I'm hitting 28 weeks pregnant and honestly panicking about money. My employer doesn't offer any maternity benefits, and I've been piecing together income from my regular job (30 hrs/week) plus some freelance graphic design work. No idea how all this affects my EDD benefits! Can someone walk me through the disability timeline? I'm confused about: - When exactly should I submit my disability claim? Like what week of pregnancy? - Do I get any disability payments BEFORE baby arrives, or just after? - If my doctor puts me on bed rest early (my blood pressure's been wonky), does that qualify for disability or is that unemployment? - Does anyone know if my side freelance income gets factored into my benefit calculation? - How many weeks total can I expect between pregnancy disability and baby bonding? This is my first pregnancy and the financial stuff is freaking me out more than the actual birth! Any step-by-step guidance would be SO appreciated.

Anyone else experiencing weird issues with the EDD PFL phone system? I submitted my baby bonding claim about 3 weeks ago, and previously when I called their number, it would ask for my SSN, DOB, and ZIP code, then tell me the date they received my claim. But today something strange happened - it only asked for my SSN and then immediately started giving me information about the Money Network card! No claim status at all.\n\nI'm getting really anxious because I need to know if my claim is processing properly. My maternity disability just ended last week, and I can't afford any gaps in payment with a newborn. Has the system changed? Is anyone else getting routed to Money Network info instead of their actual claim status? What number are you successfully using to check on PFL claims?

I just transitioned from pregnancy disability to PFL for baby bonding and EDD's website is saying my first payment date is August 3 (that's today). I'm used to my disability payments hitting my BoA card around 9pm, but I'm not sure if PFL follows the same schedule? Does anyone know if PFL deposits work the same way as disability? Getting anxious because I've got some bills coming up and need to know exactly when the money will be available to use! TIA

I'm super confused about the certification timeline for maternity leave! My claim was just approved with an effective date of 9/6/2025, but I have no idea when I'll need to certify for the first time. Will I get a notification? Do I need to log into my EDD account on a specific date? This is my first pregnancy and I'm trying to make sure I don't miss anything important that could delay my payments. My doctor submitted all the paperwork about 2 weeks ago, and I just got the approval letter yesterday. Any help would be really appreciated!

Hi everyone, I'm feeling really anxious about my EDD appeal situation. I had my hearing yesterday after quitting my job back in January to provide caregiving for my mom who has mid-stage dementia. The whole situation was impossible - Mom was living with my brother about 7 hours away, and her condition deteriorated rapidly after she wandered away from his house and was missing for nearly 8 hours in freezing temperatures. I tried everything to avoid quitting. Requested FMLA paperwork but her neurologist wanted an in-person follow-up before completing the certification (impossible with the distance). Asked for reduced hours or temporary leave, but my employer said my position couldn't accommodate either option. When I finally gave notice, my supervisor actually said "I understand completely" but then they contested my PFL application anyway. The appeal hearing seemed to go okay? My former employer didn't really have strong arguments since they acknowledged they knew about my caregiving situation and admitted they couldn't offer alternative positions during the hours I needed. But I'm still so nervous about the decision. It took 5 months just to get this hearing scheduled, and I've read it can take another 4-6 weeks for a decision. Meanwhile, I'm drowning in debt, maxed out credit cards trying to cover basic expenses while providing full-time care. Has anyone won an appeal in a similar caregiving situation? What are my chances?