btw when u do get thru make sure u ask them to EXPEDITE the payment. they can do special processing if ur experiencing financial hardship. don't let them tell u otherwise!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Filed my PFL claim in early January for baby bonding and it's been stuck in "pending processing" for weeks. Got the award letter showing my benefit amounts but nothing online matches up. It's so reassuring to see I'm not the only one dealing with this nightmare. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like the year-end crossing issue might be what's affecting both of us since my leave also started in late December. I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy and the disability line trick that @Kolton Murphy mentioned. Sofia, please keep us updated on what works for you - I'll do the same! We shouldn't have to be financial detectives just to get our rightful benefits. The stress of not knowing when (or if) payments will come while trying to care for a new baby is just awful.

when i had my baby i got so stressed about all the edd paperwork that i almost gave myself pre-term labor lol! just take it one step at a time. edd stuff is confusing for everyone. also make sure your doctor fills out their part of the forms completely or it'll delay everything (learned that the hard way). good luck with your baby journey! ❤️

Hey Jayden! I just went through this exact situation a few months ago and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some of your stress. I had a PUA overpayment from 2020 (also applied when they told everyone to apply first and figure out eligibility later 🙄) and was terrified it would affect my maternity benefits. Here's what actually happened: My pregnancy disability (SDI) payments were completely untouched - got 100% of what I was entitled to. However, when I transitioned to PFL for baby bonding, they did withhold about 15% from each payment toward my overpayment. It wasn't ideal, but honestly getting 85% of my PFL was still a huge help during those first bonding weeks. The key thing that helped me was being proactive. I called EDD (used a callback service similar to what Ethan mentioned) and got confirmation in writing about what to expect. They were actually pretty understanding about the whole COVID application mess since so many people are in similar situations. One tip: if you haven't already, request a hardship waiver for your overpayment. Even if they don't approve it fully, they might reduce the garnishment percentage from your PFL. Worth a shot! You're going to be okay mama - even in a worst-case scenario, you'll still get most of your benefits when you need them most. ❤️

guys i just got my payment date! keep checking ur accounts, it might update soon

Same exact situation here! Filed about 2 weeks ago, got the "processed" status last Friday, but still no payment date. It's driving me crazy refreshing the page every few hours hoping something changes. At least seeing the benefit amounts calculated gives me some hope that it's moving forward. Thanks for posting this - makes me feel less alone in this mess!

UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD using Claimyr (thanks for that tip)! The agent confirmed my account had a "card issuance error" that prevented Money Network from creating my account properly. They've fixed it on their end and Money Network is overnight shipping me a card that should arrive tomorrow. For anyone else with this issue: the agent said this is happening to lots of people, especially if you had a BofA card from a previous claim. Apparently the system sometimes doesn't flag your account to create a new Money Network card. Thanks everyone for the help! What a stressful experience.

So glad you got this resolved! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my PFL payment shows as "issued" but I never received a Money Network card either. This thread has been incredibly helpful. I'm going to try the Claimyr service since calling EDD directly has been impossible. It's frustrating that this seems to be such a widespread issue with the switch from BofA to Money Network. EDD really needs to fix their communication about this change and make sure the card issuance process actually works properly!

To add some additional clarity on your specific situation: 1. Since your baby is 3.5 months old, your husband has approximately 8.5 more months to take his baby bonding leave (within the 12-month window) 2. He can take his 8 weeks consecutively or intermittently (broken up into smaller periods) as long as it's completed within the 12-month window 3. His claim form (DE2508) should include: - Copy of child's birth certificate or hospital discharge papers - His employment information - His requested leave start date (1/27/2025) 4. He should file approximately 7-10 days before his leave begins (so around January 17-20) 5. Make sure he understands the bi-weekly certification process once his claim is approved The fact that you're planning the transition from your leave to his leave is actually ideal and exactly how the system is designed to work!

Just wanted to add my experience as another data point! My partner and I did exactly what you're planning - I took my full maternity/bonding leave first, then he took his 8 weeks right after mine ended. The transition was seamless and it gave our baby continuous parental care for almost 4 months total. One thing that really helped us was creating a simple checklist for his application: - DE2508 form completed - Birth certificate copy attached - Employer contact info ready - Bank account info for direct deposit - Filing date marked on calendar (1-2 weeks before leave starts) The whole "41 day" thing definitely confused me too at first! But as others have explained, it's about when to file relative to when benefits start, not when to take leave relative to birth. You're totally fine timing-wise. Good luck with the application process!