When I went through this transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding last year, I found it helpful to reference specific EDD publications during my calls. If you mention Form DE2501FP and specifically say you're filing a "Paid Family Leave claim to bond with your new child following a pregnancy-related disability claim," the representatives usually understand better what you need. The rep who told you that you need to exhaust Medi-Cal was completely confused - possibly thinking about State Disability Insurance (SDI) and private disability insurance coordination, which is a different thing entirely. Keep trying and be very specific about what you're requesting.

Quick update question - have you been able to reach another representative yet? Did they correct this misinformation?

One more thing to note - make sure you're regularly checking both your physical mail and your online portal. EDD often sends notices through only one method, not both. If they need additional information regarding Part C, they might mail you a request without posting it to your online account. This happens frequently with baby bonding claims where the care recipient is a minor child.

UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD today using the Claimyr service that someone recommended here (definitely worth it after trying to call on my own for days). The agent confirmed they received my Part C form but said it was missing my son's birthdate in section 2. I'm uploading the corrected form now and she said to expect processing within 5-7 business days. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! What a relief to finally get an answer.

hey just checking in...did u hear anything back yet?? im in a similar boat and wondering how long ur waiting this time

It's been 9 days and still shows

Quick update on California unemployment eligibility for this situation: As of 2025, EDD has actually been more lenient about commute-related quits, especially for parents returning from leave. The 2024 policy update clarified that a "substantial change in working conditions" includes significant increases in commute time/distance that create undue hardship for parents of young children. The current guideline is that a commute increase of 30+ minutes each way can potentially qualify as good cause for voluntary separation, particularly when childcare is involved. Your 5-minute to 45-minute/2-hour change certainly meets this threshold. Make sure to specify on your application that this was a "employer-initiated substantial change in working conditions" rather than just selecting "quit.

Has anyone actually calculated what this would cost her? Let's do the math: - $25 Uber each way = $50/day - Babysitting for 12 hours at even just $15/hr = $180/day - Total daily cost: $230 Assuming you make $25/hr (which is good pay), that's $200/day before taxes. You'd literally be PAYING to go to work! Even with bus transportation: - Bus fare (let's say $5 each way) = $10/day - Babysitting for 12 hours at $15/hr = $180/day - Total daily cost: $190 This is clearly an untenable situation. Document everything, but don't feel guilty about quitting. No reasonable person would expect someone to work under these conditions.

Just to add a bit more information - the process should work like this: 1. Your pregnancy disability claim (SDI) ends on your doctor-certified date 2. EDD closes out that claim in their system (1-3 business days) 3. The system automatically generates a PFL application email 4. You complete the PFL application for baby bonding 5. EDD processes your PFL claim (typically 5-7 business days) 6. Your first PFL payment is issued For 2025, the weekly benefit amount for your PFL should be the same as what you received for SDI (60-70% of your wages, depending on your income level). And as I mentioned, payments can be retroactive to avoid gaps in coverage. If by some chance you don't receive the email at all, you can also initiate a PFL claim by calling EDD directly or using their online portal under the "New Claim" option. But it's generally easier to use the email link when it arrives.

congrats on your baby! i remember being sooo confused by all this edd stuff with my first. try not to stress too much (easier said than done i know lol). the money always comes eventually even if edd makes it complicated.