Filing baby bonding PFL forms ahead of time - can we submit before leave starts?

u need the DE2508 form for PFL baby bonding even if it's ur second time taking it. i did the same thing, took 2 wks when baby born then took rest later. same form tho

You'll both need to complete the DE2508 form again for your remaining baby bonding time. Each claim is treated separately even though it's for the same child. Regarding timing - you can file the claim up to 41 days BEFORE your leave starts. This is actually recommended! According to EDD guidelines, you should apply no more than 41 days before your first day of leave, but definitely before your leave begins to avoid payment delays. Make sure you each have your own copy of the baby's birth certificate and your employer information ready. If you file online through SDI Online it's much faster than paper forms.

To answer your questions: 1. Yes, you'll each need to complete a new DE2508 form, even though you already took some baby bonding time. Each segment of PFL requires a separate claim application. 2. Unfortunately, you CANNOT file for PFL baby bonding before your leave starts. This is different from disability claims. For PFL baby bonding, you must file on or after your first day of leave. A few other important things to know: - You have 12 months from your child's birth to use all 8 weeks of PFL baby bonding - Make sure you specify the exact dates on your application - Your second claim may take longer to process than your first one did (2-3 weeks is common) - Both of you should note on your applications that this is a continuation of baby bonding from a previous claim Hope this helps!

when my husband and I did our baby bonding last year, we put down the exact same dates on our forms (thinking we could overlap) and EDD sent us this confusing letter saying we couldn't both bond with the baby at the exact same time?? Anyone else run into this? We had to redo everything and it was a nightmare with payments delayed for like 6 weeks

I literally just went through this exact situation last month! Took some time when baby was born, then went back to work, then took the rest. Here's what I learned: 1. Yes, it's the same DE2508 form 2. NO you cannot file early - I tried and my claim was denied 3. File literally the first day of your leave (set a calendar reminder!) 4. Processing took much longer for the second claim - about 12 business days vs 4 days for my first claim 5. Make sure your employer confirms your last day worked matches your PFL start date Also, when calling EDD with questions was impossible - busy signals for days! I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual human at EDD. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 that shows how it works. Saved me hours of redial frustration when I needed to check why my claim was delayed.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I just called my HR department again and they confirmed we need to wait until the actual first day of leave to submit the DE2508. I'm going to make sure both our employers have the correct last day worked to avoid any delays. I'm also going to prepare everything ahead of time so we can submit first thing on our respective start dates. I appreciate all the tips about noting it's a continuation of previous baby bonding time. Really glad I asked here because our HR person was definitely giving us incorrect information about filing early!

my cousin works for edd and she said they're super backed up processing claims right now because of new system updates in 2025, so definitely file exactly on your first day off to avoid more delays!! also make sure your employer reports your last day correctly or it can cause issues with your claim

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who recently went through this process! I took my baby bonding leave in two separate chunks last year (4 weeks initially, then 4 weeks later). A few things that helped me: - Keep copies of your original birth certificate handy - you'll need it again for the second application - Double-check that your employer codes your leave correctly in their system. My HR accidentally marked my second leave as "vacation" instead of PFL, which caused a delay - If you're doing direct deposit, make sure your bank info is still current in the EDD system before filing The waiting period between filing and first payment was definitely longer for my second claim (about 2.5 weeks vs 1 week for the first), so budget accordingly. But once payments started, they were consistent and on time. Good luck with your leave planning! It's so nice that you and your husband can coordinate to maximize your time with your little one.

Just went through this exact situation 3 months ago! You definitely need the DE2508 form for each new claim period, even though it's the same child. And unfortunately you cannot file early for PFL baby bonding - learned this the hard way when my application got rejected for filing 3 weeks before my leave started. One thing I'd recommend is calling your payroll department (not just HR) to confirm they understand the exact dates and that this is PFL, not regular vacation time. My payroll coded my leave wrong initially which caused a 2-week delay in processing. Also, keep detailed records of everything - dates, confirmation numbers, phone calls. With the new EDD system changes this year, having documentation saved me when my claim seemed to disappear from their system temporarily. The good news is once you get through the initial processing delay, the payments are reliable. My second claim took about 2 weeks to process vs 5 days for my first one, so just plan for that longer timeline financially.

I just went through this same situation a few months ago with my twins! Here's what I learned that might help: 1. Yes, you'll need to file separate DE2508 forms again - treat it like a completely new claim even though it's for the same baby. 2. You CANNOT file early for PFL baby bonding (unlike disability claims). I made this mistake and had to resubmit everything. File on your exact first day of leave - set phone reminders! 3. Make sure both you and your husband coordinate with your respective HR/payroll departments about the exact transition date. When my husband's leave started the day after mine ended, there was initially some confusion about overlapping vs consecutive claims. 4. Processing times are definitely longer for second claims right now - mine took almost 3 weeks vs 5 days for my initial claim. Budget for this delay! 5. Pro tip: Take screenshots of your online submission confirmations and save all confirmation emails. EDD's system has been glitchy since their updates and having this documentation saved me when my claim temporarily "disappeared" from their system. The whole process is worth it though - enjoy your extended bonding time with your little one! 💕

As someone who just went through this exact process last month, I can confirm what others have said - you'll need new DE2508 forms and unfortunately cannot file early for PFL baby bonding (I tried and got rejected too!). One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to make sure you both check your EDD online accounts before filing to ensure all your personal information is still current. My address had changed since my first claim and I didn't realize it until my payment got delayed because the mail went to my old address. Also, when you file on your respective start dates, do it early in the morning if possible. The EDD online system tends to be slower/glitchier during peak hours. I filed mine at 6 AM on my first day and it went through smoothly. Your plan to have your husband start immediately after you sounds perfect - that's exactly what we did and it worked great for maximizing family time while ensuring income continuity. Just make sure you both communicate those exact dates to your employers clearly to avoid any payroll coding issues. Good luck with your bonding time! It's such a special period and worth all the paperwork hassle. 🍼