EDD PFL for caring for sick child - qualification requirements?

Yes, you absolutely can apply for Paid Family Leave to care for your seriously ill child! This is exactly what PFL caregiving benefits are designed for. You'll need to submit a DE2508 form and have your daughter's doctor complete the medical certification portion confirming she requires your care. You can get up to 8 weeks of partial wage replacement (60-70% of your salary depending on income). The process is similar to disability but uses different forms.

sry about ur daughter! my son broke his leg last yr and i got pfl for taking care of him. took like 10 days to get first payment. u need the hospital paperwork and dr note saying she needs ur care. good luck!

Apply ASAP! The medical provider portion takes the longest - make sure her doctor knows you need the form completed quickly. Also important: PFL has a 7-day unpaid waiting period, and you can use sick leave or vacation during that time if available. The benefit is calculated based on your highest-earning quarter in the past 18 months. I'm a benefits coordinator and help employees with this regularly.

I filed for PFL when my mother was sick last year and it was NIGHTMARE getting through to EDD with questions. Kept calling for DAYS and either got disconnected or was on hold forever. Had a question about the medical certification that wasn't clear on the form. Nearly gave up but finally got through after trying at exactly 8:01am one morning. Just warning you their phone system is terrible.

Make sure you understand the difference between FMLA and PFL! FMLA is job protection (unpaid) and PFL is wage replacement (paid). You probably need BOTH for your situation, so fill out the HR forms too. FMLA protects your job while you're out caring for your daughter, and PFL gives you income during that time. They run concurrently but are completely separate programs.

You'll need similar medical documentation for both, but on different forms. For PFL, make sure your daughter's doctor completes the medical certification portion of the DE2508 form thoroughly - they need to explicitly state that she requires your care. For FMLA, your employer should provide their specific medical certification form. Many doctors are familiar with both processes and can complete them simultaneously if you explain the situation.

does ur work have any paid sick leave u can use too? i used 1 week sick leave then got pfl after that and it worked out good. also keep all hospital papers and dr notes even if u think u dont need them, edd sometimes asks for more proof later

For EDD PFL claims, electronic copies of medical documentation are acceptable as long as they're legible and complete. For your employer's FMLA requirements, check with HR - some companies still require original documents. The most important thing is submitting your PFL application as soon as possible. You can actually apply online through SDI Online (same system used for disability claims) rather than mailing paper forms, which speeds up the process considerably.

I hope your daughter recovers quickly! Just wanted to add that you should also check if your employer offers any supplemental benefits that could help bridge the gap between your full salary and the PFL benefit amount (which is typically 60-70% of wages). Some companies have short-term disability or family leave insurance that can top off the difference. Also, once you get the DE2508 form, you can partially complete your section before taking it to the doctor - this saves time and ensures you don't miss any required fields on your part.

I went through this exact situation when my teenage son had surgery last year. One thing that really helped was creating a timeline - write down when you first need to be out of work and your expected return date. This helps with both the PFL application and coordinating with your employer. Also, don't forget that PFL benefits are taxable income, so you might want to elect to have taxes withheld from your payments (there's a checkbox on the form). The last thing you need while caring for a sick child is a surprise tax bill next year. Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery!