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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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To summarize what everyone has correctly noted: 1. PFL and UI benefits are completely separate systems with separate funding and eligibility requirements. 2. PFL falls under State Disability Insurance (SDI) which you pay into via payroll deductions. 3. UI is a separate program with its own funding mechanism and eligibility criteria. 4. Receiving PFL will not reduce your maximum UI benefit amount or weekly benefit amount if you later qualify for unemployment. 5. The only "connection" is that both look at your base period earnings, but in different ways. For UI, they examine your highest quarter of earnings in the base period to determine your weekly benefit amount. As others have mentioned, the timing of potential termination shortly after PFL leave raises serious legal questions about retaliation that you may want to explore with an employment attorney.
Thank you for this clear summary! I feel much better understanding how these benefits work. I reached out to an employment attorney yesterday just to have a quick consultation about my rights. Looking back, small things started changing even while I was on leave - being left off email chains, not being invited to the department virtual happy hour, etc. I wish I'd been keeping track from the beginning.
I'm really sorry you're going through this stress on top of everything with your husband's health situation. The good news is that everyone here is absolutely right - PFL and UI are completely separate benefit systems, so your caregiving benefits won't affect any future unemployment claim at all. What you're describing with the delayed equipment, rescheduled meetings, and system access issues sounds very concerning, especially so soon after returning from protected leave. I'd also be worried about them hiring someone new for your department while you were out - that's a pretty big red flag. Since you mentioned you've been there 5 years and they have 80 employees, you should definitely be covered under both CFRA and FMLA protections. Keep documenting everything with dates and times. If they do terminate you, file for unemployment immediately and don't let them pressure you into saying you quit or resigned. Make sure they clearly state they're terminating you. Also, have you considered reaching out to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) if things continue to deteriorate? They handle retaliation complaints related to family leave. Hope things work out for you and your husband continues to recover well!
Thank you so much for the kind words and all the helpful information! It really means a lot to have support from people who understand these situations. My husband is doing much better now, which makes dealing with work stress a bit easier. I hadn't thought about reaching out to DFEH but that's a really good suggestion. I'm definitely going to look into that if things keep going downhill. The fact that they hired someone new while I was out really bothers me - like, if they needed coverage that badly, why didn't they hire a temp? It feels very deliberate. I'm trying to stay positive but also realistic about what might happen. At least now I know the PFL won't hurt my unemployment benefits if it comes to that. This community has been incredibly helpful!
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Just wanted to add another perspective here - I'm an employment attorney and see this confusion constantly. Your HR department is absolutely wrong about linking PFL to FMLA eligibility. These are completely separate programs with different funding sources and requirements. PFL is an insurance benefit you've earned through your SDI contributions - it's YOUR money that you've been paying into the system. No employer can deny you access to benefits you've already paid for just because you haven't worked there long enough for FMLA protection. Here's what I always tell clients in your situation: 1. Apply directly to EDD - don't go through your employer 2. Keep records of all communications with HR about this issue 3. If they retaliate or terminate you for taking legally protected leave (remember PDL protects the medical portion regardless of tenure), that could be grounds for a discrimination claim The fact that your HR is giving you incorrect information about state benefits is concerning. I'd recommend getting their statements in writing so you have documentation of their position. Good luck with your leave planning!
This is exactly what I needed to hear from a legal perspective! Thank you for confirming that my HR department is completely off base. I'm definitely going to request their position in writing before I file with EDD directly. It's so reassuring to know that the PDL portion has job protection regardless of tenure - that covers the majority of my medical leave. I feel much more confident about moving forward now that I understand my rights and have documentation strategies. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain this from an attorney's viewpoint!
Wow, reading through all these responses has been SO helpful! I had no idea about the PDL protection regardless of tenure - that's a game changer for my situation. I'm definitely going to file directly with EDD and get my HR's incorrect position in writing as suggested. It's frustrating that so many companies seem to misunderstand these benefits, but I'm grateful this community exists to help clarify things. For anyone else in a similar situation, it sounds like the key takeaway is: PFL = your earned benefit through SDI contributions (completely separate from job tenure), PDL = job protection for medical portion regardless of how long you've worked there, and FMLA/CFRA = job protection that requires 12 months employment. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and expertise!
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Just wanted to say hang in there, OP! I know how stressful this can be, especially with a newborn. You've got this! 💪
Thank you so much! It's definitely been a rollercoaster of emotions.
Hey Sofia! I went through this exact same situation a few months ago. One thing that really helped speed up my claim was making sure I had submitted proof of my employment history - sometimes they need your pay stubs or a letter from HR confirming your employment dates and wages. Also, check if you need to verify your identity through ID.me if you haven't already - that was a big holdup for me. The waiting is so nerve-wracking when you have bills to pay, but don't give up! Keep checking your online account every few days for updates and don't hesitate to call if it's been over 3 weeks since you submitted everything.
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Wow, this thread is giving me so much hope! I'm due in May and have been absolutely dreading dealing with EDD based on all the horror stories I've heard from mom friends. The fact that they finally have a functioning online system feels like a miracle. Quick question for everyone - I work for a small company (only 8 employees) and my HR person has never dealt with PFL claims before. She's kind of freaking out about the whole process. Has anyone had experience with smaller employers who aren't familiar with the system? Are there any resources or guides that might help her understand what she needs to do on the employer side? Also, I'm planning to take my full 8 weeks of baby bonding leave right after my pregnancy disability ends. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like timing the transition is crucial. Should I submit my PFL application before I even give birth, or wait until I'm ready to transition from disability to bonding leave? Don't want to mess this up! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world info that's impossible to find on the official EDD website! 🙏
Hey @Yara Nassar! I totally understand your HR person's stress - I went through this with a small company too (only 6 employees). Here's what helped us: For your HR person, the EDD website actually has an employer section with step-by-step guides now. The main things she needs to know: she doesn't have to "approve" your PFL claim (that's between you and EDD), but she may need to provide wage verification if EDD requests it. Most small employers get nervous thinking they have to manage the whole process, but really EDD handles almost everything directly with you. As for timing - definitely wait until after you give birth to submit your PFL application! You can't file for baby bonding leave before the baby arrives. The key is to submit it during your last week or two of pregnancy disability, not before you go on disability. That way there's no gap between your disability ending and bonding leave starting. The online system makes this SO much easier to coordinate now. You can literally see when your disability claim is ending and time your PFL submission perfectly. Would have saved me so much stress last year when I had to guess at everything! Good luck with everything - sounds like you're way more prepared than most! 🍀
This is such great news! I'm currently pregnant with my second baby and remembering the absolute nightmare of trying to get information about my first PFL claim in 2023. I literally had to take time off work just to sit on hold with EDD for hours, only to get disconnected half the time. The fact that I can now see claim status, payment amounts, and processing timelines online is going to be life-changing. I was already dreading going through that whole process again, but this gives me so much hope that it'll actually be manageable this time around. One thing I'm curious about - does the new online system also show your claim history? Like if I want to reference what happened with my previous PFL claim from 2023, can I see those details? It would be really helpful for planning purposes to see exactly how much I received and when the payments came through last time. Thanks @PixelPrincess for posting about this - I never would have known about the updates otherwise! Definitely going to check out the online portal before my next claim. 🙌
Mateusius Townsend
unpopular opinion: the system is designed to be confusing on purpose. they hope people will give up and not claim benefits. stay strong and don't let them win!
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Kara Yoshida
•Tin foil hat much? 🤣 But for real, it does feel that way sometimes
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Philip Cowan
•100% agree. It's all about saving money for the state. 🐍
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StarStrider
I made a similar mistake on my disability claim a few months ago - accidentally put my injury date as both start and end dates. What helped me was calling early in the morning (like right at 8am when they open) and having ALL my paperwork ready before I called. Make sure you have your Social Security number, claim number, employer info, and the CORRECT dates written down clearly. When you talk to them, be super specific about what the mistake was and what it should be. They'll probably ask for documentation like pay stubs showing your last day worked or a doctor's note with the actual leave dates. The rep I talked to was actually pretty understanding once I explained it clearly. Hang in there - it's fixable, just takes some patience with the system!
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Landon Morgan
•This is super helpful! I never thought about calling right when they open - that's such a smart tip. I've been trying to call during lunch breaks and always get stuck in endless hold queues. Definitely going to try the 8am approach tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your experience with the disability claim, it gives me hope that this is actually fixable!
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