It looks like you've gotten some good advice already. One additional tip: When you do get through to EDD, ask them if there's anything specific delaying your claim. Sometimes there's a simple issue that can be resolved immediately. Also, if your claim gets approved but you need funds urgently, you can request that they expedite the payment. They don't advertise this option, but if you explain your financial hardship (needing formula and diapers certainly qualifies), they can sometimes process the payment faster than the standard timeline. Baby bonding PFL should be more straightforward than disability claims, so hopefully once you reach someone, they can resolve it quickly. Good luck!

I went through this exact same nightmare with my PFL claim earlier this year! Here's what finally worked for me: I called at exactly 8:01am on a Tuesday and kept pressing 1-2-4 (the prompts for PFL claims) over and over without hanging up. If you get the "too busy" message, immediately redial and try again. It took me about 45 minutes of constant redialing, but I finally got in the queue. Also, try calling the SDI line at (800) 480-3287 instead of the main EDD number - sometimes they can help with PFL claims too and the wait times are shorter. One more thing - check if your employer submitted the proper forms (DE 2501 and DE 2500A). Sometimes the delay is because your HR department didn't send in the paperwork EDD needs. I had to bug my HR three times before they actually submitted everything correctly. Hang in there - I know how stressful this is when you're trying to bond with your baby and worrying about money! 💙

Hey OP, what was the reason for your PFL claim? I'm about to file one for bonding with my newborn and I'm scared after reading all these horror stories 😰

I'm so sorry you're going through this! I had a similar experience last year - waited 5 weeks for my PFL payments while caring for my mom after her surgery. What finally worked for me was contacting my state assemblyperson's office. They have caseworkers who specifically help with EDD issues. It took about a week after I contacted them, but they got my payments released. You can find your representative on the CA legislature website. Also, document everything - dates you called, case numbers, etc. It helps when you finally get someone on the phone. Hang in there! 💪

Anyone else feel like the whole system is designed to make us give up? It's like they're playing 4D chess and we're playing checkers 🙃

I'm going through the PFL process right now and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the horror stories! 😅 But reading through everyone's experiences here is actually super helpful. Quick question - for those who got approved eventually, what was the one thing you wish you'd known before starting the application? Trying to avoid the common pitfalls if possible!

My wife just went through this whole process. Her PFL took about 9 days to process after her SDI ended. The EDD website never updated properly though - she got a payment before the website even showed her claim was approved. So don't trust the website 100%.

I'm also currently waiting for my PFL to process after my pregnancy disability ended! Reading through these responses is both reassuring and nerve-wracking at the same time. It sounds like there's such a wide range of processing times - from 3 days to over a month. I submitted my PFL application about a week ago and haven't heard anything yet. Like you, I'm worried about the income gap since my last SDI payment just came through. Has anyone found that calling EDD actually helps speed things up, or do you just get stuck in the phone queue forever? I'm trying to decide if it's worth the hassle at this point or if I should wait another week.

Just to give you a timeline expectation - my pregnancy disability claim took exactly 14 days to process from submission to first payment. The first payment included retroactive benefits from my disability start date. Make sure you're checking your SDI Online account regularly, as that's where they'll post messages if they need additional information. Also verify your payment preference (EDD debit card or direct deposit) is set up correctly to avoid payment delays. For what it's worth, the longest part of the whole process was getting my doctor to submit their portion of the claim!

Hey Keisha! I went through something very similar when I had my daughter last year. I switched jobs about 4 months before going on maternity leave and was so worried I'd messed something up on the paperwork. Here's what actually happened: EDD pulled wage records from BOTH my old job (where I made more money) AND my new job to calculate my benefits. The employer you list on the DE 2501 is really just for them to verify your current employment status and last day worked - it doesn't determine which wages they use for your benefit amount. Your benefit calculation will be based on your highest earning quarter during the base period, which sounds like it would include your previous employer's wages since they paid you more. That's actually good news for your benefit amount! The one thing I'd recommend is making sure all your wage information is accurate in their system. You can check this by creating an account on the EDD website and looking at your wage history. If anything looks off, you can submit corrections, but honestly most of the time their records are complete. Try not to stress too much (easier said than done, I know!). Focus on preparing for baby and let EDD do their thing. Congratulations on your upcoming arrival! 💕