Employer 'topping off' EDD benefits - will this mess up my PFL claim after disability?

You should be fine! My company does something similar. The key is that these are *supplemental disability benefits* from your employer, NOT wages. When you certify for PFL, there's a question about whether you received other benefits - that's where you report these payments. But they don't count as wages so they won't reduce your state benefit. About the full paycheck mistake - call your HR department ASAP and ask them to fix it in their system. They need to code it properly as paid leave rather than regular wages. This is important for their records and in case EDD ever audits your claim.

I work in HR and handle leaves regularly. Your employer should be issuing these supplemental payments as "paid family leave" or "supplemental disability pay" - NOT as regular wages. It's important that your paystubs reflect this correctly. The key thing EDD cares about is whether you're WORKING while collecting benefits. You're not working, you're on protected leave and receiving supplemental pay that your employer offers as a benefit. For the accidental full paycheck, have your HR department correct this immediately and reissue the corrected paystub. They should mark it as supplemental disability pay rather than regular wages. Keep records of all communications about this correction.

OMG I had this EXACT situation last yr with my company!!! They paid me my full salary for like 3 weeks b4 realizing I was on SDI. They fixed it by calling it "paid family leave supplemental" on my next paystubs. EDD never even questioned it! BTW when u transition from disability to PFL make sure u file the PFL claim BEFORE ur disability ends!!! Dont wait til the last minute or there will be a gap. I know ur stressed but youll be ok!!!

I don't think ur situation is as simple as others are making it sound. I got MAJORLY screwed by EDD last year during my leave. They said I was working while collecting benefits and sent me an overpayment notice for $4800!!!! Took months to fix and I had to send in tons of paperwork proving I wasn't actually working. Your employer should NOT be sending you regular paychecks during leave. Period. Get this fixed NOW and get something in writing from HR explaining the mistake.

I've gone through this process twice now with my employer's supplemental pay policy. Here's what you need to know: 1. For correct reporting on your PFL certification, these payments should be reported as "other benefits" not as wages 2. Make sure payroll codes these correctly - should be something like "LOA supplemental pay" not regular wages 3. For the accidental full paycheck, have HR send you an email confirming this was a mistake and they've recoded it properly 4. When you transition from SDI to PFL, apply for PFL about 5-7 days before your SDI ends 5. Keep records of EVERYTHING - screenshots of your online claim status, copies of all communications with HR, and your paystubs One last thing - trying to reach EDD directly is nearly impossible these days. I spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent. They have a service that basically waits on hold for you and calls when an agent is available. Saved me so much stress! They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5

Sorry but now im confused about something else... does the company suplementary pay effect the amount of taxes you pay on PFL benefits? My HR dept told me that we have to pay taxes on the state portion of the benefits at the end of the year and im already stressed about a surprise tax bill... does anyone know if thats true?

Update: I spoke with my HR department this morning. They're going to recode the accidental full paycheck as 'supplemental disability pay' and send me documentation confirming this was an administrative error. They also explained that all future top-off payments during my leave will be coded as supplemental disability/PFL pay, not regular wages. I'm still concerned about the transition from SDI to PFL though. My disability claim ends in about 10 days, and I'm planning to file for PFL this weekend. Does that timing sound right? And should I mention the payroll issue when I file for PFL?

I went through this exact situation 8 months ago! My employer also tops off benefits to 100% salary, and I was terrified about messing up my claims. Here's what I learned: The supplemental pay from your employer is totally fine as long as it's coded correctly on your paystubs. When you certify for PFL benefits, there's a question that asks something like "Did you receive any other benefits or payments?" - that's where you report the employer supplemental pay amount. But since it's NOT wages for work performed, it won't reduce your state benefits. For your transition timing, definitely file your PFL claim this weekend if your SDI ends in 10 days. I filed mine about a week before my disability ended and had zero gap in benefits. The system is pretty smooth about transitioning from one claim to the other. One tip that really helped me: when you file for PFL, take screenshots of every page of your application and save confirmation emails. EDD's system can be glitchy and it's good to have records of what you submitted and when. Also, don't stress too much about the payroll error - you've handled it perfectly by getting HR to fix the coding and document it. EDD deals with employer mistakes all the time. The important thing is that it's corrected in their system now. You're doing everything right! The whole process is nerve-wracking but you'll get through it fine.

I'm going through something similar right now! My employer also has a policy to supplement state benefits up to 100% salary during leave. I'm currently in my second trimester and trying to understand all of this before I go out on maternity leave. From what I've researched and what my HR department told me, the key is making sure these payments are properly classified. They should show up on your paystub as something like "supplemental disability benefits" or "leave supplement" - NOT as regular wages or salary. One thing I learned that might help you - when you transition from SDI to PFL, make sure your employer knows about the change so they can adjust their supplemental payments accordingly. My HR said they need to know when I switch from disability benefits to bonding benefits so they can continue the top-off payments without interruption. It sounds like you're handling everything correctly by getting HR to fix that payroll mistake and document it properly. I think the most important thing is having a clear paper trail showing these are supplemental benefits, not wages for work performed. Good luck with your PFL application! It's so stressful navigating all of this while caring for a new baby, but it sounds like you're on the right track.

I'm dealing with a similar employer top-off situation and just wanted to share what I learned from my experience last year. The most important thing is documentation - make sure you keep copies of everything showing these are supplemental benefits, not wages. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking all payments: date, amount from EDD, amount from employer, and how it was coded on my paystub. This made it super easy when I had questions later and helped me stay organized during certification. Also, regarding the timing for your PFL application - filing this weekend sounds perfect if your SDI ends in 10 days. I'd recommend applying early in the week if possible (like Monday) rather than over the weekend, just because if there are any technical issues with the website, it's easier to get help during business hours. Your HR sounds like they're handling the payroll correction properly. Make sure you get that documentation in writing (email is fine) showing they recoded the accidental full paycheck. That paper trail will be invaluable if any questions come up later. You're doing everything right - try not to stress too much about it! The system is designed to handle these types of employer supplemental benefits, and it sounds like you've taken all the right steps to ensure everything is properly documented.

I'm currently going through this exact same situation! My employer also provides supplemental pay to bring benefits up to 100% salary, and I was terrified about how to handle it properly. What really helped me was calling my HR department proactively to understand how they code these payments. They explained that as long as the payments are coded as "supplemental disability benefits" or "leave pay supplement" on your paystubs (not regular wages), you should be fine. The key distinction is that you're not working - you're receiving additional benefits while on protected leave. For the PFL certification, when it asks about "other benefits received," you'll report the supplemental amount from your employer. But since it's not wages for work performed, it won't reduce your state benefits. I was worried about this too, but it's been working smoothly for me. Your timing for filing PFL sounds perfect - about a week before SDI ends is ideal. One tip that saved me stress: when you file, make sure to have your baby's birth certificate ready (you'll need the certificate number and date of birth info), and take screenshots of every page during the application process. EDD's system can be glitchy. The accidental full paycheck situation is more common than you'd think! As long as HR fixes the coding and documents it properly, you should be okay. The important thing is that it gets corrected in their payroll system so it shows as supplemental leave pay rather than regular wages. You're handling this really well - the fact that you're being proactive about understanding the process shows you'll get through it fine!

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! My employer also has a supplemental pay policy, and I was panicking about whether it would mess up my benefits. Here's what I learned: The good news is that employer supplemental pay is totally fine as long as it's properly coded. When you certify for PFL, you'll report these payments under "other benefits received" - but since they're not wages for actual work, they won't reduce your state benefits at all. For your timing concern about transitioning from SDI to PFL, filing this weekend (or early next week) sounds perfect if your disability ends in 10 days. I filed about 6 days before my SDI ended and had zero gap in benefits. Regarding that accidental full paycheck - you're handling it exactly right by having HR recode it and document the error. I actually had a similar issue where payroll initially coded my supplemental payments wrong, but once they fixed it and sent me confirmation, EDD never questioned it. One thing that really helped reduce my stress was keeping a simple log of all payments - date, EDD amount, employer supplement amount, and how it appeared on my paystub. Made certification much easier and gave me peace of mind that everything was documented. You're being super proactive about this, which is exactly the right approach. The system is designed to handle employer supplemental benefits during leave, so try not to worry too much. You've got this!

I'm so glad you asked about this! I went through the exact same situation about 6 months ago and was terrified I'd mess something up. Your employer's supplemental pay is completely fine and won't interfere with your PFL benefits at all. The key things that worked for me: 1. Make sure HR codes all supplemental payments as "disability supplement" or "leave pay supplement" - NOT regular wages 2. When you certify for PFL, you'll report these under "other benefits" but they won't reduce your state payments since you're not actually working 3. Keep detailed records of everything - I wish I'd started a spreadsheet from day one! For the accidental full paycheck, you're handling it perfectly by having HR fix the coding and document it. I had a similar payroll error and once they corrected it with proper documentation, EDD never questioned anything. Your timing for filing PFL sounds ideal - I applied about a week before my SDI ended and had seamless transition with no gap in benefits. Just make sure you have your baby's birth certificate info ready when you apply! Don't stress too much about this - the system handles employer supplemental benefits all the time. You're being super proactive which is exactly right. You've got this mama! 💪

I'm currently preparing for maternity leave and my employer has a similar supplemental pay policy, so this thread has been incredibly helpful! Reading through everyone's experiences is giving me so much confidence about how to handle this properly. From what I'm gathering, the main things to focus on are: 1) making sure employer payments are coded correctly as supplemental benefits (not wages), 2) keeping detailed records of all payments, and 3) applying for PFL about a week before SDI ends. @StarStrider - it sounds like you're handling everything perfectly! The fact that you caught the payroll error early and are getting HR to fix it with proper documentation shows you're on top of things. One question for those who've been through this - when you create that tracking spreadsheet everyone mentions, do you also include dates when you certified and any communication with EDD/HR? I'm trying to figure out what level of detail would be most helpful to track from the beginning. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's impossible to find anywhere else! 🙏

I'm currently navigating a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! My employer also provides supplemental pay to bring state benefits up to 100% of salary, and I was worried about potential complications. What I've learned from my HR department is that the key is proper coding on paystubs - these payments need to show up as "supplemental disability benefits" or similar, NOT as regular wages. When you certify for PFL, you'll report them as "other benefits received" but they won't reduce your state payments since you're not actually working. @StarStrider - you're handling this perfectly! Getting HR to fix that accidental paycheck coding and document the error is exactly the right move. I had a similar payroll mix-up early on and once they corrected it with proper documentation, there were no issues. Your timing for filing PFL sounds spot-on too. Most people here seem to recommend applying about a week before SDI ends, which aligns with your weekend/Monday plan. One tip that's helped me stay organized: I started tracking everything in a simple spreadsheet - dates, EDD amounts, employer supplement amounts, how they're coded on paystubs, and any relevant communications. It's been a lifesaver for keeping everything straight and will make certification much easier. Don't stress too much - the system is designed to handle employer supplemental benefits during leave. You're being proactive about documentation which puts you in a great position. You've got this! 💪