UPDATE: My claim was approved! It took 8 days total, which is way better than I expected after my SDI nightmare. The payment is already pending in my account too. Thanks everyone for the advice and reassurance! For anyone dealing with this transition in the future: make sure your dates don't overlap between claims, triple check your paperwork, and contact your HR department to ensure they respond quickly to EDD's verification requests.

That's such great news! 8 days is really reasonable, especially considering how stressful the whole process can be. Your update will definitely help other parents going through the same transition. It's so important to share these success stories since we mostly hear about the horror stories online. Congratulations on your new baby and enjoy your bonding leave! 🍼✨

Hey OP, any luck getting through yet? Keep us updated!

I've been in the exact same situation! What finally worked for me was using the web portal to check for any missing documents or requirements first. Sometimes they're waiting on something from your end but don't clearly communicate it. Also, try calling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays mid-morning (around 10-11 AM) - I found those times had slightly better luck than the crazy early morning rush. The system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up! Your persistence will pay off eventually.

Congrats on getting it resolved! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - applied for baby bonding PFL on 2/10 and still showing "claim received" status with no payments. My estimated payment date was supposed to be last Tuesday but nothing came through. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like the system has been a mess this year with delays and processing issues. I'm going to try calling again this week, but if that doesn't work I might have to use that Claimyr service too. It's so stressful when you're counting on this income and have a newborn to take care of. Thanks for sharing your experience - at least now I know I'm not alone in this!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Applied for baby bonding PFL on February 15th and my account still just shows "claim received" with no updates. My estimated payment date was March 5th and nothing came through. Called the EDD number about 6 times but keep getting the "too many callers" message and disconnected. It's really frustrating because we planned our budget around having this income and now we're scrambling to cover expenses with our newborn. Reading all these responses makes me feel a bit better knowing it's not just me, but also worried that I might be looking at weeks more of waiting. Think I'm going to try that Claimyr service if I can't get through by phone this week. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know others have eventually gotten it resolved even if it took way longer than it should have.

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I just submitted my PFL application online and have the medical certification form ready for my dad's doctor tomorrow. I'm going to follow the advice about speaking with the office manager to get it completed quickly. I'm still a bit nervous about how long it will take to get paid, but at least I know I'm on the right track now. I really appreciate all of your help and experience with this process - it's made a stressful situation a little more manageable.

I'm going through something similar with my grandmother who needs care after a fall. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you check if your employer offers any additional paid family leave benefits beyond what California PFL provides. Some companies have policies that supplement the 60-70% wage replacement or provide full pay for a certain number of days. Also, since you're dealing with a stroke specifically, you might want to connect with your local Area Agency on Aging or stroke support groups. They often have resources about navigating care benefits and can sometimes help with paperwork or provide advocacy if you run into issues with EDD. The stroke recovery timeline can be unpredictable, so having all your documentation organized from the start will help if you need to extend your leave beyond the initial period. Good luck with everything!

Anyone else notice that EDD seems to call more often on Tuesdays and Thursdays? Or am I just imagining things?

Don't panic! I've been in the same boat. When EDD calls and you miss it, they usually don't leave a voicemail which is super frustrating. Here's what worked for me: immediately check your UI Online account for any updates or messages, then try calling back using the 1-800-300-5616 number. If you can't get through today, try again first thing tomorrow morning. Also, keep your phone on you at all times for the next few days - they might try calling again. The good news is that missing one call won't hurt your claim, but definitely stay on top of it. You got this! 💪