Just updating to let everyone know that I got this resolved! It took 4 days total - 2 days for ID.me to respond and 2 more to complete the account merge. I used Claimyr to get through to EDD (took about 25 mins to connect) and explained the situation. They put a note on my account and told me to call back once the ID.me issue was fixed. After ID.me merged my accounts, I called EDD again and they were able to push my PFL claim through. Payment is being deposited tomorrow! Thanks everyone for your help with this stressful situation.

Oh wow, reading through all these experiences is both helpful and terrifying! I'm 8 months pregnant and planning to apply for PFL in a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I have multiple ID.me accounts from different job applications over the years. Should I try to sort this out BEFORE I apply for PFL, or wait until it becomes a problem? It sounds like being proactive might save me a lot of headache later, especially with a newborn!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone who's currently 7 months pregnant and starting to research PFL benefits for when my husband takes his paternity leave, I can't believe how many hoops you all have had to jump through just to get benefits you've already paid for. Ellie, I'm so relieved you finally got everything resolved! The fact that it was just an address verification issue that caused weeks of financial stress is infuriating but unfortunately seems pretty typical from what I'm reading here. I'm definitely taking notes on all the strategies everyone has shared - the main EDD number sequence, calling right at 8am, the Claimyr service for emergencies, and even the in-person office visit option. It's sad that accessing basic benefits requires this level of strategic planning, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works. The advice about doing a preemptive verification call before leave starts is brilliant - I'm definitely going to have my husband try that about a week before his planned start date. Better to catch any potential issues early than discover them when we're already counting on the income. Thank you everyone for being so generous with sharing your experiences and solutions. This thread is going to help so many families navigate EDD's broken system!

This whole thread has been such an emotional rollercoaster to read! I'm currently dealing with my own PFL nightmare - been waiting 6 weeks for my maternity leave payments and getting the same runaround with specialists who never call back. Reading everyone's stories makes me feel less alone in this struggle, but also so angry that EDD puts new families through this stress. What really strikes me is how all these delays seem to come down to such minor administrative issues that could be easily prevented with better communication. Address changes, employment date mismatches, missing forms - none of these should require weeks of phone tag with unreachable specialists! I'm definitely going to try the main number sequence (1-800-480-3287, press 1, 2, then 4) tomorrow morning at 8am sharp. And if that doesn't work, I think Claimyr might be worth the cost just to preserve my sanity at this point. Thank you Ellie for sharing your update about getting it resolved - it gives me hope that persistence really does pay off eventually. And thank you to everyone who's contributed strategies and encouragement. This community is proof that we're stronger when we support each other through these broken systems! 💪

I'm really sorry to hear about your daughter's ongoing health challenges - having a child with respiratory issues that require hospitalization is so incredibly stressful, and then having to worry about finances on top of that just makes everything worse. From everything I've read in this thread and my own experience with PFL, you should definitely be eligible for a new 8-week benefit period! Since your first claim started in March 2024, your 12-month period ended this past March, which means you qualify for fresh benefits now regardless of when you used those 4 weeks in June. I had a somewhat similar situation with my mom's care last year and made the mistake of overthinking the timing rules. What really helped was calling EDD directly and having them look up my specific claim history - they were able to confirm exactly what I was eligible for and when. It took forever to get through (definitely try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you get frustrated with the hold times), but having that official confirmation gave me so much peace of mind. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here: make sure you keep detailed records of everything throughout this process. I learned the hard way that EDD sometimes has delays or issues with their systems, and having copies of all your paperwork and confirmation numbers saved you a lot of headaches if anything gets lost in their system. Sending you and your daughter all the best for her upcoming surgery. You're being such a good parent by making sure you can be there for her recovery! 💙

I'm so sorry you're dealing with your daughter's health complications again - that must be absolutely terrifying as a parent. Based on everything shared here, it really sounds like you should be eligible for a new 8-week PFL period since your first claim started in March 2024 and we're now past that 12-month mark. I went through something similar with my husband's cancer treatment last year, and the timing confusion nearly gave me a panic attack! What I learned is that the 12-month period is based on when you FIRST applied, not when you finished using benefits. So your June 2024 usage doesn't reset anything - you became eligible for a fresh 8-week cycle this past March. A couple of things that really helped me: - I called EDD and had them walk through my specific situation before applying (definitely try that Claimyr service if you can't get through - it's legit and saved me days of calling) - I made sure to get the DE2501F form filled out very specifically about why my presence was medically necessary for his care - I applied as soon as I had all the paperwork ready rather than waiting until the last minute Also, since your company is large enough for FMLA, definitely get that paperwork started too for job protection. My HR department was actually really helpful in coordinating both applications. Hoping your daughter's surgery goes smoothly and that you can focus on her recovery without the financial stress. You're doing everything right by being there for her! 💙

Congrats on your little one coming so soon! 🎉 I'm also a newcomer to all this EDD stuff and honestly feeling overwhelmed by all the different forms and timelines. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and terrifying! 😅 Quick question for those who've been through this - when you say "file tomorrow," are you talking about doing it online through the EDD website or is there a specific form I should be looking for? I keep seeing DE2501 mentioned but want to make sure I'm filling out the right thing when my time comes (I'm due in a few months). Also, for those who had delays or issues, was it mostly because of missing doctor paperwork or were there other common problems I should watch out for? Trying to learn from everyone's experiences so I can avoid the same pitfalls! Thanks for sharing all your stories - it's so helpful to hear from real people who've actually navigated this system! 💕

Congratulations on your baby coming tomorrow! 🎉 As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the incredibly helpful advice everyone has shared, and it's clear you're in good hands here! From what I've learned lurking in this community, you can absolutely file your claim tomorrow - the 7-day waiting period is just about when benefits start paying out, not when you can submit. The consensus seems to be: file online at edd.ca.gov the day after your last work day (so tomorrow!), but you won't receive payment for those first 7 days. One thing I noticed from everyone's experiences is how important it is to have your doctor's office fax the medical certification directly to EDD rather than submitting it yourself online - this seems to prevent a lot of delays and "lost paperwork" issues that several people mentioned. I'm not due until later this year, but this whole thread has been like a masterclass in EDD navigation! It's so valuable hearing real experiences from people who've actually been through this process rather than trying to decode government websites alone. Wishing you a smooth delivery and hoping your claim processes quickly! Thank you for asking the questions many of us newcomers are wondering about - this discussion has been incredibly educational! 💕

This thread is incredible! I'm expecting in July 2025 and have been so overwhelmed trying to figure out the leave situation. Reading everyone's experiences has been way more helpful than the confusing government websites and vague HR responses I've been getting. A few things that really stood out to me: - The importance of getting your employer's exact policy language in writing (not just verbal explanations from HR) - Starting the paperwork early since EDD processing can be unpredictable - Creating a timeline document to present to HR showing exactly how you want to coordinate benefits - The distinction between PFL (wage replacement) and CFRA (job protection) - I had no idea these were separate! One question I haven't seen addressed: Has anyone dealt with coordinating these benefits while working for a smaller employer (under 50 employees)? I'm wondering if the rules are different or if there are fewer protections available. My company has about 30 employees and offers some parental leave, but I'm not sure if all the same state protections apply. Also, for those who used services like Claimyr to get through to EDD faster - was it worth the cost? I'm dreading spending hours on hold, especially while dealing with a newborn! Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This community is amazing! 🤰

This thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm expecting in June 2025 and was completely overwhelmed trying to understand how all these benefits work together. Reading everyone's experiences has given me so much more confidence about approaching my HR department. The advice about creating a timeline document and asking specifically about "concurrent vs consecutive" benefits is brilliant. I had been planning to just ask "can I use both?" which probably would have gotten me a confused look from HR! One thing I'm curious about - for those who successfully stacked benefits, did you find that having a partner who was also planning to take PFL affected how your employer viewed your request? My husband works for a different company but we're both planning to take California PFL for bonding time, and I'm wondering if mentioning that helps or hurts when negotiating with my employer about stacking their benefits too. Also, the tip about Claimyr for getting through to EDD faster is something I'm definitely bookmarking. The thought of spending hours on hold while managing a newborn sounds like a nightmare! Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your real-world experiences. This community is providing way better guidance than any official website I've found! 🙏