EDD PFL eligibility after being fired during pregnancy and COVID - can I apply after UI benefits end?
Hi everyone! I'm desperately trying to figure out my options for baby bonding leave. I worked at a medical office for almost 3 years before getting pregnant last year. When I caught COVID in July 2024, I told my boss about my diagnosis (I was about 4 months pregnant at the time), and they fired me the very next day! After fighting with HR for weeks, I managed to get on disability for my pregnancy complications, and I delivered my baby girl in January 2025. My disability benefits ended after 6 weeks postpartum, and I've been on unemployment since then. The problem is my UI benefits are about to run out next week, and I'm wondering if I can now apply for Paid Family Leave for baby bonding? The EDD website says PFL looks at earnings from the past 18 months to determine eligibility. Since I worked steadily at that medical office until July 2024, would I still qualify for baby bonding PFL even though I already received unemployment? My baby is only 3 months old, and I'm really stressed about having zero income while trying to care for her. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Thanks for any help!!
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Aurora St.Pierre
I think ur probably not eligible. When I went through this last year, the EDD worker told me once u start taking UI benefits, u cant switch to PFL later. Its like ur telling them ur available to work by taking UI, so u cant then say u need time off for bonding. But u should definitely call and check because the rules r confusing and change all the time!
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Christopher Morgan
•That's what I was afraid of... it seems like such a weird system. I needed the unemployment to survive but now I can't take time to bond with my baby? I'll definitely call EDD to confirm. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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Grace Johnson
Actually, you may still qualify for PFL. The key factor is that you must have contributed to SDI during your base period (which is 5-18 months before your claim begins). Since you worked until July 2024 and paid into SDI during that time, you likely have wage credits to establish a valid claim for PFL baby bonding. The important distinction is that UI and PFL come from different funding sources. UI is funded by employer taxes, while PFL is funded by YOUR contributions to SDI that were deducted from your paychecks. You should apply for PFL using the DE2508 form or online through your EDD account. When you apply, be prepared to provide: 1. Your last day of work (July 2024) 2. Your pregnancy disability dates 3. Your baby's birth certificate 4. Documentation of your relationship to the child You can claim up to 8 weeks of PFL for baby bonding, and you have until your child turns 1 year old to use these benefits.
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Christopher Morgan
•Oh wow, that's so helpful! I didn't realize PFL and UI come from different funding sources. I definitely paid into SDI for years while working. I'm going to apply right away. Thank you so much for this detailed information!
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Jayden Reed
I just went thru something sooo similar! I had my baby in Dec and was on disability but then went on unemployment too. The trick is you can't be on UI and PFL at the same time. So what I did was cancel my UI claim (called and told them I was no longer available for work) and THEN applied for PFL. That worked for me! Just make sure when you apply for PFL you put that you're NOT receiving UI benefits anymore.
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Christopher Morgan
•That's exactly what I needed to know! I'll definitely cancel my UI claim first before applying for PFL. Did they ask you why you were canceling UI? And how long did it take for your PFL to get approved after that?
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Jayden Reed
•Yeah they asked why I was stopping UI and I just told them I wanted to take time to bond with my baby. It took about 2 weeks to get approved for PFL after that. Just make sure u have your baby's birth certificate ready to upload!!
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Nora Brooks
This EXACT thing happened to me!!!!! I got fired when I was pregnant (tho not bc of covid but whatever) and I had the WORST time with EDD. First they denied my disability, then they gave me unemployment but when I tried to get PFL they said I couldn't get both? The whole system is just designed to make us fail honestly.
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Grace Johnson
•You're right that the system can be confusing, but there is an important clarification here. You can't receive UI and PFL simultaneously because UI requires you to certify you're able and available for work, while PFL is specifically for when you're not available because you're bonding with your baby. However, you can stop UI benefits and switch to PFL as long as you have sufficient wage credits in your base period. The key is properly ending one benefit before applying for the other.
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Eli Wang
I was in this exact situation last year and spent HOURS on the phone with EDD trying to get answers. I literally called 47 times one day and couldn't get through. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD agent in about 12 minutes. The agent confirmed I could switch from UI to PFL as long as I wasn't claiming both simultaneously and had enough wage credits. You can see how the service works here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 It saved me so much stress during an already stressful time with a newborn. The EDD rep I spoke with was actually really helpful once I got through!
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Christopher Morgan
•Thank you so much for sharing this! I've been trying to call EDD for days and keep getting disconnected. I'll check out that service because I really need to speak to someone directly about my situation before my UI runs out next week.
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Cassandra Moon
Based on what you've shared, you should be eligible for PFL baby bonding benefits. Here's why: 1. You established a valid claim period through your previous employment (where you contributed to SDI) 2. You've already received pregnancy disability benefits, which confirms you have wage credits in the system 3. Your baby is under 1 year old (the cutoff for PFL baby bonding) However, there's an important process to follow. You must end your UI claim completely before applying for PFL. When you certify for UI, you're stating you're able and available for work. PFL is the opposite - you're stating you can't work because you're caring for your baby. To maximize your benefits: 1. Contact EDD to end your UI claim (specify your last day) 2. Immediately file for PFL using form DE2508 (or online) 3. Submit your baby's birth certificate and proof of relationship 4. Clearly indicate your UI benefits have ended in your application You should be eligible for up to 8 weeks of PFL at approximately 60-70% of your prior wages. Acting quickly is important as benefits must be used before your child turns 1.
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Christopher Morgan
•Thank you for such a detailed breakdown! This makes the process so much clearer. I was confused about how to handle the transition from UI to PFL, but now I understand I need to formally end my UI claim first. I'll call EDD tomorrow to start this process. Really appreciate your help!
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Zane Hernandez
u know what makes me so MAD about all this? they make these benefits IMPOSSIBLE to understand. i had my baby in 2023 and i didnt even KNOW i could get PFL until my kid was 11 months old and it was too late!!! the whole system is designed to confuse people so we dont claim benefits we deserve. its all about saving the state $$$$
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Genevieve Cavalier
•I feel this! When I had my first kid in 2022 I had no idea what I was eligible for. With my second baby I knew better and got all 8 weeks of baby bonding. Information should be given to every new parent automatically!
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Grace Johnson
One additional point that might be helpful: When you end your UI claim to apply for PFL, make sure you specify the exact date. Your PFL claim should ideally start the very next day after your UI ends to avoid any gap in benefits. The EDD system will check this timeline carefully. Also, since you mentioned being fired shortly after disclosing your COVID diagnosis while pregnant, you might want to consult with an employment attorney about possible pregnancy discrimination. California has strong protections for pregnant workers, and the timing of your termination raises some red flags that might be worth exploring.
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Christopher Morgan
•That's a really good point about making sure there's no gap between benefits. I'll definitely specify the exact date when I end my UI claim. Regarding the discrimination issue - I actually did speak with an attorney last year, but they said it would be hard to prove since my employer claimed it was a "performance-based" termination. Even though they never documented any performance issues before! But fighting it would have been so stressful during pregnancy, so I focused on getting benefits instead. Maybe I should reconsider pursuing it though...
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