Switching from Pregnancy Disability to PFL baby bonding - payment gap?

You definitely need to file a new claim for PFL baby bonding. You should apply right away - you can actually submit your PFL claim up to 41 days before you want benefits to start, so you're cutting it close. There shouldn't be a waiting period when transitioning from pregnancy disability to PFL as long as you file correctly. Make sure you use form DE2508 specifically for PFL claims, not the disability form. The system should recognize you're transitioning from pregnancy disability.

I went thru this last october. theres no waiting period between SDI and PFL BUT u need to make sure u file at least a week b4 ur SDI ends or youll have a gap in payments. my doctor actually ended my disability a week earlier than expected n i had to wait 2.5 wks for my 1st PFL payment bc i didnt file soon enough. so frustrating!!!

When you file for PFL baby bonding, you need to specify the exact date you want benefits to begin - which should be the day after your pregnancy disability ends. There's no automatic waiting period required between SDI and PFL, but processing times can create a payment gap. Most PFL claims are processed within 7-14 days if there are no issues with your application. Make sure you have your child's birth certificate or other proof of birth ready to upload - that's often what slows things down. If your disability is ending next week, file the PFL claim immediately so they have time to process it.

I had to call EDD THREE TIMES to get my baby bonding benefits started after my disability! The online system kept giving me an error saying I already had an active claim (which was my ending disability claim). The rep finally told me that sometimes the system has a glitch with transitions. Have you tried applying online yet?

I went through this transition last month. If you're having trouble reaching EDD (which is likely!), try using Claimyr. It's a service that gets you through to an EDD agent without the hours of waiting on hold. I was skeptical but used it to fix my transition issue from disability to baby bonding. They got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. Seriously saved me so much stress when I was dealing with a similar transition problem.

To answer your question about timing: if you file your PFL claim properly before your disability ends, payments should continue with minimal interruption. However, if there's any delay in filing or if there are issues with your application, you might experience a 1-2 week gap. The good news is that even if there's a delay in processing, your benefits will be retroactive to the day after your disability ended (as long as you specify that date on your application). So you may get a larger lump sum payment if there's a processing delay.

Im in the middle of EXACT same transition right now!! Filed my PFL claim 3 days before my disability ended, got approved 4 days later, and first payment showed up 2 days after that. So only had like a 6 day gap betwen payments. Just make sure all your info matches exactly whats on your disability claim (esp SSN and name spelling). The EDD system is picky about that stuff.

One thing I forgot to mention - when you file for PFL baby bonding, make sure you check the transition box (if there is one) indicating you're coming from a pregnancy disability claim. This helps them connect the two claims in their system. Also, your weekly benefit amount should be exactly the same as what you were receiving on disability, so if you see a different amount when approved, that's a red flag that something went wrong in the processing.

Update: I just submitted my PFL claim online and it was pretty straightforward! I specified that I'm transitioning from disability and set the start date as the day after my disability ends. The system accepted my application and gave me a confirmation number. Now I'm just hoping the processing goes smoothly. Thanks everyone for your help! I'll update again once I either get approved or run into issues.

Has anyone else noticed that EDD's online account messaging system NEVER gets responses? I sent like 6 messages about my transition from disability to PFL and didn't get a single reply. Had to call in the end. Their system is so frustrating for new moms who are already sleep deprived and stressed!

Final update: My PFL claim was approved! It took 9 days from submission to approval, and the payment hit my account 2 days later. So I had about an 11-day gap between my last disability payment and first PFL payment. Tight financially but manageable. For anyone else going through this transition, definitely file ASAP before your disability ends! And yes, my weekly benefit amount is exactly the same as it was on disability, so that's a good verification point. Thanks again everyone for your help!

Congrats on getting through the transition successfully! Your timeline is really helpful for others going through this. 11 days isn't too bad considering some of the horror stories you hear about EDD processing times. I'm currently pregnant with my first and will need to do this same transition in a few months, so I'm bookmarking this entire thread for reference. It's such a relief to see that when you file properly and early, the system actually works reasonably well. Thanks for sharing your experience and keeping us updated!