Does EDD send an approval letter for PFL baby bonding claims?
I recently filed for baby bonding PFL after my maternity disability ended and I'm trying to figure out what to expect next. My disability claim went through fine and payments started automatically, but the PFL process seems different. Do they actually send you an official approval letter for Paid Family Leave claims? I'm nervous because my employer is asking for proof that my leave is approved, and I don't know what documentation I'm supposed to give them. I can see my claim is in the system when I log into my EDD account, but there's no status update yet. Has anyone gone through this recently?
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Ben Cooper
Yes, EDD does send an approval letter for PFL! I got mine about 10 days after filing my claim. It shows your weekly benefit amount, your claim period, and the total amount you're eligible for. I needed to provide this to my HR department too. Check your mail carefully - the letter comes in a standard EDD envelope that's easy to miss. If it's been more than 2 weeks, you might want to call them to check on status.
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Khalid Howes
•Thanks! It's been about 8 days since I filed, so maybe I should give it a few more days before panicking. Did you need to do anything after getting the letter, or did payments just start automatically?
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Naila Gordon
they sent me a text message and an email first then the letter came like 4 days later
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Cynthia Love
•That wasn't my experience at ALL. I got ZERO communication and then suddenly money appeared in my account. No text, no email, no notification whatsoever! I kept checking my mail for some kind of approval letter but never got one. Called EDD three times and hung up after waiting 90+ minutes each time. The system is completely broken!!!
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Darren Brooks
I recieved my approval letter about 2 weeks after I applied for baby bonding. It showed all my info and the exact dates for my leave. My HR department made a copy of it and gave it back to me. I think your supposed to get one but you know how EDD is... sometimes things get delayed or lost in the system lol. When I had my first baby in 2023 I had to call them cause my letter never came.
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Rosie Harper
•This is the correct information. The approval letter is called the "Notice of Computation" (DE 429D) and it details your weekly benefit amount and total claim amount. If you need documentation for your employer before the letter arrives, you can request a claim status letter through your UI Online account under "Contact EDD" or you can call and request one. Also note that the approval letter and payments are often processed separately, so you might start receiving payments before or after getting the letter.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
I filed for baby bonding PFL back in March and had a similar issue. Called EDD over 40 times and couldn't get through! Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have this demo video: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 that shows how it works. The agent confirmed my approval letter had been sent out but was probably delayed in the mail. She was able to email me a confirmation letter right away that I could show my employer. Definitely worth it after wasting days trying to get through myself.
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Demi Hall
•does it actually work? ive heard of services like this but was always skeptical
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Elliott luviBorBatman
•Yes it worked for me! I was connected to an EDD rep in about 15-20 minutes. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected constantly. They just called me back when they had an agent on the line.
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Cynthia Love
When I had my twins last year, I went from pregnancy disability to PFL with no gap, but my PFL approval letter got lost in the mail. I had to call EDD a million times to get them to resend it! Apparently they had sent it to my old address even though I'd updated everything online. The system is so frustrating!! Make sure your address is correct in ALL their systems because sometimes the disability system and PFL system don't talk to each other properly.
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Khalid Howes
•Oh that's a good point! I just moved right before having the baby so I'll double check that all my info is updated correctly. The last thing I need is for important documents to get lost in the mail.
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Rosie Harper
To clarify for everyone on this thread: Yes, EDD does send an official approval notice for PFL claims, typically within 7-14 days of filing. This document is officially called the "Notice of Computation" (form DE 429D) and includes: 1. Your weekly benefit amount 2. Your maximum benefit amount 3. Your benefit period dates 4. The qualifying reason for your claim If you need immediate proof of your claim before receiving this letter, you have three options: 1. Call EDD and request a claim status letter 2. Submit a request through your UI Online account under "Contact EDD" 3. If you can see your claim in the system, take a screenshot of the claim summary page Most employers are familiar with EDD's processing timelines and should be willing to accept provisional documentation while waiting for the official notice. If your employer is being difficult, you can suggest they contact EDD directly to verify your claim status.
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Khalid Howes
•This is extremely helpful information! I think a screenshot of my claim page might work as a temporary solution until I get the official letter. My HR contact has been understanding so far, just wants something on file. Thank you!
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Demi Hall
wait i thought ur employer doesnt need any approval stuff from u for baby bonding? my HR just had me fill out their own paperwork and didnt ask for anything from EDD
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Ben Cooper
•Different employers have different policies. Some require the EDD approval documentation while others just need their internal forms. It often depends on how your company manages PFL and FMLA/CFRA leave coordination. Legally, you don't have to provide the EDD letter to use your leave rights, but many companies request it for their records.
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Darren Brooks
Just wondering if you ever got your approval letter? I'm applying for baby bonding next month and want to know what to expect
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Khalid Howes
•Yes! It actually came in the mail yesterday. It took exactly 12 days from when I submitted my application. The letter shows all my claim details including the weekly benefit amount ($1,480) and the total claim period (8 weeks). My HR department was satisfied with it.
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Nolan Carter
Congrats on getting your letter! That's really helpful to know the timeline. I'm expecting my first baby in a few months and trying to plan everything out in advance. Did you have any issues transitioning from disability to PFL, or was it pretty seamless? I've heard some people have gaps between the two benefits and I'm worried about that happening.
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StarStrider
•Thanks! The transition from disability to PFL was actually pretty smooth for me. I made sure to file my PFL claim about a week before my disability benefits were scheduled to end, and there was no gap in payments. The key is timing - don't wait until your disability ends to apply for PFL. I'd recommend filing as soon as you get clearance from your doctor to return to work (even though you're not actually returning yet for bonding leave). Also make sure you have all your paperwork ready like the baby's birth certificate copy. Planning ahead like you're doing is definitely the right approach!
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Millie Long
I'm currently pregnant with my second baby and planning to take PFL for bonding after my disability leave ends. With my first child, I made the mistake of waiting too long to apply and ended up with a 3-week gap between benefits which was financially stressful. This thread is so helpful for planning ahead this time! One question - does anyone know if the approval letter timeline is different if you're already in the EDD system from a previous claim? I'm wondering if having an existing account might speed things up or if it's the same 7-14 day processing time for everyone.
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Sofia Ramirez
•From my experience having an existing EDD account doesn't really speed up the approval letter timeline - it's still the same 7-14 day processing window. However, having your account already set up does make the application process smoother since all your info is already in the system. The approval letter processing seems to be handled separately regardless of whether you're a new or returning user. Good call on planning ahead this time to avoid that gap! I'd still recommend applying about a week before your disability ends just to be safe.
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Fernanda Marquez
I just went through this process last month and wanted to share my experience! EDD does send an approval letter (the DE 429D form that others mentioned), but I also discovered you can access a digital version through your UI Online account once your claim is approved. If you go to "History" and then "Claim Details" you can view and print a summary that shows your benefit amount and claim period - this worked perfectly for my HR department while I waited for the physical letter to arrive. The digital version actually appeared in my account about 3 days before the letter came in the mail, so it might be worth checking there first if you need documentation quickly!
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Ravi Patel
•That's such a helpful tip about the digital version! I wish I had known about that when I was waiting for my letter. Being able to access it online 3 days earlier would have saved me so much stress with my HR department. For anyone else reading this - definitely check your UI Online account under "History" > "Claim Details" if you need documentation quickly. This is the kind of info that EDD should make more obvious on their website!
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Marcus Marsh
I'm currently on maternity leave and planning to transition to PFL for bonding in a few weeks. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the digital version being available in the UI Online account before the physical letter arrives - that's such a game changer. My HR department has already been asking me about documentation for the bonding leave, so knowing I can potentially get something from my online account 3 days earlier will definitely help with the transition. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines. It's so much better than trying to navigate EDD's confusing website on your own!
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Miguel Hernández
•I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you! I wish I had found information this clear when I was going through the process. One more tip that might help with your HR transition - when you do get that digital documentation from your UI Online account, I'd recommend downloading or screenshotting it right away since sometimes the EDD website can be glitchy. Also, if your company uses any kind of leave management system, they might be able to verify your claim directly with EDD using your social security number, which could be even faster than waiting for documents. Best of luck with your bonding leave - it's such a special time!
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NeonNinja
This is such a comprehensive thread! As someone who's about to start this process myself, I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and timelines. The tip about checking the UI Online account for digital documentation 3 days before the physical letter arrives is gold - definitely bookmarking that for when I apply next month. It sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Apply about a week before disability ends to avoid gaps, 2) Expect the approval letter (DE 429D) within 7-14 days, 3) Check online account for digital version first, and 4) Screenshot everything in case the website is glitchy. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share detailed info - this is way more helpful than anything on EDD's actual website!
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