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My sister just went through this whole mess with her baby bonding. She said what fixed it was speaking with a tier 2 specialist, not just the regular reps. Apparently if you do get through, you should immediately ask to be transferred to a tier 2 specialist who can actually see and fix stuck claims. The regular reps can only see basic info and just tell you to wait.
After reading all these comments, I'm pretty sure your issue is the transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding. I had the exact same problem in 2024. The good news is that once they fix it, you'll get all your backpay in one lump sum. Make sure when you do get through to someone that you specifically mention this is a "transition claim issue between SDI and PFL for baby bonding" - using those exact terms helped me get the right assistance.
I just used Claimyr and finally got through! You were 100% right - it was a transition issue. My pregnancy disability claim hadn't fully closed in their system even though it showed "Closed" on my end. The specialist fixed it while I was on the phone and said I should receive all back payments within 3-5 business days. Such a relief! Thank you everyone for your help!
Ugh I hate when EDD messes up payments. I swear their system is designed to make everything as complicated as possible. Had a similar issue when transferring from pregnancy disability to bonding time. Get ready for hours of useless hold music if you try calling them!
Here's the official process: When a direct deposit is returned due to incorrect account information, EDD automatically places that specific payment in a special queue for manual handling. Meanwhile, your future payments will continue to process normally to your corrected account information. You should see your second payment deposit as scheduled tomorrow if you've already updated your banking information in the system. The first payment typically takes 7-10 business days to be reissued after it's returned to EDD. They may either redeposit it electronically or mail a physical check, depending on their internal processing. If you don't see your second payment tomorrow, or if it's been more than 10 business days since the first payment was returned, then you should contact EDD directly for assistance.
my hubby did this!! yes he can get PFL even after being fired! as long as he paid into SDI within the last 18 months he qualifies! but the benefits are based on a percentage of what he earned during his highest-paid quarter in the base period so might be less money than he hopes lol the EDD system for PFL is actually way better than unemployment in my experience... they didn't give us any hassle about him being unemployed when he applied. took about 10 days to get approved and then another week to get the first payment on the debit card good luck with your little one!! those first few months are so precious 💕
My bff just went through this and found out there's actually a HUGE mistake people make... if he applies for Unemployment first and then PFL, sometimes the computer system gets confused. Because technically you have to be "able and available to work" for unemployment but you're saying you're NOT available to work for PFL since you're caring for a baby. The EDD computers sometimes flag this as fraud even though it's totally legal to transition from one program to another! Make sure if he calls that he explains clearly he was denied unemployment and is now applying for a completely different benefit. And get EVERYTHING in writing!
This is an excellent point! The two programs do have contradictory requirements. For unemployment, you must certify you're looking for work. For PFL, you're certifying you can't work because you're bonding with a child. To avoid problems, he should be very clear in his PFL application that he was denied unemployment and is no longer pursuing it. If he does win his unemployment appeal later, he should immediately inform both departments to avoid any overlapping benefits which could result in an overpayment notice.
Wait I thought PFL was only for bonding with a new baby?? I didn't know you could use it for taking care of sick family members too! Learn something new everyday I guess.
PFL in California can be used for three purposes: bonding with a new child (birth, adoption, foster placement), caring for a seriously ill family member, or participating in a qualifying event when a family member is deployed to a foreign country on active military duty. It's 8 weeks total per 12-month period regardless of which type you use.
UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what happened in case it helps someone else. I filed a new claim online and had my husband's cardiologist complete the new certification form. As suggested, I made sure they included specific language about the defibrillator vest and supervision requirements. I called EDD using the Claimyr service that was recommended (which actually worked great - connected me to a real person in about 8 minutes) and the rep confirmed that I was doing everything correctly. She added a note to my file about the urgency of my husband's condition. My claim was approved in 6 days, and I've already received the first payment. Thank you everyone for your help!
Olivia Kay
Updating my earlier comment after seeing all the contradictory experiences here. The technically correct answer depends on exactly how your employer reported the sick pay to EDD. If they specifically marked it as covering your disability period, then you shouldn't need to report it again. But if it was just general sick pay, you may need to report it. The safest approach is to connect with an EDD representative who can see your specific claim details before submitting your certification. That way you'll get guidance specific to your situation rather than general advice that might not apply.
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Henry Delgado
•That makes sense - thank you! I think I'll try to reach an agent to confirm before submitting. My baby's napping now so perfect time to try calling.
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Henry Delgado
UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD! For anyone with a similar situation in the future: I DO need to report the sick pay for that transition week on my PFL certification, even though I already reported it for disability. The agent explained that the systems for SDI and PFL are separate, and each needs accurate income reporting. In my specific case, they looked at my employer info and confirmed I needed to enter the 15 hours worth of sick pay for that specific week. Thank you all for your help and suggestions! Baby just woke up so gotta run.
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Jibriel Kohn
•Thanks for sharing the resolution! This will definitely help others in similar situations. Enjoy those precious moments with your little one!
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