Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
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- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
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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!
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UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD this morning (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above - it actually worked!). The rep confirmed my payment WAS sent to the Money Network card even though I had direct deposit set up. Apparently for first-time maternity leave payments they sometimes default to the card for security reasons?? Anyway, I activated my card and the money is there! For future payments they said direct deposit should work as expected. Just wanted to update in case anyone else has this problem.
Thanks for sharing this update! Yes, this is a common issue with first payments that many claimants encounter. For anyone reading this thread in the future: 1. Always activate your Money Network card even if you set up direct deposit 2. First payments often default to the card regardless of your settings 3. Subsequent payments should follow your chosen payment method 4. If your payment status shows "issued" but hasn't arrived in 3-5 business days, contact EDD directly Glad you were able to get it resolved!
Paolo Longo
•This should be pinned information for all new maternity leave claims! Would have saved me so much stress.
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StarSurfer
I feel for you so much right now. My twins were born with complications last year and I had to piece together different leaves. One thing no one mentioned yet - if your baby's condition is severe enough, you might qualify for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) in California. It's meant for ongoing care needs though, not just temporary recovery from surgery. Another thing - sometimes your employer will allow you to go negative on PTO or take an unpaid personal leave beyond what's legally required. Doesn't hurt to ask. The whole system is so broken for parents of medically complex kids.
Luca Bianchi
•Thank you for the emotional support and mentioning IHSS - I hadn't heard of that program. My daughter's condition will require at least several months of care, possibly longer depending on how her surgery goes, so I'll definitely look into this. How are your twins doing now?
IMPORTANT UPDATE: I forgot to mention - when you apply for the caregiving PFL after baby bonding, they'll likely ask why you can't return to work briefly between the two claims. THIS IS A TRAP! The law does NOT require you to return to work between claims, but many EDD reps think it does. Your response should emphasize the continuous nature of care from bonding with a newborn to medical caregiving for the same child. Be very clear that there was no break in your caregiving responsibilities - you've been caring for your child continuously since birth, and their medical needs now require extending that care. I had my doctor write a letter specifically explaining why continuous care was medically necessary for my child's condition, which finally got my second claim approved.
Luca Bianchi
•This is incredibly helpful advice! I'll definitely prepare a response about the continuous nature of care, and I'll ask my daughter's specialists to document the necessity of my continuous involvement in her care. Thank you so much for this crucial tip!
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i had the exact same issue!!!!!!! my doctor extended my leave by 3 weeks and i didnt get paid for like a month it was a NIGHTMARE!!!! edd is the worst with pregnancy stuff, they act like pregnancy complications are some huge surprise lol. they backpaid me eventually but not til after i was late on my car payment :
Liv Park
Update: I used Claimyr this morning and got connected to an EDD agent in about 10 minutes! The agent confirmed my doctor's extension was received but stuck in processing. She manually approved it and said I should see the payment in 24-48 hours. She also helped me file my PFL claim for baby bonding so there won't be a gap when the disability ends. Thank you everyone for your help!
That's great news! Glad you got it sorted so quickly. The payment system is so frustrating but at least there are ways to get through to actual humans who can help.
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Yara Nassar
oh and heads up - when u transition from pregnancy SDI to baby bonding PFL after birth thats when u WILL need a completely new application! don't get confused and think its all automatic. totally different claim for that part.
Good to know! So to summarize: I use supplemental certification to go from partial to full SDI during pregnancy, then continue the same SDI claim after birth for recovery, and THEN file a brand new claim for baby bonding PFL. Does that sound right?
That's exactly right. And for the PFL baby bonding portion, you can file that claim up to 41 days before you plan to start using it. Many people file it while they're still on pregnancy/birth recovery SDI to minimize gaps between benefits.
Amina Toure
You know what's really infuriating? I called my EDD office 27 TIMES last month asking this EXACT question and got 3 completely different answers from 3 different representatives!!! One told me I needed a new claim, one told me just a doctor's note would work, and one said I needed some special form. The whole system is designed to confuse us and deny benefits. I bet half the women who get pregnant never get the full benefits they deserve because it's too complicated to figure out what to do when circumstances change!!! 😡😡😡
This is so true. My sister just gave up on getting her full SDI benefits because she couldn't get consistent answers about her high-risk pregnancy. It's like they make it confusing on purpose.
Aurora St.Pierre
i waited 3.5 weeks back in february and was starting to freak out but then suddenly all the money showed up at once. they backdated it to when i filed. its super annoying they dont communicate better about the timeline!!!
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Daniel Price
•The lack of communication is the worst part! An estimate or even just acknowledgment would help so much with planning. Glad you eventually got your money.
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Olivia Evans
UPDATE: Just wanted to check in - has your payment come through yet? It's been about 3 weeks now since you originally filed, right?
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Daniel Price
•Yes! It finally came through yesterday - exactly 17 days after I applied. They paid the full amount backdated to my filing date. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for the reassurance and advice.
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Zoey Bianchi
•Great news! For anyone else reading this thread in the future, 2-3 weeks seems to be the current normal processing time for PFL claims in 2025, despite what the EDD website claims about shorter timeframes.
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