PFL baby bonding eligibility when child turns 12 months - will I get full 8 weeks?

You're fine to get the full 8 weeks as long as you START your PFL claim before your baby reaches 12 months. The important thing is when you initiate the claim, not when it ends. So if you file your DE2508 form when your baby is 11 months old, you'll receive the entire 8 weeks of benefits even though your baby will turn 1 during that period. I had a similar situation last year (though different medical issues) and received my full benefit period.

my cousin had this EXACT situation!!! she had to have multiple surgeries after her baby was born and didnt get to use her bonding leave until the baby was like 10.5 months... she got all 8 weeks nobody cut her off when the baby hit 12 months

The requirement is that your PFL claim must be initiated before your child turns 12 months old. Once approved, you will receive the full 8 weeks of benefits regardless of whether your child turns one year old during that time. From the EDD website: "You can claim Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits to bond with your new child within the first 12 months of their birth." The key phrase here is "within" the first 12 months, meaning you must start your claim in that window. Make sure you complete your DE2508 form correctly and note that you'll be transitioning from Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) to PFL. Since you're already in the EDD system, the transition should be relatively smooth, but I would recommend filing the PFL claim 1-2 weeks before your disability claim ends to avoid any gaps in payment.

I was in a similar situation last year and couldn't reach anyone at EDD to confirm this exact question. After dozens of calls and hanging on hold for HOURS, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. The rep confirmed that as long as you START your claim before the 12-month mark, you get the full 8 weeks. You can see how their service works in this video: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 - it was honestly worth it because waiting for regular EDD phone lines is impossible these days, especially with a baby at home!

Why not just call EDD and ask them directly? That's what I did when I had questions about my maternity leave. They actually have helpful people if you can get through.

The EDD system is COMPLETELY BROKEN right now! I've been fighting with them for 3 months about my transition from disability to PFL. They keep saying different things - one rep told me I had to START AND FINISH before 12 months, another said I just needed to START before 12 months. Nobody knows what they're talking about and they contradict each other constantly. I'd file your paperwork AT LEAST a month before your disability ends because everything is taking forever to process. Good luck dealing with this nightmare system!

Update: I finally got through to an EDD representative! They confirmed what most of you said - I only need to START my claim before my baby turns 12 months old to receive the full 8 weeks. Such a relief! The rep also suggested I submit my claim about 10 days before my disability ends to ensure a smoother transition. Thanks everyone for your help!

My baby was 10 months when I started PFL and I still got all 8 weeks. But make sure ur doctor fills out that final disability form correctly!!! Mine checked the wrong box and it delayed EVERYTHING. I had to get them to redo it and send it in again which took like 2 more weeks. So frustrating!!!

One final tip - when you file your DE2508 form for PFL baby bonding, be sure to clearly indicate in the comments section that you're transitioning from Pregnancy Disability Leave. This helps connect the claims in their system. Also, keep detailed records of all submission dates, confirmation numbers, and copies of every document you submit. This documentation will be invaluable if there are any issues with your claim.

I'm so glad you got confirmation from EDD! Just wanted to add that I went through something similar (medical complications after birth) and the bonding leave was absolutely worth fighting for. Those 8 weeks were so precious for recovery and connecting with my baby after everything we'd been through. Make sure to take care of yourself during this time - you've been through a lot! And don't hesitate to reach out if you run into any snags with the paperwork process. This community has been super helpful for navigating all the EDD chaos.

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! My baby is 9 months old and I'm finally transitioning off disability next month after complications from a C-section that got infected. Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring - I was really worried I'd miss out on bonding leave entirely. It's crazy how the EDD website doesn't make this clearer! For anyone else in this boat, I found it helpful to call my case worker directly (the number is on your disability paperwork) rather than the main EDD line. She was able to walk me through the transition process and confirmed the 12-month rule too. Hang in there mama - we've got this! 💪