Quick update: I took the advice about using Claimyr to get through to EDD and it actually worked! The representative confirmed they received my paper application on 3/22 but it was stuck in the backlog mentioned above. She added notes to expedite it since I'm approaching week 4 with no income. She said I should see it appear in my online account within 5-7 business days. Fingers crossed this actually resolves things!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! I just went through something similar last month. My baby bonding application also seemed to disappear after my disability ended, and I was panicking about having no income. After reading through all these comments, it sounds like the March 2025 system upgrade backlog is affecting a lot of us. One thing that helped me was documenting everything - I kept a log of every call attempt, confirmation numbers, and any correspondence. When I finally got through to someone, having all those details ready made the conversation much more productive. Also, if you haven't already, try calling right at 8 AM when they open - I had better luck getting through then. The waiting is absolutely awful when you have bills to pay, but it sounds like your application is in the system and just stuck in processing. Hang in there!

Congratulations on your new baby! I went through this exact situation 8 months ago with my emergency c-section. Here's what I learned: Your c-section recovery is definitely still pregnancy disability, NOT baby bonding yet. You'll get 8 weeks of disability benefits starting from your delivery date (not 6 weeks like vaginal delivery). The key is making sure your doctor certifies the full 8 weeks on your disability paperwork - don't let them shortchange you to 6 weeks! After your 8-week disability period ends, THEN you can start your PFL baby bonding claim. Make sure to file your PFL claim about 2 weeks before your disability ends to avoid any gap in benefits. Also, remember you need to certify every 2 weeks during disability but only once at the start for baby bonding. The hospital should give you the disability paperwork before discharge - make sure your doctor signs it for the full 8 weeks and specifically notes it's for c-section recovery. Don't stress too much about HR not responding right now - focus on recovery and getting your paperwork sorted with your doctor first!

First off, congratulations on your new baby! I know the emergency c-section wasn't what you planned, but I hope you're both doing well. I just went through this same situation 6 months ago and can share what I learned. Your emergency c-section is absolutely still considered pregnancy disability - you're recovering from major surgery! The standard is 8 weeks of disability benefits for c-section recovery (vs 6 weeks for vaginal delivery). Make sure your doctor certifies the FULL 8 weeks on your disability paperwork before you're discharged - don't let them default to 6 weeks. After your 8-week disability period ends, that's when you'll transition to PFL baby bonding benefits. One thing that saved me was filing my PFL claim about 10 days before my disability ended to ensure no gap in payments. Also, keep track of your bi-weekly certifications for disability! The hospital social worker or discharge nurse should help you get the right forms. Don't worry about HR right now - focus on your recovery and getting the medical paperwork sorted first. You've got this!

Whatever you do, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Every call, email, form you submit. Trust me, it'll save you headaches later if there are any disputes.

I'm going through the same thing right now! Just wanted to add that you should also check if your state has any additional protections beyond what your employer offers. California's PFL program through EDD sometimes has different rules than company policies. I called the EDD directly and they were actually pretty helpful in explaining what I was entitled to vs. what my HR department was telling me. Don't just rely on your company's interpretation - double check with the state agency too!

Plot twist: what if we all showed up at the EDD office dressed as clowns? Maybe then they'd take us seriously 🤡

Hey Connor! I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago. The blank benefit amount online is super common when transitioning from DI to PFL - it's like their system gets confused. Since you already got the notice of computation in the mail, that's actually a good sign! It means they've calculated your benefits. The online portal just takes forever to update sometimes. I'd definitely try calling first thing in the morning like Keisha suggested, but also keep checking your mail for any follow-up requests. In my case, it took about 3-4 weeks total but once it went through, I got all the backpay. Hang in there! 🤞

UPDATE: My claim was just approved! It took exactly 23 days from submission to approval. I did end up using that Claimyr service to get through to EDD yesterday. The rep I spoke with said there was nothing wrong with my claim, it was just in the queue waiting to be processed due to high volume. She did mention that having my employer verify the info quickly helped (my HR department is pretty on top of things). So for anyone else waiting - hang in there! The system is just overwhelmed right now.

Congrats on your baby and glad to hear your claim finally went through! I'm a new parent myself and just submitted my PFL baby bonding claim last week. Reading through all these experiences is both reassuring and nerve-wracking - it sounds like the 3-4 week wait is pretty standard right now despite what their website says. One question for anyone who's been through this recently - did you get any kind of confirmation or notification when your status changed from pending to approved, or do you just have to keep checking the portal daily? I'm trying to figure out if I should set up some kind of daily reminder to check or if they'll actually let me know when something changes. Also @Malik Jackson thanks for mentioning the Claimyr service - I hadn't heard of that before but might be worth trying if mine gets stuck too long. The regular EDD phone line seems impossible to get through on.