Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Quick question - does anyone know if changing your name affects your claim in any way? Like, does it reset anything or cause delays? I'm in the middle of receiving benefits and don't wanna mess that up.
Nah, you're good. I changed mine mid-claim and it didn't affect anything. Just make sure you keep certifying under your old name until they confirm the change.
Oh thank god. That's a relief. Thx for the info!
Just wanted to share my recent experience - I actually managed to get through to EDD on my third try by calling right when they opened at 8am. The agent was super helpful and walked me through everything. She said the name change usually takes 5-7 business days to process once they receive your documents. Also, pro tip: they prefer if you send a certified copy of your marriage certificate rather than just a regular photocopy. It might take a bit longer to get one, but it speeds up their processing time. Hope this helps someone! 🤞
Thanks for sharing your experience! 8am calling strategy is smart - I never thought about timing it that way. Quick question though - where do you get a certified copy of your marriage certificate? Is that something you have to request from the county clerk or can you get it online? Just want to make sure I'm prepared before I call! 📋
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As a newcomer to this whole PFL process, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this thread has been! I'm actually in a very similar boat - about to apply for PFL myself and was dreading having to figure out the system. Reading through everyone's experiences and tips has given me so much confidence going into this. @Zara Khan - definitely call them ASAP about that duplicate application like everyone's suggesting. It sounds like it's totally fixable if you catch it early! And for your wife's split leave, it seems like the key is being super organized with documentation and timing. One quick question for the group - when you're calling EDD, do you find it helpful to have all your documents pulled up on your computer beforehand? Like employment history, medical records, etc.? I want to be as prepared as possible for when I make my own call! Thanks again everyone for sharing your experiences! 🙏
@Jayden Reed Yes, absolutely have everything ready before you call! I learned this the hard way when I was unprepared for my first EDD call. Here s'what I d'recommend having on hand: your SSN, employment info dates, (employer details ,)any medical documentation if it s'medical leave, bank info for direct deposit, and definitely your confirmation numbers if you already submitted an application. Also keep a pen and paper nearby to write down reference numbers, case numbers, or any instructions they give you. The reps can be helpful but they talk fast and you don t'want to forget important details! Good luck with your application - you ve'got this! 💪
Just jumping in as someone who's been lurking in this community for a while but finally creating an account because this thread is so helpful! I'm actually preparing to apply for PFL in the next few weeks and was feeling pretty overwhelmed by the whole process. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - especially knowing that duplicate applications are fixable and that there are actual strategies for getting through to someone on the phone. I had no idea about calling on Tuesday/Wednesday mornings or having all your documentation ready beforehand. @Zara Khan I hope you get both issues sorted out quickly! It sounds like you've got a solid game plan now thanks to all the advice here. For anyone else who's new to this like me - this community is amazing and I'm so glad I found it. Sometimes it really does take a village to navigate government bureaucracy! 😅 Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips - you're all lifesavers! 🌟
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I'm dealing with this same issue right now! Been trying to access my PFL benefits but keep hitting this wall with the CA license requirement. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one struggling with this. @NeonNomad your breakdown is incredibly helpful, thank you! I have a passport and out-of-state license, so I'll try the combination approach. @Charity Cohan your step-by-step process sounds like exactly what I need to try. It's frustrating that they make this so difficult for out-of-state folks, but at least there seems to be a path forward. Will update once I make some progress!
@Marcus Patterson I m'in the exact same boat! Just moved here from Texas and dealing with this nightmare too. It s'wild how they make it seem like having a CA license is the only option when clearly there are workarounds. I m'going to try the passport + Social Security card combo that @NeonNomad mentioned first, and if that doesn t'work, I ll'follow @Charity Cohan s process'with calling ahead to get the account note. Really hoping one of these approaches works because I ve been'waiting on my PFL benefits for over a month now. This thread is a goldmine - thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
Just wanted to add my experience to help others - I'm military and was stationed in CA temporarily but kept my home state license. What worked for me was using my military ID along with my Social Security card. The key was being persistent and polite when explaining my situation. I also recommend having your orders or proof of temporary residence ready if you're in a similar situation. The representative I finally reached was actually very understanding once I explained that I was military and couldn't change my state of residence. Don't give up - there are definitely ways around the CA license requirement, you just have to find the right person who knows the system!
Thank you for sharing your military experience! That's really helpful to know that military ID + Social Security card worked for you. I'm not military myself, but your point about being persistent and polite is spot on. I think a lot of us get frustrated (understandably) and that might work against us when dealing with customer service. It's also good to hear that some reps are actually understanding once they grasp the situation - gives me hope that I'll eventually find someone who can help me navigate this mess!
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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!
Kolton Murphy
Just wanted to share my recent experience - I filed my PFL claim about 5 weeks ago and finally got my first payment last week! The key things that helped me were: 1) Making sure I had all my medical documentation ready upfront, 2) Following up with my doctor to submit the required forms quickly, and 3) checking the EDD website regularly for any requests for additional info. The waiting is really stressful, but hang in there everyone! 💪
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Esmeralda Gómez
•Thanks for sharing your experience @Kolton Murphy! 5 weeks is actually not too bad compared to some of the horror stories I've been hearing. Quick question - did you have to call them at all during the process, or did everything go through smoothly just by submitting online? I'm at week 2 right now and getting anxious about whether I should try calling or just wait it out.
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Luca Russo
Just wanted to add my recent experience to help others - I filed my PFL claim 6 weeks ago and am still waiting for approval. What's been most frustrating is the lack of communication from EDD. I've called multiple times but can never get through. However, I did notice that when I log into my online account, there's sometimes a message asking for additional documentation that wasn't mentioned in the original application. My advice: check your online portal at least twice a week, even if you haven't received any emails or mail notifications. There might be requests sitting there that could be holding up your claim! Has anyone else experienced this issue with missing notifications?
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Benjamin Johnson
•@Luca Russo Yes! I had the exact same issue. I was waiting for weeks thinking they were just processing my claim, but it turns out they had requested additional medical records that I never got notified about. The request was just sitting in my online portal. Once I submitted the documents, my claim moved forward pretty quickly. It s'so frustrating that their notification system doesn t'work properly - you really do have to check manually all the time. Thanks for sharing this tip, hopefully it helps others avoid the same delay!
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