EDD PFL baby bonding question - Must I report 30% employer wage supplement when filing claim?

yea you def need to report ANY income u receive during ur claim period or else theyll hit u with overpayment later. happened to my cousin last yr

Actually, this is an important distinction. Your employer's 30% wage supplement during baby bonding is what's commonly called "integration of benefits" and you DO need to report it on your PFL claim. On the PFL application (DE2501F), there's a section asking if you're receiving any other benefits or wages - this is where you'll disclose the 30% supplement. EDD will then coordinate your benefits with this wage replacement, which is perfectly legal. Your employer is essentially 'topping up' the state benefit (which typically replaces about 60-70% of wages) to give you a higher percentage of your normal pay during leave. Just make sure you have documentation from your HR department describing this benefit.

When I took baby bonding leave last summer, I was in the exact same situation! My company paid 40% supplement. The EDD rep told me the supplement actually doesn't reduce my PFL benefit because it's specifically designated as a separate parental leave benefit and not regular wages. But definitely report it to be safe!!!! I think it depends on how your employer classifies it.

The previous responses have some confusion, so let me clarify: You absolutely must report your employer's 30% wage supplement on your PFL application. However, whether this reduces your PFL benefit depends on how your employer classifies and reports this payment. If your employer reports it as "Paid Family Leave Supplemental Benefit" specifically (and not as regular wages, PTO, or vacation), then EDD may not reduce your state benefit. Many employers structure their parental leave policies this way intentionally. The key is proper disclosure on your part and proper classification on your employer's part. Ask your HR department specifically how they classify and report this payment to EDD. Get this in writing if possible. On your DE2501F form, look for the section about additional income during leave and list the supplement there.

I went through this EXACT situation in January with my baby bonding claim. Called EDD for 3 days straight and couldn't get through to ask this question. Wasted so much time! Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an EDD agent in like 15 minutes. They have this cool service where they call EDD for you and get you in the callback queue. Saved me hours of frustration! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 The EDD agent confirmed I needed to report my employer supplement (mine was 25%) but explained it wouldn't reduce my benefit since it was designated specifically as a parental leave supplement, not as regular wages or PTO. But they emphasized I HAD to report it regardless.

Why are people giving such confusing advice here?! The answer is SIMPLE: YES, you MUST report ALL income received during your claim period! Whether that income affects your benefit amount is for EDD to decide based on their policies, not for you to determine. Failure to report is FRAUD regardless of what type of income it is. I've worked in HR for 12 years and seen countless employees get hit with overpayment notices because they listened to bad advice. If EDD determines later that you should have reported it, you'll not only have to pay back benefits but could face penalties or even prosecution in extreme cases.

congrats on your new baby!! i had my second in december and just finished my leave. whatever you do make sure you keep track of all your paperwork and make copies of EVERYTHING you send to edd. they lost my certification form twice and it delayed my payments by weeks. so stressful

Just to follow up on this thread - I checked with a colleague who's an EDD specialist. Here's the official answer: You must report the wage supplement on your PFL claim application. However, if your employer properly classifies this as a "PFL Wage Supplement" or "Paid Family Leave Integration" (specific terms matter), then EDD will not count this against your benefit calculation. The key is that both you and your employer need to use the correct terminology and reporting. Ask your HR department for the exact classification they use for this benefit and get documentation if possible. This will help prevent any issues with your claim.

Great to see you got clarity from HR! Just wanted to add one more tip since you're a first-time parent - when you submit your PFL claim, also keep a record of the exact dates you plan to take leave. Sometimes EDD will ask for verification that you're actually bonding with your baby during the claimed period, especially if you're taking intermittent leave or returning to work part-time. Also, don't forget that you have up to 12 months from your baby's birth to use your bonding leave, so you don't have to take it all at once right after birth if that doesn't work for your family situation. Best of luck with your new little one!