Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
I'm currently preparing for maternity leave and have been following this thread closely - it's been incredibly helpful! My employer also has a supplemental pay policy, and I was initially worried about how to handle it properly. Based on everything I've read here, it seems like the key is making sure these payments are coded correctly on paystubs as "supplemental benefits" rather than regular wages. I'm planning to have a conversation with my HR department before my leave starts to ensure we're both clear on the proper coding. @StarStrider - I hope your PFL application went smoothly this week! You've handled everything so professionally and thoroughly. The way you proactively addressed the payroll error and got documentation from HR is exactly the right approach. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned much - for those who've completed the PFL certification process with employer supplemental pay, is it pretty straightforward to report these payments, or are there any tricky aspects to watch out for? This whole discussion has given me so much confidence about navigating this process when my time comes. Thank you to everyone who's shared their real experiences - this community is amazing! 🙏
I'm going through this exact situation right now and can definitely relate to your stress! My employer also supplements state benefits up to 100% of salary, and I was initially panicked about how it might affect my claims. After dealing with this for the past few weeks, here's what I've learned: the supplemental payments are totally fine as long as they're coded correctly on your paystubs. They need to show up as something like "supplemental disability benefits" or "leave pay supplement" - NOT regular wages. When you certify for PFL, you'll report these under "other benefits received," but they won't reduce your state benefits since you're not actually working. You're absolutely doing the right thing by having HR fix that payroll error and document it properly. I had a similar situation where they accidentally processed regular pay during my first week of leave, and once they corrected the coding and provided written documentation, there were no issues with EDD. For your PFL timing, applying early this week sounds perfect if your SDI ends in about 10 days. I filed mine about 6 days before my disability ended and had a seamless transition with no gap in benefits. One tip that's really helped me: start a simple tracking spreadsheet now with dates, EDD amounts, employer supplement amounts, and how they appear on your paystubs. It makes certification so much easier and gives you peace of mind that everything is documented. Don't stress too much - you're being super proactive about this which puts you in a great position. The system handles employer supplemental benefits all the time! You've got this! 💪
@Cedric Chung Thank you so much for sharing your current experience! It s'incredibly reassuring to hear from someone who s'actively going through this process right now. Your advice about the tracking spreadsheet is spot-on - I wish I had started one from the beginning but I m'definitely setting one up this week. I m'curious about one detail - when you certify and report the employer supplemental payments as other "benefits, do" you report the gross amount or the net amount after any taxes are withheld? I want to make sure I m'prepared with the right numbers when I start my PFL certifications. Also, did your employer automatically continue the supplemental payments when you transitioned from SDI to PFL, or did you need to notify them about the change? I m'planning to give my HR a heads up when I file for PFL, but I m'wondering if that s'necessary or if they handle it automatically. This whole community discussion has been such a lifeline during what initially felt like an overwhelming process. It s'amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you hear from people who ve'actually navigated this successfully. Thanks for the encouragement and practical tips! 🙏
Join the conversation
Just want to echo what others have said about persistence paying off! I had this exact issue earlier this year - moved to CA from Oregon and couldn't access my account. What finally worked was a combination of calling multiple times until I got someone helpful AND having all my documents ready to go. I used my Oregon driver's license + passport + Social Security card. The rep walked me through uploading them through their secure portal and flagged my account for manual review. Took about 2 weeks total but I finally got access. Pro tip: call early in the morning (like 8 AM sharp) - seemed like I had better luck reaching someone who wasn't already burned out from dealing with frustrated callers all day. Don't lose hope, it's definitely solvable!
@Jamal Carter Thanks for the tip about calling at 8 AM! I never thought about timing but that makes total sense - the reps are probably fresher and more patient early in the day. I ve'been calling randomly throughout the day with no luck. Going to set my alarm and try the early morning approach tomorrow with my documents ready. Really appreciate you sharing the timeline too 2 (weeks -) helps set realistic expectations instead of constantly refreshing and getting frustrated when nothing happens immediately.
This thread has been so helpful! I'm actually in a similar situation but with a twist - I'm a CA resident who just never got around to getting a driver's license (I live in SF and use public transit). I've been putting off dealing with this but clearly need to bite the bullet. From reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like getting a CA state ID from the DMV might be my easiest path forward since I'm actually a resident. @NeonNomad mentioned this as option #1 - has anyone here actually gone through the DMV process for a state ID specifically for EDD purposes? Just wondering about timing since I need to access my benefits sooner rather than later. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - it's reassuring to know there are solutions even when the system seems impossible to navigate!
@Luca Esposito I actually did exactly this! I was in the same boat - SF resident, no car, never needed a license. Getting the CA state ID was super straightforward and way faster than trying to fight the system with alternative docs. Just brought my birth certificate, Social Security card, and a utility bill to prove residency. The whole DMV process took maybe an hour went (to the one on Fell Street ,)and I had the temporary ID that same day which EDD accepted immediately. Got my physical ID in the mail about 10 days later. Honestly wish I d'just done this from the start instead of spending weeks trying workarounds. If you re'already a CA resident, this is definitely your fastest path forward!
Join the conversation
I went through this exact situation in 2023! I was on disability/PFL from my main job as a physical therapist (couldn't do patient transfers after my C-section) but was able to continue my side telehealth consultations from home. Here's what worked for me: Get your doctor to write a very specific note distinguishing between your job duties. Mine wrote "Patient is unable to perform essential functions of physical therapy including patient transfers, prolonged standing, and lifting >10lbs due to post-surgical restrictions. Patient is medically cleared for sedentary computer-based work up to 15 hours per week." Report EVERYTHING on your certifications - even if you only work 2 hours that week, report it. EDD has a formula where they reduce your benefits based on part-time earnings, but you still come out ahead financially. For me, working 8-10 hours/week reduced my weekly benefit by about 30%, but the combined income was still more than benefits alone. The transition from disability to PFL was seamless - same reporting requirements. Just make sure your doctor's clearance notes specify you're still unable to perform your main job duties during the PFL period too. Document everything and don't stress too much - this is actually a pretty common situation for people with multiple employers!
This is incredibly helpful - thank you for sharing your detailed experience! I'm actually in almost the exact same situation as you were (healthcare job with physical demands vs. remote computer work). The specific doctor's note language you used is perfect, and I really appreciate you mentioning the benefit reduction formula. It's reassuring to know that even with the reduction, the combined income is still better than benefits alone. I'm feeling much more confident about moving forward with this now. Did you ever have any follow-up questions from EDD about your situation, or was it pretty smooth sailing once you had all the documentation in place?
I'm in a very similar situation right now - on maternity leave from my full-time job as a teacher (can't handle the physical demands of being on my feet all day with kindergarteners) but considering doing some online tutoring from home. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been SO helpful! Based on what I'm seeing, the key takeaways seem to be: 1) Get very specific medical documentation that distinguishes between your job duties, 2) Report absolutely everything on your certifications, and 3) Keep meticulous records of all part-time work and earnings. I'm curious - for those who successfully did this, did you give EDD a heads up before starting the part-time work, or did you just start reporting it on your next certification? I want to be as transparent as possible but also don't want to create unnecessary complications if it's not required to notify them in advance. Also wondering if anyone has tips for the best time to call EDD to actually get through to someone? I've been trying for days and either get busy signals or disconnected after waiting on hold for hours.
Join the conversation
I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation - submitted my PFL claim back in late August and it's been complete silence from EDD ever since! This thread has been incredibly helpful though, so thank you Katherine for starting this discussion. I'm definitely going to try a multi-pronged approach based on everyone's advice: starting with William's professional email template, then moving to the early morning calling strategy that Vanessa mentioned, and if all else fails, contacting my local representative like Olivia did successfully. It's honestly mind-blowing that we have to become experts in government bureaucracy navigation just to get updates on our own benefit claims, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions. The spreadsheet tracking idea from Fatima is brilliant too - I wish I had started documenting everything from day one! Here's hoping we all get some movement on our cases soon. Hang in there everyone! 💪
NebulaNova, I'm right there with you! Just found this thread after months of feeling completely lost with my PFL case (filed mine in September). This community is amazing - I've learned more helpful strategies from this one thread than from hours of trying to navigate EDD's website. I'm definitely stealing that multi-pronged approach you outlined! One thing I'm wondering - has anyone had luck with documenting everything and then filing a formal complaint if nothing works? I saw someone mention it briefly but wasn't sure if that actually gets results or just creates more bureaucratic headaches. Either way, it's so comforting to know we're all in this together. The fact that we have to crowdsource solutions for basic government services is pretty wild, but grateful for everyone's willingness to share what works! 🤞
I'm in the exact same boat! Filed my PFL claim back in early October and it's been total silence since then. This thread has been so incredibly helpful - I honestly thought I was doing something wrong or missing some obvious step. Reading everyone's experiences and strategies has given me hope that there's actually a path forward. I'm planning to start with William's email template tomorrow, then try the early morning calling approach if that doesn't work. The local representative option is definitely going in my back pocket for later if needed. It's wild that we have to become professional government agency whisperers just to get basic information about our own cases, but this community support makes it feel so much less overwhelming. Katherine, thank you for starting this thread - just knowing I'm not alone in this bureaucratic maze helps more than you know! Fingers crossed we all start seeing some movement soon 🤞
Zainab, you're definitely not alone in this! I just joined this community after finding this thread through a desperate Google search about PFL delays - filed mine in mid-September and same story, complete radio silence. This thread has been like finding a treasure trove of actual useful advice after weeks of getting nowhere with official channels. I'm also planning to start with that email template approach and work my way up the escalation ladder. One thing I've been wondering - has anyone tried sending documents via certified mail to create a paper trail? I'm paranoid they'll claim they never received something important. It's absolutely insane that we have to become bureaucracy experts just to access benefits we've paid into, but having this community to share strategies with makes it feel less hopeless. Thanks Katherine for starting this discussion - it's exactly what so many of us needed! 🙏
ElectricDreamer
Whatever you do, don't give up! Keep calling, keep trying. It took me weeks to sort out a similar issue, but I finally got it resolved. You got this! 💪
0 coins
Aisha Rahman
•Thanks for the encouragement! It's easy to feel defeated by the bureaucracy, but I'll keep at it.
0 coins
CosmicCadet
I just went through this exact same situation last month! Here's what worked for me: I sent an email to the EDD document review team with my case number in the subject line. They responded within 3 business days with instructions on how to submit the missing docs through a secure portal. Way easier than calling and waiting on hold forever. The email address is on their website under "Contact Us" - look for "Document Submission Issues." Hope this helps!
0 coins
Madison Allen
•They told me to allow 7-10 business days for processing after submitting through the portal. Mine actually got reviewed in about 5 days, so it was faster than expected! Just make sure you get a confirmation email after uploading - that's proof they received everything. The portal also shows the status of each document, which is super helpful for tracking progress.
0 coins
Kendrick Webb
•This is incredibly helpful! I've been dreading the thought of spending my entire day on hold. Going to try emailing them right now with my case number. @079b1bdd5371 do you remember if there were any specific details they wanted in the email besides the case number?
0 coins