just wondering how ur pregnancy leave was? i'm due in 3 months and nervous about the whole process. was the mail claim easy? did u have any complications with payment?

btw dont freak out if theres a few days gap between SDI ending and PFL starting! mine took 5 days to process so there was like a week with no payment then they did back pay

Update us if you manage to get through! I'm curious if that Claimyr service actually works as well as some people say. It would be nice to have a reliable way to reach EDD when necessary.

UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD! I tried calling right at 8AM as suggested but still couldn't get through after 7 attempts. So I used the Claimyr service mentioned above and got connected to a representative in about 25 minutes. Turns out my claim was flagged because my employer accidentally listed my return-to-work date incorrectly (they put the date I started leave instead of the date I'm returning). The EDD agent fixed it immediately and said my payments should be processed within 3-5 business days for the full 8 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! If anyone else is stuck in PFL limbo, definitely try either calling right when they open or use a service to get through if you're desperate like I was.

To answer your question about splitting the 8 weeks - yes, you can! Under PFL baby bonding, you can break up your 8 weeks however you want, but EDD requires each segment to be at least 1 week long. So you could do 4 weeks in July and 4 weeks in September, or even 2-2-2-2 spread out over different months within the first year after birth. Just know that each time you start a new segment, you'll need to file additional certification paperwork.

btw my quarterly payments were around $250 based on my income and I got about $1300/wk when I took the time off. totally worth it!! and yea I took my time when baby was 5mo and EDD didn't care at all

HEADS UP!!! I tried doing EXACTLY what you're planning and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! EDD is impossible to deal with for unusual situations like this. They denied my initial claim saying I wasn't available for work since I was planning to move, even though it was for my husband's job (not military tho). I appealed and eventually won but it took FOUR MONTHS to get any money!!! By then we had already moved and I had found a job in our new state. The system is BROKEN!!!! 😡😡😡

I work with military families on benefits issues, and I want to clarify a few things: 1. You are absolutely eligible for UI after SDI ends, and the military spouse provision applies to your situation. 2. Document everything! Keep a record of all communications with EDD. 3. If possible, begin your job search before your SDI ends - this strengthens your case that you're actively seeking employment. 4. Once in Virginia, you'll need to register with their workforce agency (Virginia Employment Commission) within a week of arrival, but continue to certify through California. 5. Your UI claim will be based on your California base period wages, regardless of your move. The key is proper documentation and timing. File your UI claim immediately after SDI ends, not before or with a gap. And despite what others have said, the system generally works correctly for military spouses - it just requires careful attention to the application details.

EDD makes this INTENTIONALLY CONFUSING!!! They hope you miss deadlines so they don't have to pay. I had the EXACT same issue and almost lost 3 weeks of benefits because of their unclear instructions. They NEVER explain that you need BOTH forms and the transition between disability and PFL is NOT automatic like they claim!!! ALWAYS call and confirm they received EVERYTHING even if the website says it's processed!!

Update: I found the DE2508F form through my SDI Online account and submitted it this morning along with a copy of the birth certificate. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help! I would have been completely lost without your guidance. I'll update again once I hear back from EDD about whether my application is complete now.