EDD PFL extension for 6 more months? Is this actually possible?

I think whoever told you about a "training extension program" for PFL might be confusing it with something else. Standard California Paid Family Leave only provides 8 weeks maximum for baby bonding, period. There's no official extension program that adds 6 more months. What might be getting confused here: 1. Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) - this is separate from PFL and happens before birth 2. CFRA/FMLA - job protection laws, but they don't provide additional paid benefits 3. State Disability Insurance (SDI) - for pregnancy and recovery, not baby bonding 4. Unemployment Insurance with training benefits - completely different program If your wife qualified for SDI during pregnancy and didn't use her full entitlement, she might be able to claim remaining weeks, but that wouldn't be 6 months.

hi there! i went thru something similar last year with my baby. the 8 weeks goes by sooooo fast!! i think maybe what they were talking about is the California Training Benefits (CTB) program?? its NOT connected to PFL at all but its for unemployment where you can get benefits while in training. but u have to actually be in an approved training program and you have to be unemployed first i think?? not sure if thats what they ment or not. good luck with those twins!!!

The EDD system is SUCH A NIGHTMARE to navigate!!!! I had a baby in January and spent WEEKS trying to figure out what benefits I was eligible for. There is NO six month extension for PFL - that person gave you completely wrong information. I literally spent hours on hold trying to get someone at EDD to explain everything to me. FMLA and CFRA protect your job for 12 weeks but that's UNPAID after your 8 weeks of PFL are used up. The only way to get more paid time is if your employer offers additional maternity benefits or short-term disability insurance. The state won't give you more than the 8 weeks for baby bonding. It's RIDICULOUS and completely inadequate especially with twins!!!

I work in HR and can confirm there's no "training extension program" that adds 6 months to PFL. Here's what exists: 1. California PFL: 8 weeks maximum for baby bonding 2. SDI: For pregnancy/childbirth recovery (usually 4 weeks before birth, 6-8 after) 3. CFRA/FMLA: 12 weeks job protection, unpaid 4. CTB: California Training Benefits - this is for unemployed individuals in approved training programs The only way to get 6 more months of benefits would be if: a) Your wife's employer has a generous private paid leave policy b) You purchased private disability insurance before pregnancy c) Your wife becomes eligible for unemployment (which requires job separation) AND qualifies for a training program I'd recommend having her speak directly with her HR department about any company-specific extended leave options.

Have you tried calling EDD directly? I had so many questions about my baby bonding benefits that weren't answered online, but when I finally got through to a rep, they were super helpful explaining my options. The wait times are brutal though - I think I was on hold for 2+ hours the first few times I tried. I actually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an EDD agent in about 10 mins instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 Definitely worth asking EDD directly about any extension programs - sometimes there are pilot programs or special circumstances they can tell you about that aren't widely advertised.

my coworker did something like this last year but it wasnt with paid family leave it was with unemployment i think??? she had to actually quit her job after her baby bonding leave ended and then she enrolled in some online class program and got benefits that way. not sure if thats what your thinking of but she said it was complicated to qualify for

We just had our second baby and I was told similar things about extensions but nothing panned out. The CA system is so stingy compared to other countries where they get a full year!! 8 weeks is NOTHING with a newborn. Honestly we ended up taking a loan from my parents to extend my time off by 2 months unpaid. Not ideal but we couldn't afford childcare for an infant AND toddler on one income. The whole system is messed up.

After reading through all the comments, it sounds like what the person at your wife's work was referring to is the California Training Benefits (CTB) program through unemployment insurance, NOT an extension of PFL. To clarify the process for that (which is NOT designed as a parental leave extension): 1. Your wife would need to separate from her employer after PFL ends 2. She would apply for regular Unemployment Insurance 3. She would need to enroll in an approved training program 4. She would apply for the CTB program specifically This is NOT a seamless extension of benefits and has different eligibility requirements and benefit calculations. It also requires job separation, which means losing employer health insurance and other benefits. I'd strongly suggest speaking with an EDD representative directly before making any decisions based on this information.

I'm a new parent myself and went through this same confusion a few months ago. The unfortunate reality is that there's no legitimate 6-month PFL extension program in California. The 8 weeks of paid family leave for baby bonding is the maximum the state provides. However, here are some actual options that might help your situation: 1. Check if your wife's employer offers any supplemental parental leave benefits beyond what the state provides 2. Look into whether she has any accrued vacation/sick time that could extend her paid time off 3. Ask HR about a gradual return-to-work schedule or temporary part-time arrangement 4. See if your employer offers dependent care assistance or flexible spending accounts for childcare costs The California Training Benefits program others mentioned is real, but it's not designed for this purpose and would require your wife to quit her job first - which could create bigger financial problems given the loss of health insurance and other benefits. I'd recommend calling EDD directly to confirm there aren't any pilot programs or special circumstances that apply to your situation, but don't get your hopes up for a 6-month extension. Focus on practical solutions with her current employer instead.