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EDD PFL gap between two employers - need to file new claim with remaining benefits?

I'm currently on Paid Family Leave from my part-time retail job (ends Oct 24, 2025) and planning to start baby bonding from my full-time office job on Nov 1st. There's about a week gap between the two. My EDD account shows I still have available benefits in my claim balance, but I'm confused if I need to file a completely new PFL claim for the second employer or if I can somehow continue using my existing claim? The EDD website isn't clear about having two different employers for the same baby. Anyone dealt with this situation before? Really stressed about potentially losing benefits during that gap week!

Charlee Coleman

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You DO need to file a new claim for the second employer even though it's for the same qualifying event (your baby). Each employer has a separate wage base that your benefits are calculated from. Your "available balance" only applies to the first employer's claim. Make sure you submit the new DE2508F at least a week before your start date for the second claim to avoid payment delays.

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Sara Hellquiem

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Thanks for this! So I'll definitely lose that week between claims? I was hoping since it's the same baby, I could somehow combine them or extend the first claim to cover the gap.

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Liv Park

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i think ur overthinking this just call edd and ask them directly lol thats what i did when i had questions about my maternity stuff

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Sara Hellquiem

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I've been trying to call for 3 days straight. Keep getting the 'call volume too high' message and they hang up on me :

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Let me clarify something important here - PFL claims are specifically tied to the employer you were paying SDI taxes through. What you're describing is actually quite common with people who work multiple jobs. The "available benefits" showing in your account are calculated based on wages from your first employer only. You absolutely need to file a separate DE2508F (Claim for Paid Family Leave Benefits) for your second employer. But here's the good news - your 8-week entitlement is separate for each employer, so you aren't actually losing anything during that gap week. You'll get full benefits from both claims based on respective wages. I recommend submitting your second claim at least 10 days (not just a week) before you want benefits to begin. Mark your calendar to submit by October 22nd at the latest.

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Sara Hellquiem

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Oh that makes so much more sense! So even though I'm caring for the same baby, I actually get separate benefit calculations and timeframes for each employer? That's honestly better than I thought. I'll definitely submit that second claim by Oct 22nd. Thank you!!

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Ryder Greene

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I had something similar happen when I took leave from my teaching job and my weekend tutoring job last year. The claims are completely separate! It's actually kind of nice because you might end up with more total benefit weeks than if you only had one job. Just make sure you're super clear about the dates on each form so they don't think you're double-dipping for the same days.

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Carmella Fromis

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This is wrong information!!! You don't get extra weeks - the 8 week maximum is PER CHILD not per employer! You can have separate claims but the total combined time can't exceed 8 weeks unless you have twins or qualifying medical extensions. Please don't spread misinformation that could get someone in trouble with EDD.

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Just to clarify - both of you are partially correct. The 8-week maximum is indeed per qualifying event (per child), but with multiple employers, the benefits are calculated separately. You don't get extra weeks beyond the 8 total, but you can receive benefits calculated from multiple wage bases simultaneously, or distribute your 8 weeks differently between employers.

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Theodore Nelson

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When I tried to do this last year with my 2 jobs, the EDD system was such a NIGHTMARE! I filed everything correctly according to their website but then got flagged for "concurrent claims" and had to spend HOURS getting it sorted out. They froze both my claims for 3 weeks while "investigating" even though I did everything right!!!! Just be prepared for them to mess something up because their system is not designed well for people with multiple employers taking leave for the same child. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and keep copies of all forms!

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Sara Hellquiem

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Oh no, that sounds horrible! I'm already stressed about this gap week. Did you eventually get everything sorted out and receive all your benefits?

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Theodore Nelson

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Yes but only after I finally got through to a supervisor who actually understood their own rules! The regular agents kept giving me contradictory information. The key was proving the claims were for different employers with different wage bases. Make sure you clearly write "SECOND EMPLOYER - SEPARATE CLAIM" somewhere visible on your second application.

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AaliyahAli

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I've been trying to reach EDD for days about a similar issue with multiple employers and couldn't get through until I tried Claimyr. It connects you directly to an EDD agent without the wait. I was skeptical but it worked - had my questions answered in 20 minutes when I'd been trying for a week on my own. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92Wm?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 and the site is claimyr.com if you're interested. Totally worth it for time-sensitive issues like yours.

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Sara Hellquiem

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Thank you! I hadn't heard of this service before. At this point I'm desperate enough to try anything to get answers before my first claim ends.

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Carmella Fromis

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Does this actually work? I've been trying to reach someone at EDD for over 2 weeks about my disability to PFL transition.

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AaliyahAli

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Yes, it definitely works. It saved me so much frustration compared to repeatedly calling and getting disconnected. The key is that it keeps dialing until it gets through, then connects you directly to the next available agent.

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Just one more important piece of advice since you mentioned a gap week - you should still claim that week on your second employer's application. When you complete your DE2508F for the full-time job, list your first day of leave as October 25th (the day after your first claim ends), NOT November 1st. This ensures continuous coverage. Even though you might not physically be taking time off work until November 1st from that employer, you're still bonding with your baby during that gap week, which is what matters for PFL eligibility. The EDD reviews the qualifying event (birth of your child), not your work schedule. This is especially important for multiple employer situations.

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Sara Hellquiem

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Oh! That's amazing advice I wouldn't have thought of. So I can actually claim PFL from my full-time job starting right after my part-time PFL ends, even though I wasn't planning to take time off until November 1st? That would solve my gap week problem entirely!

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Exactly! As long as you're actually bonding with your baby during that time, you're eligible for PFL benefits. The important thing is that you're not receiving benefits from both employers for the same dates (that would be double-dipping). But shifting from one employer's claim to another is perfectly legitimate since you're still engaged in the qualifying activity - bonding with your child.

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Liv Park

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are u still getting paid by the full time job during that week before nov 1? cuz u cant get pfl and regular pay at same time that would be fraud lol

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Sara Hellquiem

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No, I'd be taking unpaid time off from the full-time job during that gap week if I file as suggested above. Definitely don't want to commit fraud! Just trying to avoid a week with no income at all.

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Charlee Coleman

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To summarize what you need to do: 1. File a new DE2508F for your second employer (full-time job) 2. List the start date as October 25th (day after first claim ends) 3. Submit this form by October 15th to allow processing time 4. Make sure your second employer is aware of your leave dates 5. If possible, get written confirmation from your second employer about the leave dates The EDD system can handle multiple employer claims for the same qualifying event as long as the dates don't overlap for the same employer. Keep careful records of all communications with EDD about this situation.

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Sara Hellquiem

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This is incredibly helpful! I've marked October 15th on my calendar to submit the second form. I'll also email my HR department today to give them a heads up about my updated leave dates. Thank you all so much for the guidance!

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