Switching from maternity to baby bonding PFL - who provides the application forms?

The form you need is called DE2508 (Paid Family Leave Claim) and neither your doctor nor your employer provides it - you get it directly from EDD! You can either get it online at edd.ca.gov or call EDD to request they mail you one. Since you're transitioning from pregnancy disability to baby bonding, you just need to file this form within 41 days of when you want your baby bonding to start. So you actually have some time after your maternity leave ends. Don't stress about the deadline too much! For baby bonding, you don't need a doctor's certification (that was only for your pregnancy disability). You'll just need proof of relationship like the birth certificate.

When I had my baby last year they gave me all the forms at the hospital before I went home? Maybe check the package they sent you home with, it might be in there somewhere. Or maybe call the hospital and see if they have it?

You 100% need to file this yourself directly with EDD. Your employer is NOT responsible for giving you PFL forms or filing for you. It's actually illegal for them to fill out any part of your claim forms. Go to https://edd.ca.gov/en/Disability/How_to_File_a_PFL_Claim_in_SDI_Online/ and create an account if you don't already have one (though you should if you already filed disability for your pregnancy leave). The online application is MUCH faster than paper forms! You have 41 days from the FIRST DAY you want your baby bonding benefits to begin. So if your pregnancy disability ends January 15, 2025 and you want baby bonding to start January 16, you have until February 26, 2025 to file. But don't wait that long because benefits won't be paid until you actually file! Don't be surprised if your employer looks confused when you tell them you applied. Many small businesses have no idea how PFL works since they don't manage it - it's between you and the state.

omg this EXACT same thing happened to me with my first baby!!! my doctor kept saying ask work, work kept saying ask the doctor, and meanwhile i was stressing TF out because i needed the money!!! turns out you just file it yourself directly with EDD. sooooo annoying that nobody could just tell me that lol

You should call EDD directly to confirm your specific situation. Their regular phone lines are basically impossible to get through on, but I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 When I talked to the agent, they explained exactly how to transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding and confirmed which documents I needed. It's especially helpful because they can see your specific claim in the system and give personalized advice.

The DE2508 form is what you need for baby bonding PFL. Your employer is NOT responsible for this - it's 100% between you and the state. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's actually illegal for your employer to even fill out part of this form for you. And by the way, you actually DO still have time even after your maternity leave ends. You have 41 days from the date you want your baby bonding to start to file the claim. Don't miss that deadline though! One other thing - if you filed your pregnancy disability claim online through SDI Online, you should definitely file your PFL the same way. It's much faster than paper forms. You'll use the same account you created for your pregnancy claim.

So is baby bonding the same as paid family leave??? I'm so confused with all these different terms!

I just want to emphasize something important: baby bonding PFL and pregnancy disability leave are TWO COMPLETELY SEPARATE CLAIMS with EDD, even though they might feel connected to you. Here's the full process most new moms in California go through: 1. Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) - This is often called "maternity leave" but technically it's disability insurance for the medical recovery from childbirth. Usually 6-8 weeks depending on delivery type. You file form DE2501 for this. 2. Baby Bonding (PFL) - This is 8 weeks of paid time to bond with your new child. You file form DE2508 for this. They are completely separate claims with different forms, even though they're both handled by EDD. That's why there's often confusion about who provides what paperwork. The pregnancy disability required medical certification, but baby bonding just requires proof of relationship to the child. Hope this helps clarify why you're getting confused responses from your doctor and employer!

I went through this exact same confusion last year! The reason everyone's giving you blank stares is because most people don't realize that PFL is a STATE program, not something your employer manages. Here's what you need to do RIGHT NOW: 1. Go to edd.ca.gov and log into your SDI Online account (the same one you used for pregnancy disability) 2. Look for "File New Claim" and select Paid Family Leave 3. Choose "Care for Family Member" and then "Bond with New Child" 4. You'll need your baby's birth certificate and Social Security number The whole application takes maybe 15 minutes online. Don't waste time calling around to doctors and HR departments - they literally cannot help you with this because it's between you and the state. Also, you mentioned your leave "clock is ticking" - just to ease your mind, you actually have 41 days from when you want your bonding leave to START to file the claim. So if your disability ends on January 15th and you want bonding to start January 16th, you have until February 26th to file. But definitely don't wait that long because you won't get paid until you actually submit the claim! You've got this! 💪

Just wanted to chime in as someone who literally went through this transition last month! The confusion you're experiencing is SO normal - I think California could do a much better job explaining how these different leave types work together. Everyone here has given you great advice about the DE2508 form and filing online through SDI. One small tip I'll add: when you file your baby bonding claim, make sure to put the start date as the day AFTER your pregnancy disability ends. EDD doesn't like gaps or overlaps between claims, and if there's any confusion about dates, it can delay your payments. Also, once you file, expect to wait about 2-3 weeks for your first payment. I know money is probably tight during this time, so just plan accordingly! You're doing great navigating all this bureaucracy while caring for a newborn. It's honestly ridiculous that new parents have to figure out all these different forms and deadlines during what should be a peaceful bonding time. But you'll get through it! 💕