Filing multiple Paid Family Leave claims retroactively after approval - can I submit all missed weeks at once?
Finally got approved for Paid Family Leave after waiting almost a month! Huge relief but now I'm confused about the claim filing process. My approval just came through yesterday, but I've already missed 3 weeks of work that should be covered. Do I need to file these weekly claims one at a time, or can I just submit all 3 weeks I missed in one go? The ESD website isn't clear about this and I don't want to mess anything up after waiting so long. Also wondering if there's any specific documentation I need to provide for these retroactive weeks? Thanks in advance for any help!
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Manny Lark
Congrats on finally getting approved! For Paid Family Leave, you can actually file claims for all your missed weeks at once. Unlike regular unemployment, PFL lets you submit multiple weekly claims after approval. Just login to your PFL account, and there should be an option to file claims for previous weeks. Make sure you have any supporting documentation ready (like medical certification if it's for your own condition or family care). The system will walk you through each week separately, but you can do them all in one session.
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Liam Duke
•Thank you so much! That's exactly what I needed to know. I was worried I'd have to space them out or something. I've got all my documentation ready to go. Such a relief!
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Rita Jacobs
ya i just did this last month! u can totally claim all the weeks at once its super easy. the system lets u go thru each week one by one but u dont have to log out between em or anything
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Khalid Howes
•Just want to add one important clarification - when you're filing multiple back-weeks, make sure you're answering the questions accurately for EACH specific week. The system will walk you through week by week, and each one needs to reflect your situation during that specific 7-day period. People sometimes make the mistake of answering based on their current situation rather than what was happening during each specific week they're claiming.
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Ben Cooper
I tried doing this with regular unemployment and got my claim denied for entering something wrong. Are you SURE Paid Family Leave is different? I don't want OP to get stuck like I did...
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Manny Lark
•Yes, they're completely different systems. Regular UI and Paid Family Leave have different rules and different claim filing processes. PFL definitely allows for multiple retroactive weekly claims after approval. I've personally done it and helped family members do it.
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Naila Gordon
If you're having ANY issues getting through to someone at Paid Family Leave after trying to file your claims, I highly recommend using Claimyr. I was stuck in a similar situation where I had questions about my retroactive claims that weren't answered on the website. Spent days trying to reach an agent with no luck. Used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an ESD agent in about 30 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Saved me so much frustration!
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Liam Duke
•Thanks for the recommendation! I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues. Hoping the claim filing goes smoothly, but it's good to have a backup plan if I need to speak with someone directly.
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Cynthia Love
ESD's Paid Family Leave is SUCH A MESS!!! I filed for multiple weeks at once like everyone is telling you to do and then got RANDOMLY AUDITED and had to provide extra documentation for EVERY SINGLE DAY I missed work!!! It was a NIGHTMARE!!! Just be prepared for them to make your life difficult even after approval!!!!
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Khalid Howes
•That's unfortunate you had that experience, but random audits aren't the norm. They typically happen when there are discrepancies in your application or if you've had multiple claims in a short period. For most people, the retroactive claim process is straightforward. Just make sure all your documentation matches the information in your application.
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Darren Brooks
When I did my Paid Family Leave claims last year after my dad's stroke, I actually called the ESD office before filing the back weeks just to make sure I was doing it right. The agent was actually super helpful and walked me through the whole process. Might be worth trying to get someone on the phone if you're nervous about making a mistake.
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Liam Duke
•That's a good idea, though I've heard it can be really hard to get through to them on the phone these days. Did you have to wait a long time?
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Darren Brooks
•Honestly it took me about 4 days of trying before I finally got through. I kept calling different times of day. Early morning (right when they open) seemed to work best. But yeah, it's tough to get someone on the line these days.
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Rosie Harper
My cousin had a baby in December and did Paid Family Leave. She said if you're filing for past weeks, make sure you have your hours worked properly documented for each specific week before you start the process. Apparently that's where people run into issues. Good luck!!
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Liam Duke
Update: I was able to file all three weeks at once! The system walked me through each week individually, but I did them all in one session. Thanks everyone for your help. The only confusing part was that I had to enter my hours worked for each week (which was zero since I was on leave), but once I figured that out it was straightforward. Claims are pending now, fingers crossed!
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Manny Lark
•That's great news! Pending is normal - they typically process within 5-10 business days. Glad it worked out for you!
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