EDD PFL question: What happens if I select "claim maximum benefit weeks now"?

I just did PFL in January! So that question just means do you want to claim all your available weeks now. You DON'T get paid upfront - you still do bi-weekly certifications and get paid every 2 weeks. Selecting yes basically tells EDD you want to use all 8 weeks at once rather than splitting them up.

This is a common source of confusion. Selecting "yes" to claiming the maximum weeks simply means you're establishing your intent to use all 8 weeks of PFL for baby bonding consecutively. You won't receive payment upfront - California EDD processes payments after you submit certification forms every two weeks. If you select "no," you'd need to specify exactly how many weeks you're claiming now, which is useful if you're planning to split your leave (like taking 4 weeks now and saving 4 weeks for later within your 12-month eligibility period). For most people taking consecutive leave, selecting "yes" is simplest.

I went thru this last month and was super confused too lol! Basically: - Yes = "I want to take all 8 weeks right now in one stretch" - No = "I want to take some weeks now and maybe save some for later" You still get paid every 2 weeks either way after you do those annoying certifications. I picked YES since I was taking all 8 weeks at once. BTW make sure you remember to do those bi-weekly certifications!! EDD doesn't always send reminders and I almost missed one. You gotta log in and do them like clockwork or your payments get delayed.

EDD's forms are THE WORST with their confusing questions!! I swear they intentionally make them complicated. When I did my PFL last year, I stared at that question for 20 minutes before calling. Took me 3 DAYS to reach someone who could explain it. For anyone who can't get through on the phone, I eventually used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD agent in like 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 Totally worth it when you're sleep deprived with a newborn and need answers fast!

ok listen im gonna say something different from everyone else here. i put YES on mine and i still got screwed up by the system. they only approved 4 weeks initially and i had to call and argue with them to get the other 4 weeks. the rep told me sometimes the system splits it automatically depending on how busy they are even if u request all 8 weeks. just keep an eye on ur claim if u do request all 8 weeks.

I process these claims for a living, so let me clarify. When the form asks if you want to claim maximum benefit weeks now, it's asking if you want to establish your claim for the full 8 weeks of PFL for baby bonding (or 8 weeks for caregiving) in one continuous period. Selecting "yes" means: - You're requesting all available weeks at once - You'll still certify bi-weekly to receive payments - Payments are never provided in advance - Your claim will be set up for consecutive weeks Selecting "no" means: - You'll specify fewer weeks (such as 4 of your 8) - You can file another claim later for remaining weeks - Useful for parents splitting leave or taking intermittent bonding time Most claimants taking their full entitlement at once should select "yes." This doesn't affect payment timing, only the duration of your established claim period.

Did anyone else get confused between pregnancy disability and baby bonding?? I thought I was applying for maternity leave but apparently thats SDI not PFL?? This system is so damn complicated!! I'm due in 3 weeks and still trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be filing.

Just checking back in to say I selected "YES" to claim all 8 weeks, and my application was approved! Thanks everyone for your help. Just to confirm what everyone said - I'm still getting paid biweekly after submitting certifications, not all upfront (which makes way more sense now that I think about it). 😊