I used Claimyr after seeing your recommendation and it actually worked! Got connected to an EDD rep in about 25 minutes. They fixed the issue on their end and I was able to submit my PFL claim right after. Thanks so much for suggesting this - would've been pulling my hair out for days otherwise.

So glad to hear Claimyr worked for you! I was in a similar situation a few months ago - had my baby in December and got stuck in that same SDI-to-PFL limbo. The system glitch is SO common but EDD never seems to fix it on their end. It's frustrating that we have to rely on third-party services just to access benefits we're entitled to, but honestly whatever gets you through to an actual human who can help is worth it. Hope your PFL payments start coming through quickly now! And congratulations on your new baby! 💙

This thread is such a lifesaver! I'm currently 34 weeks pregnant and already dreading dealing with the EDD transition from SDI to PFL based on all the horror stories I've heard. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me a game plan - I'm definitely going to bookmark that Claimyr service and try the early morning calling strategy if I run into the same missing link issue. It's so frustrating that this is such a widespread problem that EDD hasn't bothered to fix. Thank you Dmitry for sharing your whole journey and everyone else for the helpful tips. Hopefully by the time I need this, they'll have gotten their act together, but at least now I know what to do if not!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I'm on week 4 of SDI and already panicking about the transition to PFL after reading so many stories about gaps in benefits. It's reassuring to know that there are solutions like Claimyr when the EDD phone system fails (which seems to be constantly). I'm definitely going to save all these tips and check my account regularly as I get closer to my SDI end date. It's honestly shameful that EDD's system is so broken that new parents have to rely on third-party services just to access their own benefits. Dmitry, I'm so glad you got it sorted out and thanks for updating us with the solution! This thread should be pinned somewhere for other parents to find.

I went through this exact situation two years ago! The key thing to remember is timing - you want to apply for State Disability Insurance (SDI) about 4 weeks before your due date, not wait until after the baby is born. I made that mistake and lost out on some pre-birth benefits. Also, make sure your doctor knows they need to be specific about your disability dates on the DE2501 form. Some doctors are vague about the timeline which can cause delays in processing. Ask them to clearly state when you became unable to work due to pregnancy complications or when you'll need to stop working. One more tip - if you're having trouble reaching EDD by phone (and you probably will), try calling right when they open at 8am. I had better luck getting through early in the morning. Good luck with everything, and congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

I'm in a similar boat - my unemployment just ended and I'm 32 weeks pregnant! Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. I didn't realize I could apply for SDI benefits before giving birth. I've been panicking about having no income for the next few months, but it sounds like there's actually a pathway here. Quick question for those who've been through this - when you apply online at edd.ca.gov, do you apply under "Disability Insurance" or is there a specific "Pregnancy" section? I want to make sure I'm filling out the right forms. Also, has anyone had experience with how long it takes to get approved once you submit everything? I'm trying to figure out if there will be any gap in payments. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community has been a lifesaver!

This thread is absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing your real experiences! I'm currently preparing to apply for PFL in about 6 weeks and honestly had no idea about ANY of these potential pitfalls. The hyphen issue that held up Dmitry's claim for 5+ weeks is mind-blowing - how does a system in 2025 not handle basic name formatting variations?! Reading through everyone's advice, I'm making a checklist: 1) Coordinate closely with HR upfront to ensure they submit everything correctly, 2) Triple-check that every single character in my application matches my other documents EXACTLY, 3) Keep detailed documentation of all interactions, 4) Try the disability line transfer strategy and noon calling times, and 5) Have Claimyr bookmarked as backup. It's absolutely shameful that we need to become experts in bureaucratic workarounds just to access benefits we've already paid into, especially during such a vulnerable time with a newborn. But this community support is invaluable - you're all saving fellow parents so much stress and financial hardship by sharing these hard-won insights. Thank you for turning your frustrations into help for others!

Reading through all these experiences has been both helpful and incredibly frustrating! I'm currently at week 2 of my PFL claim being "under review" with zero communication from EDD about what's actually happening. The fact that Dmitry waited 5+ weeks just because of a hyphen in his name is absolutely ridiculous - and they never even told him that was the issue! I'm definitely going to follow everyone's advice here: calling my HR department tomorrow to verify they submitted everything correctly, going through my application character by character to check for any formatting mismatches, and keeping that Claimyr service as backup. The noon calling strategy is brilliant too - I've been trying at 8am with zero success. It's honestly disgusting that we have to pay a third-party service or become amateur detectives just to access benefits we've already paid into through our paychecks. This system is clearly designed to discourage people from claiming what they're owed. But this community support is invaluable - thank you all for sharing your real experiences and solutions. This thread should definitely be pinned for other new parents navigating this nightmare!

I'm a new parent dealing with something similar but from a different angle - my PFL claim was initially approved but then I got a notice saying they're "reviewing" it and all payments have been suspended. Meanwhile I see posts like this where people are getting TOO many payments after appeals. The inconsistency in how EDD handles these cases is mind-boggling. @Miguel - it sounds like you're getting great advice here, especially about contacting a tier 2 specialist and using that DE 2612 form to return the checks properly. One thing I'd add is to screenshot or photocopy everything before you send it back, including the voided checks. I learned this the hard way when dealing with other government agencies - they have a habit of "losing" paperwork. Having visual proof of what you returned and when can save you months of headaches later. Good luck getting this sorted out, and congratulations on your new baby!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where EDD processed my entire PFL claim after an appeal approval, even though I only planned to use 4 weeks now and save the rest for later in the year. @Miguel - based on all the advice here, it sounds like your best bet is: 1) Don't cash those checks, 2) Use Claimyr or keep trying to reach a tier 2 specialist, 3) Get them to switch your claim to intermittent, and 4) Return the uncashed checks with form DE 2612. One question for @Yara or @Paolo - when you dealt with this, did EDD automatically stop sending future payments once they corrected the claim to intermittent? Or did you have to do something additional to prevent more checks from coming? I'm worried about this happening again down the road when I actually want to use my remaining PFL weeks.