EDD Maternity Leave: When will my first certification date be after claim effective 9/6?
I'm super confused about the certification timeline for maternity leave! My claim was just approved with an effective date of 9/6/2025, but I have no idea when I'll need to certify for the first time. Will I get a notification? Do I need to log into my EDD account on a specific date? This is my first pregnancy and I'm trying to make sure I don't miss anything important that could delay my payments. My doctor submitted all the paperwork about 2 weeks ago, and I just got the approval letter yesterday. Any help would be really appreciated!
17 comments
Join the conversation
Jessica Nolan
Your first certification period will typically be available 2 weeks after your claim effective date. So with a 9/6 effective date, you should be able to certify around 9/20. EDD will send you an email notification when it's time to certify, but I'd recommend checking your UI Online account starting 9/20 just to be safe. You'll certify for benefits every 2 weeks after that.
0 coins
Leo McDonald
•Thank you!! That makes sense. Do you know if I'll be able to see the certification date somewhere in my account before it's actually available? I'm paranoid about missing it.
0 coins
Angelina Farar
Congrats on the baby! I just went through this in February. They sent me a text message AND email when it was time to certify. Just make sure your contact info is up to date in the system!
0 coins
Leo McDonald
•Oh that's good to know they send multiple notifications! I'll double check my contact info tonight. Thanks!
0 coins
Sebastián Stevens
The first certification period comes exactly 2 weeks after your claim effective date. But be aware that your PREGNANCY DISABILITY claim is different from BABY BONDING (PFL). Right now you're on pregnancy disability (SDI), which is what happens before birth. After delivery, you'll transition to PFL for baby bonding. Don't mix these up like I did - they're separate claims!
0 coins
Leo McDonald
•Wait, really? I thought I only had to file once! So I'll need to file again after the baby is born? Now I'm confused...
0 coins
Jessica Nolan
•Yes, there are two separate claims. You're currently on SDI (pregnancy disability). After you give birth, you'll file a separate claim for PFL (baby bonding). Your doctor can help with the transition timing. Don't worry though - the second application is easier!
0 coins
Bethany Groves
is anyone else having trouble logging into the edd website today?? keeps giving me an error and i need to certify
0 coins
KingKongZilla
•This happened to me too! Try clearing your cookies or using a different browser. The EDD site is super glitchy.
0 coins
Rebecca Johnston
I had the EXACT same effective date last year (weird coincidence). I got an email on the 20th saying I could certify, but when I logged in nothing was there. Called EDD for THREE DAYS straight and couldn't get through. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. Turns out there was a system error with my account that needed to be fixed manually. Would've lost weeks of pay if I hadn't gotten through! Their video shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5
0 coins
Leo McDonald
•I've never heard of this service before! If I can't get through by phone I might try it. The EDD system sounds so frustrating.
0 coins
Sebastián Stevens
•I used something similar when my claim got stuck in pending for 5 weeks. Worth every penny when you're staring at bills and no payment in sight!
0 coins
Nathan Dell
Just to add some clarity because I see some confusion in this thread: 1) Your EFFECTIVE DATE (9/6) is the start of your claim 2) Your first CERTIFICATION PERIOD will cover 9/6-9/19 3) You can SUBMIT this certification starting 9/20 4) Payment typically processes 24-48 hours after certification 5) Subsequent certifications will be every 2 weeks And yes, as others mentioned, you're currently on SDI for pregnancy disability. After delivery, you'll transition to PFL for baby bonding, which requires a separate application.
0 coins
Leo McDonald
•This breakdown is SO helpful, thank you! I've bookmarked this so I can reference it later. Just to confirm - SDI is 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after (depending on delivery type), then PFL is 8 weeks beyond that, right?
0 coins
Nathan Dell
•That's correct! SDI covers up to 4 weeks before your due date and typically 6 weeks after birth for vaginal delivery or 8 weeks for C-section. Then PFL provides 8 weeks of baby bonding time. So you could get up to 18-20 weeks total depending on your situation.
0 coins
Angelina Farar
Anyone else notice the payments are always delayed by like 3-4 days after certifying? So annoying when you're counting on that money for bills 🙄
0 coins
Maya Jackson
•yep! mine always hit my BofA card on wednesday or thursday even when i certify sunday at midnight exactly. so frustrating
0 coins