Just wanted to add my experience to help others - I'm military and was stationed in CA temporarily but kept my home state license. What worked for me was using my military ID along with my Social Security card. The key was being persistent and polite when explaining my situation. I also recommend having your orders or proof of temporary residence ready if you're in a similar situation. The representative I finally reached was actually very understanding once I explained that I was military and couldn't change my state of residence. Don't give up - there are definitely ways around the CA license requirement, you just have to find the right person who knows the system!

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!

This is such a stressful situation to be in! I went through something similar during my disability leave in 2023. My employer kept paying me small amounts of "administrative leave" that I had no idea about until I got a confusing pay stub months later. What really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every attempt to contact EDD - dates, times, how long I waited, etc. When I finally got through to a Claims Examiner, having that documentation showed I was making good faith efforts to resolve it quickly. They were much more understanding and willing to work with me. One tip: when you do get through, ask the examiner to email you a summary of what was discussed and what adjustments they're making. I learned this the hard way when there was confusion later about what had been agreed to over the phone. Having that written record saved me a lot of headaches! The whole system is definitely broken, but don't panic - most people who proactively report these issues end up with minor adjustments rather than major penalties. You're doing the right thing by addressing it now rather than hoping it goes unnoticed.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My HR department has been automatically paying out my sick leave accrual during my maternity disability without telling me - I only found out when I checked my online pay portal yesterday. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and nerve-wracking, but it sounds like the consensus is to call EDD ASAP and be completely transparent about the situation. I'm planning to use that Claimyr service mentioned earlier since regular calling hasn't worked for me either. It's so frustrating that employers don't communicate these things clearly - my HR told me during my leave planning that all payroll would stop, but apparently that didn't include automatic sick leave payouts! For anyone else dealing with this, I'm keeping detailed records of all my attempts to resolve this, including screenshots of when I discovered the payments and all my call attempts. Hopefully being proactive about reporting will help avoid any major penalties. This whole system really needs better communication between employers and EDD to prevent these situations in the first place!

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I'm an employment attorney and see this confusion constantly. Your HR department is absolutely wrong about linking PFL to FMLA eligibility. These are completely separate programs with different funding sources and requirements. PFL is an insurance benefit you've earned through your SDI contributions - it's YOUR money that you've been paying into the system. No employer can deny you access to benefits you've already paid for just because you haven't worked there long enough for FMLA protection. Here's what I always tell clients in your situation: 1. Apply directly to EDD - don't go through your employer 2. Keep records of all communications with HR about this issue 3. If they retaliate or terminate you for taking legally protected leave (remember PDL protects the medical portion regardless of tenure), that could be grounds for a discrimination claim The fact that your HR is giving you incorrect information about state benefits is concerning. I'd recommend getting their statements in writing so you have documentation of their position. Good luck with your leave planning!

Wow, reading through all these responses has been SO helpful! I had no idea about the PDL protection regardless of tenure - that's a game changer for my situation. I'm definitely going to file directly with EDD and get my HR's incorrect position in writing as suggested. It's frustrating that so many companies seem to misunderstand these benefits, but I'm grateful this community exists to help clarify things. For anyone else in a similar situation, it sounds like the key takeaway is: PFL = your earned benefit through SDI contributions (completely separate from job tenure), PDL = job protection for medical portion regardless of how long you've worked there, and FMLA/CFRA = job protection that requires 12 months employment. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and expertise!

I'm a new mom who just went through this exact situation 3 months ago! Your confusion is totally understandable - the timing rules are so confusing when you have generous employer benefits. Here's what I learned the hard way: You absolutely MUST file your SDI claim within 49 days of when your doctor certifies your pregnancy disability (usually around 36 weeks), even though your employer is paying you 100%. That 49-day clock starts ticking from your disability date, NOT from when your company benefits end. I almost made the same mistake you're considering - waiting until my employer-paid leave ended to apply for state benefits. Thankfully a coworker caught my error just in time! Even though my company called their policy "separate from state benefits," it turned out they actually coordinated behind the scenes. The key things to ask your HR: - Do I need to file for SDI/PFL while receiving company pay? - Does our policy run concurrently with state benefits or consecutively? - Will the company file claims on my behalf or do I need to do it myself? My advice: File your DE2501 form as soon as your doctor certifies disability, regardless of what your employer is doing. You can always sort out payment coordination later, but you can't recover from missing that 49-day deadline. I would have lost about $4,000 in benefits I'd been paying into if I had waited! Don't let the generous employer policy fool you into missing out on state benefits you're entitled to. File early and ask questions later! 💕

I'm a first-time mom due in November and this entire thread has been incredibly helpful! I had the exact same confusion about timing - my company offers 16 weeks at 100% pay and I thought that meant I didn't need to worry about state benefits at all. Reading everyone's experiences here has made it crystal clear that I need to file for SDI as soon as my doctor certifies my pregnancy disability, regardless of my employer's generous policy. The 49-day deadline from disability start date seems to be the one universal rule that applies no matter what your company is doing. I'm definitely not going to risk missing out on benefits I've been paying into just because I misunderstood the timing! Quick question for those who've been through this - when you filed your DE2501 form while receiving 100% employer pay, did you need to provide any additional documentation about your company's policy to EDD? Or was it pretty straightforward? I want to make sure I have everything ready when the time comes! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for getting real-world advice that you just can't find in the official paperwork! 💕

As someone who went through a similar layoff situation while navigating maternity benefits, I just want to emphasize how crucial the timing was in your case. You made the absolute right call filing immediately! One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if your company offers any severance package when the layoffs happen, make sure to review it carefully. Some severance agreements have clauses about benefit usage that could potentially affect your PFL claim, though this is rare. Also, if they offer any extended health coverage as part of severance, that could help bridge the gap before COBRA kicks in. The emotional aspect of dealing with layoffs while you have a young baby is so hard. Try to remember that you've done everything right by being proactive and protecting your benefits. That baby bonding time will be precious regardless of the work situation, and having that financial cushion from PFL will give you breathing room to find the right next opportunity. Rooting for a quick approval on your claim!

Wow, this thread is incredibly thorough and helpful! As someone who's currently 7 months pregnant and working at a startup that's been making "budget adjustments," I'm taking notes on everything shared here. The timing requirements for PFL claims seem so critical but also pretty unforgiving - it's scary how easy it would be to miss the window if you don't know the rules. @Miguel - I'm really glad you got your claim filed in time! Reading through everyone's advice, it sounds like you handled this perfectly. The fact that you can potentially get 8 weeks of PFL baby bonding followed by UI benefits is honestly a silver lining in what must be a really stressful situation. One question for the group - for those who successfully transitioned from PFL to UI benefits, how long was the gap between when your PFL ended and when your first UI payment came through? I'm trying to mentally prepare for potential cash flow gaps if I end up in a similar situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences so openly - this kind of real-world knowledge is invaluable for navigating California's benefit system!