I'm 6 months pregnant and this entire thread has been a lifesaver! I was so confused about the timing restrictions and the SDI vs PFL difference, but reading everyone's real experiences has made everything so much clearer. The thing that really clicked for me was @Ava Martinez's explanation about SDI being for when YOU need medical care vs PFL being for when you're caring for your family member. That distinction finally made the whole two-program system make sense! I'm definitely going to follow the advice about filing exactly 7-8 days before my leave starts and using this waiting time to triple-check all my paperwork. The "leave binder" idea from @StarSailor is brilliant too - I'm starting one this weekend with copies of everything. One follow-up question - has anyone dealt with coordinating EDD timing with employer short-term disability benefits? My company offers additional STD coverage and I'm wondering if there are any timing considerations for filing both claims around the same time frame. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This community is amazing! 🙏

I'm 3 months pregnant and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was getting so anxious about not being able to file early, but now I understand the system much better. Based on everyone's experiences, here's my game plan: 1. Set calendar reminder for exactly 7 days before my leave starts 2. Use this waiting time to organize all paperwork and create that "leave binder" 3. Double-check all forms with doctor and HR for any errors 4. Download the EDD mobile app now while I have time 5. Build up savings to cover the 2-week processing period The distinction between SDI (for medical recovery) and PFL (for family bonding) finally makes sense too. It's reassuring to know that so many people have had smooth experiences once they could actually file within the proper window. One thing I'm still wondering about - for those who had c-sections, did you need to update your paperwork after delivery to extend from 6 to 8 weeks of recovery time? Or does the doctor just estimate the delivery type on the initial forms? Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences. This has been way more helpful than anything from official sources! 🤗

@Edison Estevez This is absolutely brilliant advice that I wish I had seen weeks ago! I'm currently 34 weeks and was planning to handle everything at my 36-week appointment, but you're so right about getting the EDD account set up early. I had no idea there could be verification delays or that the system might be glitchy when I actually need to file. I'm definitely creating my account this weekend while I have the mental bandwidth to deal with any issues that come up. One question - when you set up your account early, did you find any helpful resources within the portal that aren't available on the public website? I'm hoping there might be checklists or preparation guides that could help me get all my documents organized ahead of time. Also, did the early setup give you a better sense of how long the actual application process takes once you have everything ready? Thanks for sharing this tip - it's going to save so much stress when I'm ready to file in a couple weeks! Sometimes it's these practical details that make the biggest difference.

This thread has been SO helpful! I'm 27 weeks and honestly hadn't even started thinking about the EDD process yet, but reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize I need to get organized NOW rather than later. @Edison Estevez your tip about setting up the EDD account early is absolute gold! I'm definitely doing this next week while I still have energy and mental clarity. It makes so much sense to get familiar with the system and handle any verification issues before I'm stressed at 36 weeks. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone here dealt with having multiple jobs/employers while filing for pregnancy disability? I work part-time at two different places and I'm wondering if that complicates the application process. Should I be gathering wage information from both employers now, or does EDD pull that automatically? Also, reading about everyone's experiences with doctors getting dates wrong on forms is making me paranoid! I'm definitely going to write down the key dates myself and double-check everything before leaving any appointments. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that you can't get from official websites!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! My partner and I are in the early stages of planning our leave strategy for when our baby arrives in a few months, and reading through all these real-world experiences has given us so much valuable insight. What I'm finding most useful is how everyone has shared not just what worked, but also what challenges they encountered and how to avoid them. The practical tips like building in extra processing time, keeping detailed documentation, and getting written confirmation from employers are things we never would have thought of from just reading the EDD website. One question I have for the group - for those who went through the split leave process, did you find it helpful to connect with other parents at your company who might have done something similar? I'm wondering if there's value in learning from colleagues who've navigated the same employer's policies and procedures. Also, has anyone had experience where the employer's leave policies changed between the first and second leave periods? I'm curious if that could create any complications or if the original approval terms would still apply. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences so generously - this kind of community support makes such a difference when trying to navigate these complex systems!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add my perspective since I'm currently in the middle of this exact process! My partner is 6 weeks into their PFL baby bonding leave and we just made the decision to have them return to work next week to save the remaining 2 weeks for when my own maternity leave ends in a couple months. Reading through all these amazing experiences has been so reassuring - it's clear that while the process requires careful planning, it's definitely doable. We've already started the steps everyone has recommended: checked with HR (thankfully our company allows split leave), and I'm planning to call EDD tomorrow to formally close the current claim. One thing I wanted to add that I haven't seen mentioned - our pediatrician actually suggested this approach when we were discussing childcare transitions. They said having one parent home during those early daycare adjustment weeks can really help with illness prevention and bonding. It's nice to know there are legitimate reasons beyond just work flexibility for considering split leave! For anyone else considering this, I'd definitely echo what everyone has said about starting early and keeping detailed records. We created a shared document tracking all our communications, dates, and reference numbers - it's already been helpful when talking to different departments. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - this thread has made what seemed like an impossible bureaucratic maze feel totally manageable!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this Diego - I know how stressful these EDD errors can be! I actually went through something very similar about 4 months ago where my return-to-work date was showing as 3 weeks earlier than reality. What ended up working for me was a combination of approaches from this thread. First, I contacted my former employer's HR department and discovered they had indeed submitted incorrect paperwork to EDD (apparently there was confusion about my last day vs. expected return date). They were able to quickly send a correction form directly to EDD. While waiting for that to process, I also submitted a request through the EDD online contact form as a backup - just explained the discrepancy clearly with my claim number and specific dates. The employer correction ended up resolving it within about 10 business days, but it was reassuring to have multiple requests in the system. One tip I'd add: take screenshots of your current claim status showing the wrong date before any changes get made. I found this documentation super helpful when following up. Also, the change showed up in my online account about a week before I got any official notification, so definitely keep checking regularly. This thread is such a great resource - it's amazing how common this issue is! Hope you get it sorted out quickly! 🤞

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar issue where my claim shows I returned to work last month when I'm actually still unemployed and actively searching. It's so stressful seeing that wrong date and worrying about how it might impact my benefits. The advice from @Aisha Hussain about starting with your employer first makes perfect sense - I never would have thought that they might have reported incorrect information to begin with. I'm definitely going to follow that approach tomorrow morning. It's really reassuring to see so many people have successfully gotten this resolved, even though the EDD system can be such a nightmare to navigate. Thanks Diego for starting this conversation - it's exactly what I needed to see right now! 🙏

Congratulations on your new little one! I'm a new parent myself (had my baby 2 months ago) and went through this exact same confusion with my company's HR department. Everyone here is absolutely correct - both you and your husband are entitled to your own separate 8 weeks of California PFL for baby bonding! There's no family cap or shared limit whatsoever. Your HR is definitely confusing PFL with FMLA rules, which seems to be an incredibly common mistake. What finally cleared it up for me was downloading Publication DE 2511 from the EDD website (the official PFL fact sheet) and bringing it to my HR meeting. Once they saw the official documentation stating that each parent has an individual 8-week entitlement that cannot be reduced by their spouse's claim, they had to admit they were wrong. My partner and I are currently overlapping our leaves for 4 weeks, and then I'll take my remaining 4 weeks after they return to work. Having this extended family time together during those early weeks has been absolutely incredible for bonding and adjusting to parenthood. Don't let your HR's confusion discourage you from taking the benefits you're legally entitled to! Those 8 weeks for each of you are protected by law. Wishing you the best as you navigate this exciting new chapter! 💕

Congratulations on your new baby! I'm a fellow new parent (my daughter is 10 weeks old) and I literally just went through this exact same frustrating situation with my HR department a couple months ago. Everyone here is absolutely right - you and your husband each get your own separate, individual 8 weeks of California PFL for baby bonding. There is NO family cap, NO reduction, and one parent's claim does NOT affect the other parent's benefits in any way! Your HR department is 100% confusing PFL (California's wage replacement program) with FMLA (federal job protection law). This seems to be an epidemic-level confusion among HR departments unfortunately! Here's what finally worked for me: I called EDD directly (took forever to get through but worth it), had them email me written confirmation of the policy, then printed out Publication DE 2511 from the EDD website (the official PFL fact sheet). I brought both documents to my HR meeting and they finally had to admit they were completely wrong. My husband and I ended up overlapping our leaves for 5 weeks which was absolutely amazing for those intense early newborn days, then he went back while I finished my last 3 weeks. Zero issues with our claims or payments - everything processed exactly as it should. Don't let your HR's confusion rob you of the precious family bonding time you're legally entitled to! Stand your ground and get that official documentation. You've got this! 💪✨