I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare scenario! I can't imagine the stress of dealing with a layoff while trying to bond with your newborn and navigate EDD's broken system. From everything I've read here and my own experience with EDD, you should definitely continue your PFL claim to completion - the layoff doesn't cancel benefits you were already entitled to. But that 3-month pending status is absolutely unacceptable and needs immediate attention. I had a similar issue (not with layoff but with a stuck claim) and what finally worked was calling EDD at exactly 8:00 AM when their phone lines open. Keep hitting redial until you get in the queue. Have all your information ready - claim number, Social Security, dates of employment, layoff documentation, everything. When you get through, be very clear that you need BOTH issues addressed: 1) Why your PFL has been pending since January with no award letter, and 2) How to properly note your layoff without disrupting your existing claim. Also document EVERYTHING - dates you called, who you spoke with, reference numbers. EDD's left hand often doesn't know what the right hand is doing, so you may need to call multiple times. You've got this mama! Don't let their broken system intimidate you - you and your baby deserve those benefits. Keep fighting for what you're owed! 💪

Oh wow, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! What an awful situation to be in with a newborn. I went through something similar when my company had layoffs during my maternity leave last year. The good news is that you can absolutely continue your PFL claim - being laid off doesn't disqualify you from benefits you were already entitled to when you filed. Finish your full 8 weeks, then immediately apply for unemployment after. But like everyone else has said, that 3-month pending status is a HUGE red flag. You should have received payments by now. The fact that you got the debit card but no award letter suggests there's a documentation issue or system glitch that needs to be resolved by an actual human. When you call EDD, make sure to emphasize that you have TWO separate issues: 1) Your original claim being stuck in pending status since January 1st, and 2) Your recent layoff that needs to be noted on your account. Don't let them try to handle just one or the other. I know how overwhelming this must feel with everything going on, but don't give up! You're entitled to those back payments from January, and you deserve to have this resolved. Keep pushing until you get answers. Your baby needs you to advocate for your family right now! ❤️

I went through this same frustrating situation just two months ago! That EDD email is so confusing - I literally had to ask three different people to help me understand what they were asking for. Here's what finally worked for me: I sent them a very straightforward email response that said "My employer provides integrated parental leave benefits that work alongside my PFL benefits. This means EDD pays me approximately 60-70% of my regular wages through the PFL program, and my company pays the additional amount needed so I receive my full salary during bonding leave." I made sure to include: - The exact dates of integrated payments (like 1/15/2025 - 3/1/2025) - My regular hourly rate ($XX.XX/hour) - My normal work schedule (40 hours/week, Monday through Friday) - A clear statement that these payments are NOT vacation, sick leave, or PTO, but specifically integrated parental leave benefits The key thing that seemed to make the difference was emphasizing that my company's payments are working WITH my PFL benefits, not replacing them. EDD just needs to verify that there's no double payment happening. They approved my response within 4 business days and my PFL benefits continued without any reduction! Don't stress too much about it - just be specific and clear in your explanation. You definitely don't need to send all your 2023 pay stubs - that would just confuse them more.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Just got that confusing EDD email yesterday about my integrated pay during bonding leave and I was completely lost on how to respond. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - it sounds like the solution is actually pretty straightforward once you know what EDD is looking for. I love how consistent all the advice has been about emphasizing that the company pay is "working WITH" PFL benefits rather than replacing them. I'm definitely going to use the template that multiple people have shared: clearly explain that EDD pays 60-70% of wages and my company covers the remaining difference to reach full salary, include all the specific details (dates, hourly rate, normal schedule), and make it crystal clear these aren't vacation/sick days but specifically parental leave integration. It's so encouraging to see that everyone who explained it properly got approved within a week without any benefit cuts! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread has completely calmed my nerves about responding to EDD correctly.

I'm also a new parent who just submitted my PFL baby bonding application yesterday and this thread is incredibly reassuring! I've been checking my EDD account way too often already and was starting to panic that I hadn't heard anything yet. Reading everyone's timelines - anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks with most people hearing back in 5-10 business days - really helps set realistic expectations. Just called that automated status line at 1-877-238-4373 that so many people recommended and it shows "claim received" which is more informative than the generic "submitted" status online. I'm definitely going to check that daily instead of obsessively refreshing my online account! The financial stress of waiting for benefits while on unpaid leave with a 4-week-old is no joke. I'm budgeting everything down to the penny right now, so having a realistic timeline helps me plan better. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's exactly what I needed to read today. Fingers crossed I hear back by early next week! 🤞

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just submitted my PFL baby bonding application yesterday for my 8-week-old son and I'm already anxiously checking my account multiple times a day. This thread is so helpful - it's reassuring to see that most people hear back within 5-10 business days. I had no idea about the automated phone line at 1-877-238-4373 that everyone's mentioning, so I just called and it says "claim received" which is way more informative than just seeing "submitted" on the website. Definitely going to use that instead of constantly refreshing my online account! The financial stress while waiting for benefits to kick in is so real when you have a newborn and are on unpaid leave. I'm trying to budget everything carefully right now, so having these realistic timelines from everyone really helps with planning. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's exactly what I needed to read today! Fingers crossed I hear back by early next week 🤞

Wow, this thread is incredible! I'm a newcomer dealing with the exact same PFL claim phone nightmare and stumbled across this community while desperately searching for solutions. I've been banging my head against the wall for 10 days straight trying to reach someone, and reading all these detailed battle strategies is giving me actual hope for the first time! @Emily Sanjay, your scientific approach with the tally marks and that 1-3-4 button sequence is genius - I never would have thought to track attempts so methodically! And @Millie Long, that tip about waiting 30 seconds after the "maximum callers" message instead of hanging up immediately is something I definitely want to try. The fact that we've essentially created our own underground resistance network to crack a broken government system is both amazing and absolutely infuriating. We shouldn't need to become phone ninjas with military-precision timing just to access benefits we're legally entitled to, but here we are sharing intelligence like we're planning a heist! 😅 I'm definitely going to try the multi-phone strategy at exactly 8:00 AM tomorrow, combined with all the tips you've all shared. The solidarity in this thread is keeping me motivated when I was honestly ready to give up. Thanks to everyone for not just suffering in silence and actually sharing what works - this community is proof that together we can beat even the most ridiculous bureaucratic obstacles! 🙏

I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same frustration trying to reach EDD about my PFL claim! This thread is absolutely incredible - it's like stumbling into a secret resistance movement with all the battle-tested strategies and solidarity. I've been trying for 8 days with zero success, but reading everyone's detailed tactics is giving me actual hope. The fact that @Emily Sanjay had to make 67 calls in one hour and track it with tally marks is both inspiring and completely insane - we shouldn't need to become data scientists just to access our own benefits! I'm definitely going to try the 8:00 AM sharp timing with multiple phones, that 1-3-4 button sequence hack, and @Millie Long's tip about waiting 30 seconds after the "maximum callers" message. It's ridiculous that we need to coordinate like we're planning a military operation, but I'm grateful this community exists. The shared knowledge here is invaluable when the official system has completely failed us. Going to gear up for tomorrow morning's phone assault - will report back with results! Thanks everyone for not giving up and helping each other navigate this broken system! 🙏

I'm currently 7 months pregnant and just went through this same exact situation last month! The timing restriction is SO frustrating when you're trying to be organized and prepare everything in advance. What finally helped me was understanding that EDD's system is actually protecting you from potential complications. If you file too early and then your due date changes, go on bedrest early, or have other medical changes, it creates a mess in their system that's harder to fix later. Here's my experience: I filed exactly 6 days before my leave started, got my first SDI payment 10 days later (backdated to day 1 of leave), and the whole process was much smoother than I expected based on all the horror stories online. One thing that really helped during the waiting period was creating a "leave binder" with copies of all forms, important phone numbers, claim confirmation emails, etc. When you're sleep-deprived with a newborn, having everything organized in one place is a lifesaver! Also, pro tip: download the EDD mobile app now while you have time. It makes checking claim status and certifying for benefits much easier than logging into the website every time, especially when you're juggling baby care. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but you're going to be fine! Set that calendar reminder for one week before your leave and try to relax knowing that thousands of people go through this process successfully every month 💙

I'm 4 months pregnant and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was getting so stressed about not being able to file early, but now I understand it's actually designed that way for good reasons. One question I still have - for those who mentioned getting their first payment 10-14 days after filing, was that business days or calendar days? I'm trying to plan my budget and want to make sure I have enough savings to cover that initial gap. Also, has anyone had experience with what happens if you need to modify your leave dates after filing? Like if your doctor recommends starting leave earlier than planned due to complications? I'm hoping everything goes smoothly but want to be prepared for different scenarios. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this is way more informative than anything I've gotten from official sources!