Laid off at 7 months pregnant - Can she still get EDD PFL benefits?

She can absolutely still get benefits! In CA, she can file for regular UI (unemployment) first, then transition to Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) through the EDD Disability Insurance program when her doctor certifies she can't work (typically 4 weeks before due date), and then to Paid Family Leave (PFL) for baby bonding after birth. The base period for calculating benefits might actually work in her favor if she's been employed full-time until now. Have her doctor complete the DE2501 form for disability as soon as medically necessary. After birth, she'll file for PFL using the DE2508 form. The key thing is making sure her doctor documents everything properly.

The same EXACT thing happened to me last year!!! I was 6 months along and my company did a massive layoff. It was STRESSFUL but actually worked out ok? First, tell her to apply for unemployment ASAP. She'll collect that until her doctor puts her on disability (I went on at 36 weeks). Then after birth she can get the 8 weeks baby bonding through PFL. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is making sure she doesn't miss any deadlines and keeps certifying for benefits consistently. Transitioning between programs is where things get tricky. You don't want a gap in payments.

She needs to be VERY careful with those program transitions. When moving from UI to Pregnancy Disability, she MUST stop certifying for UI the day before disability starts. If there's any overlap, EDD will flag it as fraud and she'll have a nightmare fixing it. Also important - her benefit amounts will be calculated based on her highest-earning quarter in the base period (roughly 5-17 months before filing). Since she was working until now, that's good news. She'll likely get roughly 60-70% of her regular weekly pay. One more tip: when she's ready to transition from disability to PFL, she should apply for PFL about a week before her disability ends to avoid payment gaps.

i got laid off at 8 months it suuuucked but i still got all my bennies just fine. the annoying part was calling EDD constantly cause they kept messing up my claim transitions. took like 20 calls to fix everything but i got paid eventually

This happned to me too!!!! But I didn't know I could get unemploymnet first and missed out on like 6 weeks of money :( :( :( Make sure she applies for EVERYTHING she can get!!! UI first, then SDI for pregnanct disability, then the PFL for baby bonding. Alwyas be applyin for the next thing before the current one runs out!!! Also she's gonna need COBRA for health insurence which is super expenssive but better than nothing with a baby coming!!!

I'm really sorry about your daughter-in-law's situation. Just to add one important clarification that others haven't mentioned: If she gets laid off, she can start collecting UI immediately - she doesn't have to wait until her planned maternity leave date. She just needs to be able to certify that she's able to work and looking for work while collecting UI. Then, when her doctor puts her on pregnancy disability (usually 4 weeks before due date, but could be earlier if there are complications), she'll STOP certifying for UI and switch to SDI. After delivery and recovery, she'll transition to PFL for baby bonding. The system is designed to prevent gaps in coverage between these programs, but the transitions require careful timing and proper documentation.

WAIT!!! Is she sure the company doesn't have to provide maternity leave anyway? If they have 5+ employees, California employers MUST provide pregnancy disability leave even if they're closing down. How big is the company? She might actually be entitled to job-protected leave despite the closure, which could affect her benefits. Also, make sure she applies for medical support through Covered California if COBRA is too expensive. With her being pregnant, she might qualify for subsidies or Medi-Cal depending on household income after job loss.

Following up on my earlier comment - I want to emphasize that your daughter-in-law should apply for UI *immediately* after her last day of work. Don't wait. Also, regarding her benefit amounts: - UI will be roughly 60-70% of her weekly wage up to the state maximum - SDI (pregnancy disability) is calculated the same way - PFL (baby bonding) matches the SDI amount The base period for all these calculations will likely include the well-paid quarters from her current job, which works in her favor. Lastly, make sure she understands that although she won't have job protection (since the company is closing), she's still entitled to these state benefits regardless of her employment status.

There's a one-week unpaid waiting period for UI. For the transitions between programs, nothing is automatic - she must actively apply for each program. Here's the timeline I recommend: 1. Last day of work: Apply for UI immediately 2. Week 1: Unpaid waiting week 3. Weeks 2-7+: Collect UI while looking for work 4. 4 weeks before due date: Have doctor complete DE2501 for disability 5. Submit disability claim (SDI) and STOP certifying for UI 6. Collect SDI for 4 weeks before birth + 6-8 weeks after (depending on delivery type) 7. 1-2 weeks before disability ends: Apply for PFL using DE2508 8. Collect PFL for 8 weeks of baby bonding The most common mistake is waiting too long between steps 6 and 7, which creates a gap in benefits.

Just to add one more consideration: if your daughter-in-law receives any severance pay, this may affect her UI benefits. Severance is typically considered income during the weeks it covers, which can reduce or eliminate UI benefits for those weeks. Regarding health insurance: If COBRA is too expensive, as you mentioned, she should immediately check her eligibility for Covered California. Loss of employer coverage is a qualifying life event that allows mid-year enrollment. With her being pregnant and soon without income, she may qualify for significant subsidies or even Medi-Cal coverage. Finally, document EVERYTHING during this process - save all confirmation numbers, take screenshots of submitted forms, and note the names of any EDD representatives she speaks with.