Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
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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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I'm 21 weeks pregnant and just discovered this amazing thread while searching for help with my own workplace situation! Reading through everyone's stories has been incredibly validating - I thought I was going crazy dealing with my manager's subtle comments about my "changing priorities" and the way they've been gradually shifting my responsibilities to other team members "to reduce my stress." I've been experiencing terrible anxiety, frequent headaches, and my blood pressure readings have been concerning at recent appointments. Like so many of you mentioned, I kept thinking this was just normal pregnancy stress, but seeing all these similar experiences makes me realize this is actual workplace discrimination causing real health complications. What's given me the most hope from this thread is understanding that SDI and PFL are insurance programs we've paid into - not handouts we're asking for. I had no idea that benefits could be based on medical necessity regardless of whether you quit voluntarily. This completely changes how I'm thinking about my options! I'm scheduling an appointment with my OB this week to discuss how workplace stress is manifesting in my physical symptoms and to get proper documentation. Based on everyone's advice, I'm going to be very specific about when these symptoms started and their connection to the discrimination I've been experiencing. Thank you all for sharing your journeys so openly - you've shown me that I don't have to endure months more of this toxicity just because I'm pregnant. This community is proof that we have more power and options than we realize when we support each other with knowledge and solidarity! 💪
@Amina Toure Welcome to this incredible community! Your situation sounds so familiar - the changing "priorities comments" and gradual responsibility shifts are textbook pregnancy discrimination tactics. You re'absolutely not going crazy, and those physical symptoms anxiety, (headaches, elevated BP are) serious medical concerns that deserve attention. I m'relatively new here too, but this thread has been life-changing for understanding our rights and options. What really struck me from everyone s'experiences is how important it is to be very specific with your OB about the timeline - when symptoms started, how they ve'worsened since the workplace discrimination began, and the connection between stress and your physical health. The realization that we ve'EARNED these SDI/PFL benefits through our paycheck contributions has been so empowering for me too. It s'not about asking for help - it s'about claiming insurance we ve'already paid for when we have legitimate medical needs. When you meet with your OB, definitely mention those concerning blood pressure readings and ask them to document everything in your medical records. Several people here have successfully gotten early pregnancy disability when workplace stress was causing documented health complications, which could be an option if your symptoms continue. You re'so right that this community shows we have more power than we realize! It s'amazing how much clarity comes from knowing we re'not alone and that there are real pathways to protect both our health and financial security. Keep us posted on how your appointment goes - we re'all rooting for you! 💕
I'm 26 weeks pregnant and just found this thread - what an incredible resource! I've been dealing with a manager who keeps making "concerned" comments about whether I can handle my workload and has been mysteriously reassigning my major projects to colleagues while giving me mindless data entry tasks. The stress has been causing me to have panic attacks and my doctor noted elevated blood pressure at my last two visits. Reading everyone's experiences has been so eye-opening - I had no idea that workplace pregnancy discrimination was this common or that we had these options through SDI and PFL! I always thought if you quit voluntarily, you lost all benefit eligibility, but learning that medical necessity is what matters for disability benefits changes everything. I'm scheduling an emergency appointment with my OB this week to discuss how the workplace stress is affecting my pregnancy and to get proper medical documentation. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to be very specific about the panic attacks, elevated BP, and sleep issues that started after the discriminatory treatment began. Thank you all for sharing your stories so bravely - this thread has shown me that I don't have to sacrifice my baby's health for a toxic job. It's incredible how this community has transformed what felt like an impossible situation into one where I actually understand my rights and have real options. You've all given me the courage to prioritize what really matters! 🙏
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Protip: If you can, try calling right when they open. I got through pretty quick that way. Also, be super nice to the person who answers - they deal with angry people all day and being kind can go a long way!
I went through this exact process about 6 months ago! Here's what worked for me: call first thing in the morning (around 8:05 AM), have your social security number and original claim details ready, and don't hang up even if you get that "high call volume" message. Also, if your situation hasn't changed much from your original claim, mention that upfront - it seemed to speed things up for me. The whole process took about 10 days once I got through to someone. You got this! 💪
This is super helpful, thank you! @Dmitry Popov Quick follow-up question - when you say original "claim details, what" specific info should I have ready? Just want to make sure I m'not missing anything important when I call.
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Anyone else feel like we need to start a petition or something to get the government to fix this mess? It's not fair that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get the benefits we're entitled to.
Petitions are useless. We need to vote for representatives who will actually prioritize fixing these systems.
Why not both? A petition could at least bring more attention to the issue. Every bit helps, right?
Wow, this whole thread is so relatable! I'm currently on week 4 of trying to get my PFL claim processed and it's been absolutely exhausting. The fact that we have to resort to paying third-party services just to talk to someone at our own state agency is honestly insane. I've been hesitant about using those calling services because I wasn't sure if they were legit, but hearing multiple people confirm they work is really helpful. At this point, $20 seems like a small price to pay for my sanity. Thanks for sharing your experience @Jungleboo - gives me hope that there's actually a light at the end of this tunnel! 🤞
@Anastasia I totally feel you! Week 4 sounds absolutely brutal. I'm just starting my journey with PFL and honestly reading all these experiences has me both terrified and grateful for the heads up. It's wild that in 2024 we're still dealing with systems this broken. Have you tried the early morning calling strategy that @Peyton mentioned? I'm thinking of giving that a shot before considering the paid services. Sending you all the good vibes that your claim gets sorted soon! 💪
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This thread has been incredibly enlightening as someone who's currently pregnant with twins and works both as a graphic designer at an agency and freelances on the side. Reading everyone's experiences, especially Santiago's $2300 repayment story and Maria's smart decision to call EDD first, has completely changed my approach to planning my leave. I was initially thinking I could do some small freelance projects during bonding time since it's "different work" from my agency job, but clearly EDD doesn't make those distinctions. The fact that so many parents had to learn these rules through expensive mistakes shows how poorly EDD communicates their policies. It's infuriating that they reduce our income to 60-70% but then penalize any attempts to supplement it, even from completely separate work sources. Maria, thank you for sharing your Claimyr experience - I'll definitely be using that service to get official guidance before I apply. The peace of mind is worth way more than risking thousands in repayments. This community is saving so many families from financial disasters during what should be a joyful time!
Alexis, your situation with agency work plus freelancing is so relatable! I'm also expecting my first baby and work in marketing with a side consulting business. Reading through all these stories has been both terrifying and incredibly valuable. The pattern is so clear - EDD doesn't care if it's "different work" or seems logically separate from your main job. They view ANY work as evidence you don't need the full bonding time, which is such a harsh interpretation when families are already struggling on reduced income. Your decision to use Claimyr for official guidance is definitely the right move. It's crazy that we have to pay a third party to access our own benefits, but after seeing how many people got burned by making assumptions, it seems like a necessity. The fact that you're having twins makes the financial pressure even more intense, but protecting your main PFL benefits is clearly the smart choice. Thanks for adding another profession to the mix - it shows how these restrictions affect everyone from nurses to teachers to designers. This thread really should be pinned as essential reading for any parent planning to take PFL!
This thread is absolutely invaluable! As a first-time parent who just had my baby 3 weeks ago, I'm so grateful I found this before making any decisions about my weekend catering job. I'm currently on PFL from my main office job and was considering picking up a few catering gigs to help with expenses, but after reading about Santiago's $2300 repayment and seeing how strict EDD is about ANY work during leave, I'm definitely not going to risk it. The system really is broken when they give you 60-70% income but penalize you for trying to survive on that reduced amount. Maria, thank you so much for calling EDD and sharing their response - it probably saved me and countless other parents from making costly mistakes. I'm also shocked that you had to use a paid service just to get through to them, but I'll definitely keep Claimyr in mind if I need to contact EDD about anything else. It's heartbreaking that new parents have to choose between financial stability and following confusing rules, but this community is amazing for helping us navigate these impossible situations together!
Congratulations on your new baby! It's so smart that you found this thread before making any decisions about the catering work. Three weeks postpartum is such an intense time already without having to worry about potentially violating EDD rules and facing repayments. Your situation with office work plus weekend catering is exactly like what Maria faced, and seeing how it could have played out differently really shows the value of this community sharing real experiences. It's definitely frustrating that the system forces new parents into these impossible choices, but you're absolutely making the right call by prioritizing your main PFL benefits. Focus on bonding with your little one and don't let the financial stress overshadow this precious time - the reduced income is temporary, but those early weeks with your baby are irreplaceable. Thanks for adding your voice to this discussion - it helps reinforce just how common these multi-job scenarios are and how important it is for parents to get official guidance before making any work decisions while on leave!
Congratulations on your new baby! It's wonderful that you found this thread at just 3 weeks postpartum before making any decisions about catering work. Your timing is perfect - you're still in those precious early bonding weeks and haven't risked any benefit complications. The catering situation is so similar to Maria's retail job dilemma, and seeing all these real experiences really shows how easy it would be to unknowingly violate EDD's rules. I'm also a new parent (my daughter is 6 weeks old) and was considering some freelance writing work until I read through this discussion. It's incredibly frustrating that the system reduces our income when we need it most but then penalizes any attempt to supplement it. Focus on enjoying these early moments with your little one - the financial stress is real, but as others have said, this reduced income period is temporary while these bonding weeks are irreplaceable. This community has been such a lifesaver for navigating these confusing policies!
Monique Byrd
This whole thread has been a lifesaver! I'm dealing with the exact same situation - took 4 weeks of bonding leave when my daughter was born in April, had to go back for a product launch, and now I want to use my remaining 4 weeks before her first birthday. Reading everyone's detailed experiences gives me so much confidence that I can actually make this work. I'm definitely going to call 1-877-238-4373 tomorrow at 8:05 AM with my claim number and all my documents organized. @Victoria Jones @Jacinda Yu @Alejandro Castro thank you all for sharing such specific details about your calls - it's incredibly helpful to know this process actually works! One quick question for anyone who's done this - when you reactivated your claim, did the agent ask for any additional documentation beyond your claim number and basic verification info, or was it pretty straightforward once they had your original claim details? I want to make sure I have absolutely everything ready before I call tomorrow morning!
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Shelby Bauman
•@Monique Byrd From my experience when I called to reactivate my claim a few months ago, it was pretty straightforward once they had my claim number! The agent just verified my basic info name, (SSN, address and) asked me to confirm details about my original claim like my daughter s'birth date and when I first started my bonding leave. They didn t'ask for any additional documentation during the call itself - having your claim number ready was really the key thing. The whole verification process took maybe 2-3 minutes before they moved on to reactivating and discussing dates. You sound super prepared already! The 8:05 AM timing really does seem to make a difference in getting through quickly. Good luck tomorrow!
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Miguel Herrera
This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you everyone for sharing such detailed experiences! I'm in almost the identical situation: took 6 weeks of PFL bonding leave when my son was born in February, had to return early for a critical project, and now I want to use my remaining 2 weeks before his first birthday. Based on all the success stories here, I'm definitely calling 1-877-238-4373 tomorrow morning at exactly 8:05 AM with my claim number ready. @Victoria Jones @Jacinda Yu @Alejandro Castro your step-by-step experiences have given me so much confidence this will actually work! Quick question - I found my claim number in my EDD account under "Claim History" like @Alejandro Castro mentioned, but I'm seeing both a "Claim Number" and a "Confirmation Number" - which one should I have ready for the call? Also, for anyone who's done this recently, are you finding the 8:05 AM timing is still working well for getting through, or have wait times gotten longer? I really want to make sure I get this sorted out at least 3-4 weeks before I plan to take my remaining time off!
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Jade O'Malley
•@Miguel Herrera You ll'want to have the Claim "Number ready," not the confirmation number - that s'the main identifier they use to look up your case. I just called last week using the same 8:05 AM strategy and it s'still working great! Got through after about 35 minutes on hold, which seems pretty consistent with what others have reported. The agent was super helpful and had my claim reactivated in under 10 minutes. One tip - when you call, mention right away that you want to reactivate "an existing PFL bonding claim for the same child so" they route you to the right department immediately. Having 3-4 weeks buffer time is smart - my reactivation showed up in my online account within 2 business days. Good luck tomorrow morning!
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