I'm a military spouse who went through this exact process when we PCS'd from Camp Lejeune to Fort Bliss in 2023! I was working as a respiratory therapist for only 4 weeks when my husband got orders, so I totally understand the anxiety about short work history. Here's what really made the difference for me: I created a comprehensive spreadsheet of ALL my 2022-2023 earnings, including respiratory therapy clinical rotations, part-time work as a pharmacy tech during school, some weekend shifts at urgent care clinics, and even small amounts from medical equipment training gigs. When I requested the alternate base period, these scattered earnings easily met the monetary requirements. One crucial tip I haven't seen mentioned - save screenshots of every page during your online filing process! EDD's website can be glitchy and sometimes loses information partway through. I learned this the hard way when I had to restart my application twice. Having screenshots helped me recreate everything exactly the same way the third time. Also, when you do get that phone interview, don't be afraid to mention that nursing is a critical healthcare profession and you're actively seeking work. The rep seemed impressed that I was in an essential field and took my job search seriously. The whole process took about 5 weeks for me. El Paso actually has excellent healthcare opportunities, especially at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, so I'm sure Arizona will have great prospects for you too. Military spouses in healthcare fields are in high demand! You've got this! 💪

I'm a military spouse who went through this exact situation when we PCS'd from Naval Base San Diego to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska last year! I was working as a nurse practitioner for only 7 weeks when my husband got his orders, so I completely understand your stress about the short work history. Here's what really helped me get approved: I went back through ALL my 2024 records and found wages from nursing school clinical preceptorships, part-time work as an RN during my NP program, some telehealth consulting I did on weekends, and even per diem shifts at a VA clinic. When I used the alternate base period, these combined earnings were well above the monetary threshold. One thing I want to emphasize that I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you keep detailed records of every conversation with EDD. I created a simple log with date, time, representative name/ID, and summary of what was discussed. This saved me when I got conflicting information from different reps about my military spouse status. Also, don't stress too much about the Arizona job market - Alaska actually turned out to have incredible opportunities for healthcare professionals, especially at the military treatment facilities. Arizona's healthcare system is much more robust, so you'll definitely land on your feet! The timeline was about 5-6 weeks from filing to first payment, but having that financial bridge during our PCS made all the difference. You're going to navigate this successfully - the military spouse provision exists exactly for situations like yours! 🌟

Another thing that helped me was calling right after lunch around 1:30-2:00 PM on Wednesdays. I know everyone says mornings are best, but I think fewer people try the afternoon slots. Got through twice using this timing when the 8 AM method wasn't working for me. Also, if you're still having trouble, try reaching out to your state assembly member's office. They have constituent services that can sometimes help escalate EDD issues. I had to do this for my unemployment claim last year and they were able to get movement on my case within a week. Worth a shot when you're dealing with urgent financial needs! One more tip - document EVERYTHING. Keep records of every call attempt, reference numbers from your online messages, screenshots of your claim status, etc. If you end up needing to escalate or file an appeal, having that paper trail is crucial.

Just want to echo what others have said about persistence paying off! I went through this same nightmare in February when my son was born. The key things that finally worked for me: 1) Called at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday using my work landline 2) Had ALL my paperwork organized beforehand - claim numbers, employer contact info, baby's birth certificate details, doctor's clearance dates 3) When I got the busy signal, I immediately hung up and redialed - did this for about 45 minutes straight until I got through to hold music The rep I finally reached was actually really helpful once I got to a human. Turns out my issue was similar to the original poster - my employer had submitted conflicting information about my return-to-work date vs what I put on my PFL application. She fixed it on the spot and I had my first payment within a week. The waiting period between disability and PFL is real and it SUCKS when you're already financially stressed with a new baby. But definitely keep certifying for benefits even while your claim shows pending - you'll get backpaid once it's approved. Don't make the mistake of waiting to certify until after approval! Hang in there everyone - the system is broken but you can get through it with enough persistence!

unpopular opinion: sometimes its easier to just let the claims overlap and deal with slightly lower benefits than go thru the hassle of changing dates. been down this road and the stress wasnt worth it for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Just went through this exact same situation last month! The key is to be super specific about which claim you want adjusted and why. When I called, I explained that the overlap was preventing me from getting my full benefits and asked them to modify the start date on my FMLA claim to begin after my SDI ended. Make sure you have both claim numbers handy and be prepared to explain the timeline clearly. Also, don't hang up until they confirm the changes in the system - I made that mistake the first time and had to call back again. You got this! 💪

I'm currently going through this exact same nightmare! Had my baby 18 days ago and submitted my delivery date verification 11 days ago through the online portal. My claim has been stuck on "pending" ever since and I'm starting to panic because rent is due next week. I've called that useless number from the notification probably 15 times with zero callbacks. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring (knowing I'm not alone) and infuriating (that this is such a widespread problem). I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy with the main disability number tomorrow using the script that worked for others. It's absolutely ridiculous that new parents have to deal with this bureaucratic mess when we should be focusing on our babies and recovery. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off. I'll update once I hopefully get through to someone who can actually help!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress with a newborn! This exact same thing happened to me in November. After reading through all these responses, I want to add one more tip that really helped me: when you do get through to EDD (and you will!), ask the representative to verify that your uploaded documents are actually readable in their system. Sometimes the files get corrupted during upload or their system can't open certain formats, but they won't automatically tell you this. In my case, my PDF was "received" but couldn't be opened, so I had to resubmit as a JPEG. Once I did that and called back to confirm they could access it, my payment was processed within 3 business days. Also, keep screenshots of your online account showing when you submitted everything - it can be helpful proof if there are any disputes about timing. The whole system is definitely broken, but don't lose hope! You WILL get your payments eventually, including all the back pay you're owed.

New member here! This thread has been so incredibly helpful as I'm planning my own return to work with intermittent PFL. I'm due in 6 weeks and want to get prepared early since I'll likely want to do a similar part-time schedule. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned - does anyone know if there are any restrictions on WHICH days of the week you can take as PFL days? Like, could I theoretically do Wednesday/Thursday as my PFL days, or does it need to be consecutive days like Monday/Friday or Thursday/Friday? Also, for those who have done this - did you find that having mid-week PFL days vs end-of-week days made any difference for work continuity or your own adjustment? I'm trying to think through what schedule would work best for both bonding time and maintaining good relationships with my team when I return. Thanks in advance for any insights!

New member here! I've been lurking in this community for a while but finally decided to join after reading this incredibly helpful thread. I'm currently 8 months pregnant with my first and already stressing about how to balance returning to work with wanting to spend time with my baby. Reading everyone's experiences with intermittent PFL has been such a relief - I had no idea this was even an option! My job is pretty flexible and I think they'd be open to a part-time arrangement, but I was worried about the financial aspect of only working 2-3 days a week. @Giovanni Marino - your breakdown of the 40-day calculation was super helpful. If I understand correctly, taking PFL for 2 days a week would let me stretch the benefits over about 5 months? That seems like it could be a perfect transition period. @Dmitry Sokolov - I love your advice about calling EDD before filing online. Did you have any specific questions prepared, or did you just explain your situation and let them guide you through it? For those who've done this successfully, what was the hardest part about managing the intermittent schedule? I'm wondering if it's more challenging to context-switch between work days and bonding days, or if the variety actually makes it easier? Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This thread is giving me so much confidence that I can make this work! ✨