How long after SDI ends until first PFL baby bonding payment arrives?

it totally depends on if u did everything right. mine took foreeeever (like 3+ weeks) because i messed up some dates on my application. double check ur claim to make sure u didn't make any mistakes!

Oh no, that's not what I wanted to hear! I think I filled everything out correctly, but now I'm paranoid. Was there any way to know it was delayed because of a mistake, or did you just have to wait?

The transition from SDI to PFL should be relatively smooth if all your documentation is in order. Typically, you can expect the first payment within 7-10 business days after the claim is approved. If your claim is approved immediately, that's your timeline. However, if your claim requires additional review, it could take 2-3 weeks.\n\nMake sure you've completely filled out the DE2501FP form correctly and that your doctor properly completed their portion. The most common delay is when the last day of SDI doesn't properly connect with the first day of PFL (there should be no gaps or overlaps).

This isn't accurate in my experience. My SDI to PFL transition was PERFECT with no gaps and all documentation correct, and it STILL took over 3 weeks to get paid. EDD is just overwhelmed and slow. Don't count on that 7-10 day timeline!!!

When I transitioned from pregnancy disability to baby bonding last month, it took exactly 12 calendar days from submission to payment. Keep in mind that the first payment might include multiple weeks if your claim has been processing for a while, so it could be larger than subsequent payments.\n\nOne tip: make sure you've registered for the EDD debit card in advance if this is your first time on any EDD program. Even after your claim is approved, it can take 7-10 business days to receive the physical card in the mail if you don't already have one from your SDI claim.

Thank you for the specific timeline! That's really helpful. I already have the EDD card from my SDI payments, so at least I don't have to worry about that part. I'm hoping mine will be processed quickly like yours was.

my cousin had her baby in January and she said the whole process was a nightmare!!! she waited like a month for her first payment after submitting PFL. and then they paid her the wrong amount and she had to call them like 50 times to fix it. good luck getting through to anyone at EDD though lol

This is why I tell EVERYONE to use Claimyr when dealing with EDD. I was in the same situation last month - my claim was stuck

Thank you for this suggestion! I hadn't heard of Claimyr before. After trying to call EDD all morning and getting nowhere, I'm definitely going to check this out. At this point, I just need to talk to someone who can tell me what's going on with my claim.

Is anyone else confused by the whole SDI vs PFL thing? I thought they were the same program but I keep hearing they're different? I'm only 5 months pregnant but trying to understand how all this works for when my time comes...

They're different programs but both administered by EDD. SDI (State Disability Insurance) covers your pregnancy disability leave - typically up to 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after birth depending on delivery type. PFL (Paid Family Leave) is for bonding with your new child and provides up to 8 weeks of partial wage replacement. You transition from one to the other after your doctor certifies you've recovered from childbirth. Both use the same payment system and EDD debit card, but require separate applications.

To add to my earlier comment, it's important to know that PFL payments are issued bi-weekly after the first payment. So after your initial payment (which covers the waiting period plus any additional time), you'll receive payments every two weeks as long as you certify correctly.\n\nAlso, unlike SDI which has a 7-day waiting period, PFL doesn't have a waiting period in 2025. You should be paid for all eligible days starting from your first day of baby bonding leave. If you see any mention of a waiting period on older forum posts, that policy changed effective January 1, 2025.

wait there's no waiting period anymore?? that's awesome! one less week of unpaid stress!

Have you checked your online EDD account to see if there's any status update on your claim? Sometimes they'll show if there are any issues that need to be resolved or additional documentation required. Also, make sure your claim start date for PFL is exactly one day after your SDI end date - any gap or overlap can cause delays.

I've been obsessively checking my online account! It just shows \

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I had to file THREE TIMES before they processed my claim correctly last year. They kept saying there was a \

omg thats terrible! i didn't even know u could get help from assembly people. good to know if things get really bad

Just wanted to follow up - how is your claim going? Have you received any updates or payments yet?

Yes! Thank you for checking back. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and got through to EDD yesterday. Turns out there was a small discrepancy between when my doctor said my disability ended and when I started my PFL claim (off by one day). The representative fixed it while I was on the phone, and my online account updated this morning showing the claim is now approved! They said I should see payment within 24-48 hours. What a relief!