As a newcomer to this community, I'm blown away by how helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm currently pregnant and will need to apply for PFL bonding leave in a few months, so reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly educational. The step-by-step advice about calling 877-238-4373 right at 8am, checking the online portal regularly for notices, and having all documentation ready is exactly what I needed to know. @Jungleboo Soletrain's journey from weeks of frustration to getting their claim expedited really shows that persistence with the right strategy works! I'm making a checklist based on all the tips shared here - especially @Collins Angel's breakdown of common holdups and @Nadia Zaldivar's timing suggestions. It's so reassuring to see people actually get results when they know the right steps. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where real solutions are shared. This community is a lifesaver for navigating these complex systems!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions in this thread! I'm currently going through my own PFL claim process and was feeling completely lost until I found this discussion. The detailed breakdown of strategies - calling 877-238-4373 right at 8am, checking the online portal for notices beyond just the status page, and having all documentation ready - is exactly what I needed. @Jungleboo Soletrain, your success story after finding that missed notice gives me so much hope! I just checked my own online account more thoroughly and sure enough, there was a request for additional information that I had completely overlooked. I'm uploading the documents now and will try calling first thing tomorrow morning. This community's willingness to share practical solutions instead of just venting frustrations is incredible. Thank you all for turning what feels like an impossible bureaucratic maze into something manageable!

Just joined this community because I'm having the EXACT same E313 error! I've been stuck on this for about 12 days now and was starting to think I was the only one going through this nightmare. Like everyone else here, I also received unemployment benefits during COVID (2020) and can log into my regular EDD account just fine, but the PFL claim crashes with that validation error every single time. Reading through all these comments has been such a lifesaver - the pattern is so clear! We ALL have old unemployment claims that are apparently still causing backend conflicts. @Ravi Malhotra your experience about needing a specialist to manually clear old claims gives me hope there's actually a solution. I just checked and yep, my 2020 claim is still showing in my claim history even though it's been closed forever. I've tried everything - different browsers, devices, clearing cache, even had my friend try on their computer. Nothing works, but now I know it's not user error! Going to try the early morning calling strategy and start documenting with screenshots. Thanks OP for posting this thread - it's honestly such a relief to know we're all in this EDD mess together! Hopefully we can all get through to specialists who can fix this broken system 🤞

Just created an account because I'm having this EXACT same E313 error! I've been stuck on this validation issue for about 7 days now and was honestly starting to think I had somehow broken my application. Reading through this entire thread has been such a relief - we're all experiencing the identical problem! Like literally everyone else here, I also received unemployment benefits during COVID (2020) and can log into my regular EDD account without any issues, but every single time I try to start my PFL claim, it crashes with that same "unable to validate information" error. The pattern couldn't be clearer at this point - we ALL have previous unemployment claims that are apparently still causing conflicts in their broken backend system. @Ravi Malhotra thank you so much for sharing your experience about needing a specialist to manually clear old claims - that actually gives me hope there's a real solution! I just went and checked my claim history and sure enough, my old 2020 unemployment claim is still listed there even though it's been closed for years. I've tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache and cookies, different devices, even tried using incognito mode. Nothing works, but now I realize it's not something I'm doing wrong! Going to definitely try the early morning calling strategy that @Esmeralda Gómez mentioned and start documenting everything with screenshots like others have suggested. Thanks OP for creating this thread - it's honestly such a huge relief to know we're not alone in this EDD nightmare! The fact that so many newcomers keep finding this thread with the exact same issue really shows how widespread this problem is. Here's hoping we can all get through to specialists who can actually fix this mess! 🙏

Hi Zara! I'm new to this community and currently 17 weeks pregnant. My husband just got offered a position in Oregon and we're considering the move, but I was really worried about my CA benefits. This thread has been incredibly reassuring! I've been paying into CA SDI for 3 years and was terrified I'd lose everything just because we might relocate. Reading everyone's success stories and practical advice has put my mind so much at ease. The tips about updating addresses with both EDD AND your employer's HR department are so valuable - I never would have thought about the coordination issues between systems. @Nia Harris your step-by-step breakdown is perfect! And @Zainab Yusuf the screenshot documentation tip is genius, especially after reading about the address update problems some people experienced. I'm definitely going to be extra thorough with my record-keeping. It's amazing that CA honors these benefits based on where you worked, not where you live. Oregon actually has their own family leave program too, so it's nice to know we'd have options for future pregnancies if we stay long-term. Thank you for starting this discussion - it's helping so many of us navigate these big decisions during such an important time. Wishing you the best with your Nevada move and congratulations on your first baby! 🌲💕

Hi Zara! I'm new to this community and currently 13 weeks pregnant. My husband just received a job offer in Florida that we're seriously considering, but I was absolutely panicking about potentially losing my CA disability benefits if we moved. Finding this thread has been such a lifesaver! Reading through everyone's experiences has completely eased my anxiety. I had no idea that CA would honor benefits based on where you worked and paid into the system rather than where you currently live. I've been contributing to CA SDI for 2.5 years, so losing those benefits would have been devastating financially. The practical advice shared here is incredible - especially the tips about updating addresses with both EDD AND your employer's HR department, taking screenshots for documentation, and keeping your CA bank account open during the transition. I'm already starting to create a detailed checklist based on all this wisdom. @Nia Harris - your step-by-step breakdown was exactly what I needed to see! And @Zainab Yusuf - those tips about documentation and screenshots are so smart, especially after reading about some of the system glitches others experienced. It's such a relief to know that Florida's lack of state disability benefits won't affect my ability to receive my earned CA benefits. Thank you for starting this discussion - it's helping so many of us make these huge life decisions with confidence. Congratulations on your first baby and best of luck with your Nevada move! This community is truly amazing. 🌴💙

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! 💪

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!

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation - having a new baby is challenging enough without the added stress of job loss! Based on all the incredibly helpful advice shared in this thread, it sounds like you have a solid plan for transitioning to unemployment benefits after your PFL ends. I went through a similar situation a couple years ago and wanted to add that when you do apply for unemployment, make sure to keep copies of all your PFL payment stubs/statements from EDD - they sometimes ask for these to verify the timeline between your disability benefits and unemployment application. Also, since you mentioned financial anxiety, you might want to look into your county's emergency rental assistance programs if you're worried about making mortgage payments during the transition. Many counties expanded these programs and some specifically help families with newborns. The community support and wealth of practical information shared here is absolutely incredible - you've received better guidance than most people get from official sources! Your proactive approach to understanding all your options is going to make such a difference in successfully navigating this challenging time.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this incredibly stressful situation - losing your job while caring for a newborn is one of the most challenging things anyone can face! This thread has become such an invaluable resource with so many people sharing their experiences and practical advice. As someone who works in benefits administration, I wanted to add a few technical points that might help: When you apply for unemployment, make sure to report your PFL end date as your "last day unable to work" rather than treating it as employment - this helps EDD understand you're transitioning from one state benefit to another, not leaving a job. Also, California has a specific provision that if you're terminated while on protected leave, you're automatically considered to have been terminated "through no fault of your own" which strengthens your unemployment claim. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you should also document any communications about your work schedule or job duties before you went on leave - if your employer claimed they "couldn't hold your part-time position" but you have evidence showing your schedule was regular/ongoing, that could be important for both your unemployment claim and any potential discrimination case. The timeline and documentation approach everyone has suggested is spot-on. You're being incredibly proactive by planning this out now rather than scrambling after your PFL ends. Based on everything shared here, you have multiple strong options for getting through this financially while you figure out your next steps. You've got this!