Workers can receive PFL while taking time off intermittently, rather than all at once, to care for a family member with a serious health condition. These are tips to follow on filling out Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim forms to receive benefits on an intermittent basis:
1) When asked on the claim form whether you will continue to work during your family leave, indicate YES.
2) When asked if your employer will continue to pay you during family leave, and IF your employer is willing to integrate sick pay or vacation pay with your PFL benefits, write the word INTEGRATE in the “Other” section of the form. If you don’t include this word, the EDD will not pay you while you are receiving sick pay.
3) Attach a separate letter explaining that you will be working part-time and taking intermittent leave to care for your family member. This letter should include:
- Your social security number in the top-right corner;
- Your name, address, phone number;
- Your regular working hours or schedule;
- Your regular rate of pay; and
- The amount of time you plan to miss work each week.
4) Medical certification must be filled out completely and legibly by the attending physician or health care practitioner. Review the form carefully with the physician. Blank spaces will cause the claim to be rejected.
5) Signatures of the care recipient are required in several places, most notably on Page 2 of the form. If the signatures are missing, the claim will be rejected!
6) Incapacitated care recipients who cannot sign the forms:
If you do not have power of attorney, a court order, or are not the parent of a minor care recipient, you must get whoever has the power of attorney to sign an affadavit. Request the affadavit from EDD (877-BE-THERE) and have the physician and individual with power of attorney complete it.
7) Waiting Period
EDD requires a seven-day waiting period before benefits will be paid. For caregivers taking time off intermittently, each part or full day of missed work will count as one day. It does not matter if the days of missed work are consecutive.
Remember – a worker is eligible for Paid Family Leave when missing work to care for a parent, child, registered domestic partner or spouse. One must be paying into State Disability Insurance.
People with questions can call EDD: 877-BE-THERE or the Paid Family Leave Collaborative Work/Family Hotlines: 1-800-880-8047 or 1-800-839-4372