As someone who just went through this exact same verification nightmare last month, I can't stress enough how broken the EDD phone system is right now. I literally called 47 times over 3 days (yes, I kept count because I was so frustrated!). What finally worked for me was a combination of what others have mentioned: created a fresh ID.me account using my work email instead of personal, then got through using one of those callback services. The EDD rep told me they're getting hundreds of calls daily about this specific verification issue since the January system update. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if your husband has ever changed his name (like after marriage or legally), make sure the ID.me account uses whatever name is currently on file with EDD, not necessarily what's on his current ID. That was my issue - I had legally changed my last name but EDD still had my maiden name in their system. The verification kept failing because of that mismatch. Also, once you get it resolved, screenshot EVERYTHING. The system is glitchy and sometimes loses the verification status randomly. Having screenshots of successful pages saved me when it happened again 2 weeks later. Good luck! It's so stressful dealing with this when you're already preparing for a new baby, but it is fixable!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My partner has been trying to file for PFL for the past week and keeps getting the verification error. It's so reassuring to see we're not the only ones experiencing this nightmare. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going to try the new ID.me account approach first thing tomorrow morning. The fact that multiple people have had success with this gives me hope. I had no idea the January system update was causing so many problems - EDD really should have communicated this better to users. One question for those who successfully got through - after creating the new ID.me account, did you have to wait any specific amount of time before calling EDD to link the accounts, or were you able to call immediately? We're also cutting it close with timing, so every day counts at this point. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and solutions. This thread is incredibly helpful for those of us navigating this frustrating system!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this situation! As a fellow Bay Area educator, I completely understand how shocking and frustrating this discovery must be. You've gotten some absolutely incredible advice in this thread - this community is amazing! Since you mentioned you're in the Bay Area, I wanted to add a couple of local resources that might help: The Silicon Valley Community Foundation has emergency assistance programs, and many Bay Area counties have their own teacher support funds. Also, if you're in a district that's part of the Alameda or Santa Clara County Office of Education, they sometimes have additional resources beyond what individual districts offer. One more thing - if you end up needing to appeal or navigate complex paperwork, consider reaching out to your local Legal Aid Society. They often have advocates who specialize in benefits issues and can help you understand your rights and options. The fact that you taught in Arizona before California definitely makes the reciprocal benefits angle worth exploring too. Each state has different rules, but there might be some bridge coverage you qualify for. You've got such a comprehensive action plan now thanks to everyone's input. Wishing you all the best as you work through these options! 💙

This thread has been such an incredible resource! I'm also a teacher (elementary level) and honestly had no idea about the SDI eligibility issue until I read your post. It's terrifying to think this could happen to any of us. I wanted to add one more resource that helped a friend of mine in a similar situation - she reached out to the California Teachers Association Foundation, which has a "Below the Line" fund specifically for educators facing unexpected financial hardships. The application process is pretty straightforward and they can provide grants (not loans) to help cover basic needs while you're working through everything else. Also, since you mentioned you're in Santa Clara County, you might want to check if your district participates in the Bay Area School Insurance Authority (BASIA) - they sometimes have additional coverage options or emergency funds that individual districts don't advertise well. The amount of support and practical advice in this thread is just amazing. It really shows how we need to look out for each other because the system certainly isn't doing it for us! Sending you so much strength as you work through all these options. Please keep us posted on how things go! 💙

I've been dealing with this exact same error for the past 3 days! So frustrating. Reading through all these suggestions, I'm going to try the Firefox browser with all extensions disabled first thing tomorrow morning around 6 AM. It sounds like the combination of off-peak hours + different browser + no ad blockers has worked for several people here. I've been using Chrome this whole time, so maybe that's part of the problem. Also going to make sure to save my progress frequently instead of trying to complete everything at once. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know there are actual solutions that have worked for others! Will report back if I have success. 🤞

I'm dealing with this same "system exception" error right now! Been trying for 2 days straight. Based on all the suggestions here, I'm going to try the Firefox + early morning combo tomorrow. Really appreciate everyone sharing what worked for them - gives me hope that there's actually a solution. Quick question though: when you all say "early morning," are we talking like 6 AM Pacific time specifically, or just whenever your local early morning is? I'm on the East Coast so want to make sure I'm timing it right. Also going to try the mobile site backup plan if Firefox doesn't work. This whole situation is so stressful when you need these benefits! 😤

Congratulations on your baby girl! 🎉 I'm actually a new dad who just went through this exact same confusion 2 weeks ago when our daughter was born. The whole EDD transition process is so unnecessarily complicated! Just to echo what everyone else has said - there's no special delivery notification form. You simply file a brand NEW Paid Family Leave claim through your existing SDI Online account. Select "File New Claim" and then "Paid Family Leave" for baby bonding. One thing I wish someone had told me: when you're filling out the PFL application, you can actually backdate the start of your bonding leave to your baby's birth date even if you're filing a few days later. I filed 5 days after our daughter was born and was worried I'd lose those days, but the system let me select her birth date as my leave start date. Also, keep that hospital discharge summary handy - while they don't require birth documentation upfront, having it ready saved me stress when they did request verification a week later. The whole process really should be more streamlined for sleep-deprived new parents, but once you know it's two separate claims, it makes sense. File that PFL claim soon and enjoy every moment with your little one! Those bonding weeks go by so fast. 💕

Congratulations on your baby girl! 🎉 I'm so grateful I found this thread because I'm going through the exact same situation right now. My son was born 5 days ago and I've been completely lost about this whole EDD transition process. Reading everyone's responses has been such a lifesaver! I had no idea it was two completely separate claims - I kept looking for some kind of "update delivery info" button in my SDI account that doesn't exist. The fact that you can file the PFL claim right after birth while still receiving pregnancy disability payments is such important information that EDD really should make clearer. I'm definitely going to file my PFL claim today using the temporary birth certificate from the hospital. It's amazing how something that seemed so overwhelming this morning now feels totally manageable thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here. Thank you to everyone who took the time to explain this process so clearly - you've saved so many of us new parents from weeks of confusion and stress during an already overwhelming time! 💕

I had a similar E311 error a few months ago and it turned out to be a mismatch with my address. Even though I had moved and updated my address with EDD online, their verification system was still using my old address from when I first filed. I had to call (took forever to get through) and specifically ask them to update the address in their verification database, not just my profile. Might be worth checking if you've moved recently or if there's any address discrepancy between what you're entering and what they have on file from previous claims or employers.

I went through this exact same issue about 6 months ago! The E311 error is so frustrating. What finally worked for me was discovering that my middle initial was missing in EDD's system even though I had it on all my forms. Apparently when my employer first reported my info years ago, they left it off, and that tiny discrepancy was causing the verification to fail. I had to go to a local EDD office with my Social Security card, driver's license, and a recent pay stub to get it corrected in person. The whole process took about 3 hours at the office, but they fixed it on the spot. Might be worth checking if there are any small differences like that in how your name appears across different documents!