Transitioning from SDI to PFL baby bonding - how long until payments start?

congrats on the baby! when i did mine last year there was like a 10 day gap between the last SDI payment and first PFL check. the system is supposed to recognize ur transitioning but sometimes it doesnt work right

Thank you! Did you have to call them or did your payments just start automatically? I'm worried because we're cutting it really close financially right now.

When you transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding, there should be no additional waiting period. Your PFL payments should begin approximately 10-14 days after your application is processed. The online application is usually sufficient, but in my experience, it's worth checking your EDD account after 5-7 days to make sure it shows your PFL claim as

This happened to my sister last month and her claim got stuck in pending for 3 weeks because the system didn't properly connect her SDI and PFL claims even though she did everything right. The EDD systems don't always talk to each other perfectly.

The EDD system is SO FRUSTRATING when it comes to transitions!! When I switched from disability to baby bonding in January, my claim got stuck for over 3 WEEKS because the system didn't process my transition correctly. I kept checking online and it just said \

I had a similar experience but I found a solution that might help. After struggling to get through for days, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 \n\nThe agent was able to see that my transition hadn't been properly processed in the system and fixed it right away. My payment came through 2 days later. Much better than waiting for weeks hoping someone figures it out automatically.

Wait - so some of you are saying I should definitely call? But others are saying it should happen automatically? I'm confused about what I should do now. Just wait and hope for the best or try to be proactive? And is there a specific department I should ask for if I do call?

in my case it just started automatically like 12 days after i applied but my friend had to call because they messed up her claim. maybe just wait a week and see what happens? you can always call later if somethings wrong

I thought PFL and SDI were the same thing?? I'm about to have a baby next month and now I'm confused about which one to apply for when my maternity leave starts...

To clarify for everyone: SDI (State Disability Insurance) covers the period when you can't work due to pregnancy and recovery from childbirth (typically 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after). PFL (Paid Family Leave) is the baby bonding benefit that provides up to 8 weeks to bond with your new child.\n\nFor the original poster: I'd recommend waiting 5-7 business days to see if your claim status updates to active. If it doesn't, then being proactive with a call would be wise. When calling, ask to speak with a PFL specialist specifically about a transition from SDI to PFL.

Thank you for explaining! I'll check my claim status daily and wait a week before trying to call. Hopefully it processes automatically, but if not I'll try reaching a PFL specialist.

When I transitioned from pregnancy disability to baby bonding last year, I waited two weeks and nothing happened. My online account just showed

omg yes i remember u need to make sure your doctor fills out those forms with EXACTLY the right dates!! my obgyn messed mine up too and it caused so many headaches

I had my baby in March and my first PFL payment took exactly 11 days to arrive after I applied. I think it depends on how busy they are too. But I didn't have to call them, it just worked. Although my sister had twins in December and she had some issue where her doctor put the wrong code on her form and she had to call like a million times to fix it.

It sounds like most people got their payments in 10-14 days if everything went smoothly. That makes me feel a bit better! I'll give it two weeks before really panicking.

One more tip: Make sure you keep filing your certifications when prompted, even during the transition period. Missing a certification can delay your payments significantly. You'll receive an email notification when it's time to certify for your benefits (usually every two weeks). The system should recognize that you've transitioned from SDI to PFL, but the certification requirement remains the same.

THIS!!! I missed ONE certification during my transition and it delayed my payment by almost 3 weeks. The EDD sent the notification to an old email address I don't check often. Make sure your contact info is updated!!

Update: My PFL claim just changed from \

That's great news! Thanks for the update - it's really helpful to know the timeline worked out. Congrats again on your new baby! For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, it sounds like the system does work most of the time, you just need to be patient for about a week or two. Wishing you and your little one all the best during your bonding time! 💕