https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:39:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758974 Fri, 03 May 2013 06:41:23 +0000 Corduroy 758974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Isn't it confusing? I would recommend making sure your partner understands all the leave stuff and let them take care of it. The last thing I wanted to do when I had LO was paperwork. Just reading seemed impossible. My husband felt pretty useless in the early days so handling leave paperwork was a great task for him. He was able to 'provide' for us which made him feel good. I certainly appreciated not having to deal with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758895 Fri, 03 May 2013 01:05:55 +0000 birdofafeather 758895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also keep in mind that it takes a while to get paid! I went on leave 3 weeks before DD was born and didn't get my first payment until 4 weeks after she was born! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758772 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:26:19 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 758772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: I'm glad I could help! I believe CA is the best state for maternity leave in the U.S. - still not good enough though. I really wish we had Canada's leave policies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758769 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:23:51 +0000 deerylou 758769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: Thank you very much for clarifying - I feel *so* much better knowing that I don't have to fill out four different forms right before I go on leave! :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758766 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:23:02 +0000 deerylou 758766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: Thank you for so perfectly summing it up for me; you have been most helpful. I think I finally have a grasp on it, somewhat. As long as I'm feeling okay, I don't mind only getting partial pay for the time between my last day and my due date (3 weeks, 2 days). I'm assuming they will only pay up until the mandated due date, and not when I actually deliver (If I'm understanding this correctly).</p> <p>I suppose I will make sure I have everything filled out for SDI and mail it out when I'm done with work, and I should be on my way to a few weeks of some money. Oh, to live in Canada or Europe....But hey, at least California is one of the better states for state maternity leave, right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758765 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:22:39 +0000 mrskc 758765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: the 3 weeks 2 days thing doesn't matter. It's just that you are allowed to start your pregnancy disability 4 weeks before your due date. State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) are the same thing. I think you're confusing PDL with Paid Family Leave (PFL). SDI or PDL is the 6-8 weeks post delivery and the PFL is the 6 additional weeks of paid bonding time. Just worry about submitting your SDI paperwork and then the PFL form will be sent to you automatically. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758754 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:18:16 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 758754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: SDI covers the first 6-8 weeks post delivery, then once that runs out... PFL kicks in and you get an ADDITIONAL 6 weeks of partial pay. So you would get a total of 12-14 weeks of partial pay.</p> <p>You can get partial pay starting 4 weeks PRIOR to your due date too, but if you don't use it all before you deliver, then you lose it. If you take off work only 3 weeks 2 days before your due date (instead of 4 weeks), you essentially lose about a week's worth of pay from short term disability which you would've been entitled for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758732 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:13:20 +0000 deerylou 758732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: Does PFL cover 6-8 weeks post delivery, and then an additional 6 weeks of baby bonding time, all partially paid?</p> <p>Also, the time between my last day of work and my due date is something like 3 weeks, and 2 days - is that okay?</p> <p>Okay, that was it. My last two questions. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758729 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:11:06 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 758729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: mrskc pretty much answered it all! you submit your SDI form first, then once that runs out, the state will automatically send you the PFL form. FMLA and CFRA require no forms and should automatically kick in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758723 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:08:49 +0000 deerylou 758723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: And the SDI will keep coming until baby comes, or 4 weeks passes, whichever happens first?</p> <p>I am so thankful for the assistance. I'm sorry; I'm totally clueless. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758717 Thu, 02 May 2013 22:07:20 +0000 mrskc 758717@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: yep 16 weeks total of partial pay. Less if you have the baby before your EDD and more if you have your baby late. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758699 Thu, 02 May 2013 21:58:55 +0000 deerylou 758699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlepenguin: Wonderful - I'm meeting our HR rep for Happy Hour tomorrow, so I'll ask her then.</p> <p>@mrskc: Thank you so, so much. So, it looks like 16 weeks of partial pay, total?</p> <p>I'm actually a behavior therapist - I work through an outside organization, and do pay into SDI. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758695 Thu, 02 May 2013 21:56:06 +0000 mrskc 758695@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: Mrs. High heel's post sums it up really nicely. You don't actually fill out any forms for FMLA or CFRA. You first apply for SDI. You will get 4 weeks prior to due date and 6-8 weeks after your baby is born depending on whether vaginal or c-sec delivery. The state will send you the PFL form automatically while you are on maternity leave once SDI runs out. You then get an additional 6 weeks of partial pay for baby bonding time. </p> <p>Are you a teacher? B/c I thought teachers don't pay into state disability. Anyways, I believe you have to wait until you're off work to submit the paperwork. Not completely sure on that though. Maybe ask your HR dept or your doctor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758654 Thu, 02 May 2013 21:29:20 +0000 littlepenguin 758654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I submitted my SDI paper work to my doctor about 2 weeks before I went on leave. I had already planned out with my HR rep my leave. My son was born about 4 weeks after I went on leave. After my son was born, I had to send back a form verifying his birth date and everything was taken care of through the state. I believe that the requirement is that SDI can only be applied after you have exhausted any sick/vacation time and there are a certain number of days after birth that it can be applied. After my SDI was over, my PFL was applied. With vacation, SDI, and PFL, I took 15 weeks of maternity leave.</p> <p>Your HR rep should have all the paperwork or at least point you in the direction to make sure everything is handled correctly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758551 Thu, 02 May 2013 20:48:31 +0000 deerylou 758551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: Oh man, they sure are. So, my best bet is to get the paperwork for FMLA + PFL, first? I looked on the state website, and could only find forms for SDI and PFL</p> <p>Do you know where I can find forms for the other two protection acts? After my FMLA + PFL run out, I am eligible for 6 additional weeks of pay under the umbrella system?</p> <p>Sorry to be so confusing, sheesh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758527 Thu, 02 May 2013 20:43:25 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 758527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: no problem! PFL is considered to be under the umbrella of SDI... and it kicks in after your initial disability leave runs out. you should automatically get another form to fill out for PFL once that happens. PFL provides you with 6 additional weeks of pay at 55-60% of your salary. Even the acronyms are confusing huh??? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758502 Thu, 02 May 2013 20:38:32 +0000 deerylou 758502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: Thank you so, so much. So, essentially, I can get 10-12 weeks at 55-60% pay? Is PFL the same as SDI? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758481 Thu, 02 May 2013 20:33:58 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 758481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/19/maternity-leave-in-california/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2012/11/19/maternity-leave-in-california/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758475 Thu, 02 May 2013 20:32:00 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 758475@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>FMLA runs concurrently with SDI. FMLA is unpaid, job protected leave... and SDI provides you 55% of your income while you're on leave. You're right in that you can't apply for SDI until you actually go on leave. It's so annoying and they make it really confusing! I wrote a blog post about CA maternity leave... I tried to make it as simple and clear as possible so hopefully you can find some info there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758445 Thu, 02 May 2013 20:22:52 +0000 Honeybee 758445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Actually, if you know you're going on medical leave on a certain date, I believe you can file the paperwork 7 days before. They'll send you the PFL paperwork when your SDI runs out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758138 Thu, 02 May 2013 19:21:04 +0000 deerylou 758138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@autumnlove: That's what I gathered. Just wanted to make absolutely sure I was doing thing correctly. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758123 Thu, 02 May 2013 19:17:49 +0000 autumnlove 758123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can't apply for SDI until you stop working and you can't apply for FLMA until your SDI payments run out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/in-california-when-do-you-apply-for-sdi-and-fmla#post-758088 Thu, 02 May 2013 19:10:44 +0000 deerylou 758088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm currently almost 31 weeks pregnant. I work in education, and the school year will be ending when I'm nearly 37 weeks; the plan is, I will work up until the end, so I can see my students off. I have opted to take the disability pay that California offers, up to four weeks until one's due date. I also plan to go on FMLA pay, after my baby is born.</p> <p>My questions are - </p> <p>I've heard that you can't apply for SDI until you are actually out of work - does this mean I don't complete the application process until my last day of work, or can I apply ahead of time, since I have an end-date in mind?</p> <p>May I apply for FLMA now or while I'm on SDI, or must I wait until my SDI runs out, and the baby is here?</p> <p>Thanks, in advance! </p>