baby's birth certificate. If you don't have the official one yet, the hospital discharge summary with your baby's name and birth date works perfectly fine. I wasted two weeks waiting for the official birth certificate when I could have used the hospital paperwork! You've got this - sounds like you're being really proactive by asking questions here and planning ahead. The transition between SDI and PFL is super common and EDD handles it all the time. Just don't let that 3-day-old message stress you too much - their response times are pretty slow but your situation is totally normal!

Diego, I totally understand your confusion! I went through the exact same thing when I had my son last year. The 6-week SDI for vaginal delivery definitely caught me off guard too - I think a lot of us expect 8 weeks because that's what we hear about for total disability leave. Everyone here has given you really solid advice about filing for PFL. I just wanted to add that when you do file, make sure to check if your employer offers any additional paid leave that might run concurrently with your PFL benefits. Some companies have their own parental leave policies that can supplement what you get from the state. Also, if you're planning to take the full 8 weeks of PFL bonding time, start thinking now about whether you want to take it all consecutively or if you might want to take some of it intermittently later (like a few days here and there). You have up to 12 months from your baby's birth to use all your PFL bonding time, which gives you some flexibility. The most important thing right now is getting that PFL application submitted soon so you don't have any gaps in payments. You're being really smart by planning ahead - it shows you're going to handle this transition just fine!

Diego, I'm so glad you asked this question because I was in the exact same boat just a few months ago! The panic is so real when you see that 6-week end date instead of the 8 weeks you were expecting. Everyone here has given you fantastic advice about the transition from SDI to PFL. I just wanted to add my experience with the timing - I filed my PFL application about 10 days before my SDI ended and it was processed seamlessly. The key is having all your documents ready to go. One thing that really helped me was setting up a simple folder (physical or digital) with all my maternity leave paperwork - SDI notices, baby's hospital records, employer info, etc. It made filling out the PFL application so much less stressful when I wasn't scrambling to find everything while dealing with a newborn. Also, don't stress too much about EDD not responding to your portal message yet - 3 days is actually pretty normal for them, especially this time of year. Your situation is very routine and you're handling it exactly right by being proactive and asking questions. You've got this! The transition might seem confusing now, but once you file that PFL claim, you'll have a total of 14 weeks of benefits (6 SDI + 8 PFL) which is really good coverage. Just remember to file soon to avoid any payment gaps!