I just went through this transition in January 2025 and want to echo what everyone has said about the 5-7 day window - it's absolutely crucial! I applied exactly 6 days before my SDI ended and had a completely seamless transition with zero payment gaps. Here's my exact timeline that worked perfectly: - SDI ended: January 28, 2025 - Applied for PFL: January 22, 2025 (6 days before) - PFL start date: January 29, 2025 (day after SDI ended) For your situation, you should apply around February 15-17 for your SDI ending February 22nd, with PFL starting February 23rd. Use the SDI Online portal under "New Claim" > "Paid Family Leave" > "Bonding with new child" and have your baby's birth certificate ready as a PDF. One thing that really helped me was calling EDD about 2 days after submitting just to confirm they received everything. It took forever to get through (I called right at 8am when they opened) but gave me huge peace of mind. Don't stress too much - when you follow this timing advice from everyone here, the process really can go smoothly! The bonding time with your little one is absolutely worth navigating all this paperwork. Congratulations on your new baby! 💕

I just successfully completed this transition in February 2025 and can confirm everything everyone is saying about applying 5-7 days before your SDI ends! I submitted my PFL application on February 16th for my SDI ending February 22nd, with PFL starting February 23rd - absolutely zero payment gaps. Here's what worked perfectly for me: - Used SDI Online portal: "New Claim" > "Paid Family Leave" > "Bonding with new child" - Had my baby's birth certificate ready as a clear PDF (under 5MB worked fine) - Took screenshots of every single page including the confirmation - Called EDD 2 days after submitting to verify they received everything (called right at 8am) One tip I haven't seen mentioned: when you get to the section asking about your expected return date, don't stress about being exact - you can always modify your PFL later if you want to take the full 8 weeks for bonding instead of your initial estimate. Your timing should be perfect if you apply around February 15-17! The whole application took me about 12 minutes once I had everything ready. This thread has been such a lifesaver for so many new parents - the community advice here is spot on. Enjoy that precious bonding time with your little one! 🍼💕

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently preparing my PFL application and was completely bewildered by that "maximum benefit weeks" question too. Like so many others here, I kept re-reading it thinking there must be some catch or that I was about to accidentally request a lump sum payment. Reading through everyone's real experiences has been incredibly reassuring - especially the professional clarification from @Nia Davis and all the confirmations that you still get paid bi-weekly after certifications regardless of your selection. Now I understand it's simply asking if I want to use all 8 weeks consecutively rather than splitting them up over time. It's honestly mind-boggling how EDD can take such a straightforward concept and make it sound so intimidating with their wording! I was literally losing sleep over this one question. This community is amazing for breaking down these confusing government forms into actually helpful information that new parents can understand. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences here - it makes navigating these bureaucratic systems so much less stressful when you're already dealing with everything that comes with a new baby! 🙏

This thread has been an absolute lifesaver! I'm a new parent currently filling out my PFL application and was completely stuck on that "maximum benefit weeks" question too. Like everyone else here, I was terrified I was about to accidentally request some kind of lump sum payment or commit to something I didn't fully understand. Reading through all these real experiences has been so reassuring - especially the professional insight from @Nia Davis and all the confirmations that selecting "yes" just means you want to take all 8 weeks consecutively, and you still get paid every 2 weeks after doing your certifications like normal. It's honestly incredible how EDD manages to make such a simple question sound so scary and confusing! I was literally googling for hours trying to figure out what "maximum benefit weeks" actually meant. This community is amazing for translating these government forms into actually understandable information. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's made what felt like an impossible decision into a straightforward one. About to confidently select "yes" and get this application submitted! The peace of mind from reading this thread is priceless. 🙏

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through this exact situation 6 months ago! My employer paid 60% during my bonding leave and I successfully received PFL benefits for the remaining portion. The key things that helped me: 1) I called EDD before filing to confirm I was eligible (took forever to get through but worth it), 2) I got a letter from my HR department stating exactly how much they'd pay me weekly during leave, and 3) I filed my claim on day 1 of my leave, not before. The whole process took about 2 weeks to get my first payment once approved. One thing nobody mentioned - if your husband's employer uses a third-party payroll company, make sure the wage reporting matches between what his employer reports to EDD and what he reports on his claim. Mine got delayed because of a mismatch there. Good luck!

I just wanted to chime in with a quick success story to give you hope! My husband was in almost the exact same situation - his employer paid 55% during his 6 weeks of bonding leave, and we were so stressed about making ends meet. He applied for PFL and got approved for an additional benefit that brought us up to about 85% of his normal pay total. The process was actually smoother than we expected once we got the paperwork right. The most important thing we learned was to be completely transparent about the employer payments on the application - EDD appreciates honesty and it prevents delays. Also, don't stress too much about the HR confusion - we got three different answers from three different people at his company, but EDD was actually really helpful once we got through to them. Wishing you all the best with your new little one and hoping the benefits process goes smoothly for your family!

One last tip - keep track of all your benefit payments throughout the year (screenshots of your EDD account or the paper statements they mail). Sometimes the 1099-G can have errors, and you'll want your own records to verify the amount is correct. If there is a discrepancy, you'll need to contact EDD for a corrected form, which can take time. Better to discover any issues early in tax season!

Just wanted to share my experience from last year - I was in almost the exact same situation (SDI during pregnancy, then PFL for bonding) and was super confused about the tax stuff too! One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: even though you can't withhold taxes from SDI payments, you CAN have taxes withheld from your regular paycheck (if you're planning to return to work) to help cover the tax liability from both SDI and PFL. I talked to my HR department and increased my withholding for the rest of the year, which helped me avoid owing a big chunk at tax time. Also, don't stress too much about the 1099-G timing - mine came in late January and everything worked out fine for filing taxes. Congrats again on your little one! 💕

I went through this exact same situation last year! I had to leave work at 6 months pregnant due to severe hyperemesis and was panicking about money. The good news is you absolutely can still qualify for SDI even though you haven't worked since November - I got approved even after being out of work for 3 months. A few practical tips from my experience: 1) Get your doctor to fill out the DE2501 form ASAP - mine was hesitant at first but once I explained it was for state disability, they were totally fine with it. 2) Make sure your medical records clearly document all your pregnancy complications and ER visits. 3) Don't stress if the EDD website is confusing - I ended up mailing my forms because the online system kept crashing. The weekly benefit amount isn't huge but it was enough to cover my basic expenses until after the baby came. Then I transitioned to PFL for bonding time which gave me another 8 weeks of benefits. Hang in there - you're going to get through this! And congratulations on your pregnancy! 💕

Hi Laura! I'm a new member here but wanted to share some encouragement. I just went through this process myself about 6 months ago and was in a very similar situation - had to stop working due to pregnancy complications and was terrified about finances. Everyone here has given you really solid advice about applying for SDI immediately. I just wanted to add that when I called EDD directly, they were actually pretty helpful in walking me through exactly what I needed to do. The wait times are brutal (like 2+ hours sometimes), but once I got through, the representative was knowledgeable and patient. Also, don't feel guilty about not knowing about these benefits sooner. I'm a college graduate and consider myself pretty informed, but I had NO IDEA these programs existed until I desperately started googling when I couldn't work anymore. The system really doesn't make it easy to find this information when you need it most. You're being such a good mom already by researching this and advocating for yourself and your baby. The financial stress is real, but you WILL get through this. Wishing you all the best with your application and your pregnancy! 🤗