Pro tip: if you can, go to an EDD office in person. I know it's a hassle, but I finally got everything sorted when I did that. Bring ALL your paperwork with you!

One thing that helped me was setting up email notifications in my EDD account if that's available. Also, I started keeping a simple log with dates and confirmation numbers for everything I submit. When I had to resubmit something, I referenced my log and could tell them exactly when I first sent it. Made the conversation way more productive! The key is being super organized from day one - I learned this lesson the hard way after my first claim got delayed for months 😅

Yes, you certify the same way through SDI Online. And your weekly benefit amount will be exactly the same as your disability payments - it's calculated using the same formula (approximately 60-70% of your wages).

This is such helpful info! I'm 32 weeks pregnant with my first and already stressing about navigating all these claims. Bookmarking this thread for when I need it. Question - if I'm planning to take the full 8 weeks of PFL bonding time, do I need to specify that upfront in my application or can I decide later how much time to take?

Update: I FINALLY got through this morning! Used a combination of the tips here - called at 8:01am exactly, used the Spanish option trick, and kept redialing after getting the busy message. Got through on my 12th try and spoke to a very helpful rep who found the issue. Apparently there was a mismatch between my baby's birthdate on two different forms which triggered a manual review. She fixed it right away and said my claim should be processed within 48 hours! Thank you all for the helpful suggestions!

Wow, reading through all these experiences makes me realize I'm not alone in this struggle! I've been trying to reach EDD about my PFL claim for my newborn for over a week now. My claim has been stuck in "pending" status for almost 3 weeks and I'm getting really worried about when I'll receive my first payment. The tips about calling at 8:01am sharp and using the Spanish option sound promising - definitely going to try those tomorrow. It's honestly ridiculous that new parents have to become expert phone warriors just to get the benefits we're entitled to. Has anyone had success with the callback feature on the EDD website, or is that just as useless as everything else? Thanks to everyone sharing their strategies - it gives me hope that I'll eventually get through!

Hey Joshua! Great questions - I went through something similar last year. Here's what I learned: 1. Your employer cannot deny your PFL benefits request since those go directly through EDD, not your employer. However, since you don't have FMLA protection yet, they're not required to hold your job or provide unpaid leave time. 2. If you're fired mid-leave, you should still receive your PFL benefits as long as you were eligible when you applied and continue to meet the ongoing requirements. The benefits are tied to your previous work history and contributions to SDI, not your current employment status. Just be prepared that without FMLA protection, there's no guarantee your job will be there when you're ready to return. You might want to have a frank conversation with your employer first - some are more flexible than legally required, especially in today's job market. Good luck with everything and congrats on the new baby! 🍼

After you get this resolved, make sure to submit your PFL claim (DE2508F form) immediately! The claim can be backdated to the day after your disability ended, but only if you file within 41 days of that date. So if they backdate your disability end to today, you have 41 days to submit the PFL claim before you risk losing benefits. And definitely upload your baby's birth certificate or other proof of relationship in advance - that's another common delay point.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My baby is 4 weeks old and I've been stuck in this limbo for over a week. I called EDD yesterday and after waiting 2 hours, the rep told me they could manually close my disability claim but then said I'd have to wait 3-5 business days for it to "process" in their system before I could apply for PFL. Has anyone else been told about this processing delay? I'm worried I'm getting incorrect information because that seems to contradict what others are saying about being able to apply immediately after they close the disability claim.