Can EDD deny my PFL baby bonding claim because of an existing UI overpayment?

Good news - PFL and UI are different programs, even though they're both administered by EDD. Your overpayment from unemployment shouldn't directly impact your eligibility for Paid Family Leave. The qualification requirements are entirely separate, and PFL is funded through the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program that you pay into via payroll deductions. That said, if your overpayment was due to fraud (not just a mistake), there could potentially be some issues. Was your overpayment classified as fraud or non-fraud?

they can garnish ur PFL if u have a fraud overpayment. happened to my cousin last yr. they took like 25% each week. but if not fraud ur probably ok

I can clarify this based on my experience working with both programs. There are two key considerations here: 1. Non-fraud UI overpayments will NOT disqualify you from receiving PFL benefits. These are separate benefit systems with separate funding sources (UI is employer-funded, while PFL is funded through employee SDI contributions). 2. However, EDD may implement cross-program collection efforts in some cases. If you're already on a repayment plan and making consistent payments, they typically won't interfere with your PFL benefits. But if you were delinquent on payments, they might potentially offset some of your PFL to recover the overpayment. The 2-week processing time for PFL is completely normal and doesn't indicate any issues with your claim. PFL claims typically take 14-21 days to process in 2025, especially for first-time claims. As long as you provided all required documentation (including the bonding certification), you should receive a determination soon.

Congrats on the baby! 👶 I just went through PFL bonding last month and it took nearly 3 weeks to get approved, so don't stress about the timeline yet. EDD moves at their own pace.

Have you tried calling EDD to check on the status of your PFL claim? Sometimes there are small issues they need to clear up that don't show online. I was in a similar situation (not with overpayment, but with a pending PFL claim) and found out they needed additional info from my employer. Of course, getting through to an actual person at EDD is nearly impossible these days. I tried for two weeks straight before I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an EDD representative in about 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Definitely worth it to get clarity on your situation instead of stressing while waiting.

The system is SO BROKEN!!! I had a similar situation but with disability before my PFL. They made me wait 6 WEEKS before approving anything and then had the nerve to tell me it was because of some flag on my account from 2 years ago!!! The left hand doesn't know what the right is doing over there. KEEP CALLING every single day until you get answers!!!

I think I can clear something up here based on my recent experience. PFL and UI are administered by EDD but are completely separate programs with different funding sources: - UI (Unemployment Insurance): Funded by employer taxes - PFL (Paid Family Leave): Funded by employee contributions through SDI deductions from your paycheck For overpayments: If you're on a payment plan and actively making payments, they generally don't intercept other benefits. However, if you default on your payment plan, they could potentially garnish other benefits including PFL. The 2-week processing time is completely normal for PFL claims in 2025. They're actually faster now than they were during the pandemic! As long as you've completed all the required documentation and your employer verified your information, you should be fine. One tip: Double-check your EDD account online to make sure there are no "Request for Information" notifications. Sometimes they need additional documentation but the mail notification gets lost.

Just to follow up - your PFL should be approved soon if it's been 2 weeks. If it goes beyond 3 weeks without any update, that's when I'd recommend reaching out to EDD directly. Keep making your overpayment payments on schedule, and you should be fine. Enjoy this special time with your little one! The baby bonding period goes by so quickly.

I went through something very similar last year! I had a UI overpayment (around $3,200) and was worried it would affect my PFL claim for my son's birth. The good news is that as long as your overpayment wasn't due to fraud (which yours wasn't), your PFL should process normally. I was also on a payment plan with EDD and continued making my monthly payments while on PFL. They never touched my PFL benefits - the programs really are separate. The key is staying current on your payment plan, which it sounds like you're doing. Two weeks is still within the normal processing timeframe. Mine took about 17 days to get approved. Try not to stress too much (easier said than done with a newborn, I know!). Focus on bonding with your daughter and trust that the system will work itself out. You've done everything right by setting up the payment plan and staying current on it.

I work as a benefits specialist and can confirm what others have said - your non-fraud UI overpayment should not impact your PFL eligibility or benefits. Since you're actively on a payment plan and making regular payments, EDD typically won't interfere with your PFL. The 2-week timeline is actually pretty standard right now. PFL claims are taking 14-21 days on average in 2025, so you're still well within normal processing time. I've seen many cases where parents panic at the 2-week mark, but most get approved by week 3. One thing to keep in mind: make sure you continue your overpayment plan payments while on PFL. As long as you stay current, there shouldn't be any cross-program issues. The worst thing you could do is stop paying because you think PFL will cover everything - that could potentially trigger collection actions later. Hang in there - you're doing everything right, and this time with your daughter is precious. Try to focus on that instead of the EDD stress!

I'm a case worker who's handled hundreds of these situations, and I want to give you some peace of mind. Your UI overpayment will absolutely NOT affect your PFL baby bonding claim since it's non-fraud and you're actively making payments. Here's what's actually happening behind the scenes: When you have an active payment plan, EDD flags your account as "compliant" which means you're meeting your obligations. This prevents any automatic offsets or garnishments from other programs. The computer systems literally can't touch your PFL benefits while you're current on your plan. The 2-week wait is completely normal - we're actually seeing faster processing times now than we have in years. Your claim is probably sitting in a queue waiting for final review, not because of any issues but simply due to volume. One quick tip: If you want to check status without calling, log into your EDD account and look under "Claim History" - if there are no pending items or requests for additional info, you're just waiting in the normal processing queue. Keep making those monthly payments and enjoy this time with your baby girl. Everything will work out fine!