btw if u already had a disability claim for pregnancy before ur baby bonding claim they sometimes dont send a new card. they just load the money on ur old one. happened to me and i kept waiting for a new card but the $ was already on my old card lol

I just went through this exact same situation in February! The debit card message had me so confused too. Here's what I learned from my experience: The automated system mentions the debit card for EVERYONE who calls about PFL, regardless of approval status. It's super misleading! What actually happened with my claim: - Week 1-3: Called daily, heard debit card message, got my hopes up - Week 4: Finally got through to a rep who told me my claim was still "under review" - Week 5: Randomly checked my online account and saw the first payment had been processed! - Week 6: Debit card arrived in mail So the timeline can vary a lot. Since you found that letter asking for your baby's birth certificate, that's probably what's been holding things up. Once you upload that document, you should see movement within 5-10 business days. The good news is that when it does get approved, you'll get all the back pay from when you first filed. Keep checking your SDI Online account daily - that's where you'll see the payment show up first before any card arrives. Hang in there!

Plot twist: what if the baby filed for unemployment instead? 👶💼 But for real, hope you get this sorted out soon, OP. Dealing with EDD while taking care of a newborn is no joke.

I went through this exact same situation last year! The disqualification could be for several reasons - insufficient work history, not meeting the bonding leave requirements, or timing issues with when you filed vs when the baby was born. Don't panic though! Here's what worked for me: 1. Call EDD immediately and ask them to mail/email you the DE 2514 form if you haven't received it 2. While waiting, gather ALL your documentation - birth certificate, doctor's notes, employment records, etc. 3. The appeal deadline is usually 30 days from the notice date, so time is crucial 4. Consider reaching out to a local legal aid society - many offer free help with EDD appeals I ended up winning my appeal because it turned out to be a simple paperwork mix-up on their end. You got this! 💪

Hey, just wondering - when you visited the EDD office, did they say anything about needing to update your name with Social Security first? When I got married, I had to update my name with Social Security before EDD would fully process my name change. If you haven't done that yet, it might be causing the delay.

I'm going through something similar right now! I changed my name after marriage 2 months ago and I'm dealing with EDD for unemployment benefits (not maternity leave but same system issues). What I've learned is that even though they say 24-48 hours, their online portal can take 2-3 weeks to reflect changes while their internal system updates much faster. The good news is that as long as you have that confirmation number from your in-person visit, you should be fine. I called using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and the rep confirmed my name change was already in their system even though my online account still showed my old name. She said to proceed with filing any claims using both names and include a note about the pending update. The most important thing is that your SSN matches everything else. Since you already updated with Social Security first, you're in good shape! Try not to stress too much - the system is just slow but it will work out.

This might sound crazy, but have you tried faxing them? I know it's 2023, but some of these government offices still operate like it's 1995. Worth a shot if you're desperate!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Been calling for 3 weeks straight with no luck. The system is completely broken. I've tried calling at different times, using the online portal, even tried that redial trick someone mentioned. Nothing works. It's insane that we pay into this system and then can't access it when we actually need it. Has anyone had any success with emailing specific departments or supervisors? I'm willing to try anything at this point!

congrats on your baby! definitely wait on filing PFL. my sister is an HR benefits coordinator and she always tells people to wait until disability is 100% complete before filing PFL. good luck!

I went through this exact situation 8 months ago! Had complications after delivery and needed extended disability before transitioning to PFL. The consensus here is absolutely correct - DO NOT file for PFL until your disability extension is fully processed and approved. I made the mistake of filing PFL early thinking it would help avoid gaps, but it immediately terminated my disability claim and I had to fight for weeks to get it reinstated. The system treats PFL filing as an automatic signal that you're ready to transition from medical leave to bonding leave. Wait for your doctor's office to submit the extension paperwork, then file PFL after that period ends. Your benefits will be backdated so you won't lose any money, just might have to wait a bit longer for payments. Trust me, the patience is worth avoiding the nightmare of having to fix a premature PFL filing!