Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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I'm going through this nightmare too! Just hit the 6-week mark waiting for my DE2504RE to process and I'm starting to panic. Reading everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying - knowing I'm not alone but also seeing some people wait 4+ months is just insane. I've been calling every day for the past two weeks with no luck getting through. The system is clearly broken when people have to pay third-party services just to reach a human being! I'm going to try that early morning calling strategy tomorrow and also look into those Facebook groups Lucy mentioned. The worst part is not knowing if there's actually a problem with my application or if it's just sitting in some digital pile. I submitted everything online and double-checked all the forms, but who knows? Has anyone had any luck with the "Contact EDD" feature on their website? I submitted an inquiry there last week but haven't heard back yet. At this point I'm willing to try anything. This financial stress on top of family care responsibilities is just overwhelming. 😔 Thanks for starting this thread Connor - it's good to know we're all fighting this together!
I totally feel your pain @StarStrider! 6 weeks is absolutely ridiculous and the anxiety of not knowing what's happening is the worst part. I'm in a similar boat and this whole thread has been a lifesaver - at least we know we're not going crazy and this really is as broken as it feels. Definitely try that early morning calling strategy, and I'm going to check out those Facebook groups too. It's honestly disgusting that we have to become part-time detectives just to get benefits we've already paid into. The "Contact EDD" website thing seems hit or miss from what I've read elsewhere, but it's worth a shot since you're already waiting anyway. Hang in there - we'll get through this mess eventually! 🙏
I'm in week 8 of waiting for my DE2504RE to process and honestly this thread is giving me some hope that I'm not alone in this mess! The financial stress is unreal - I'm caring for my sick father and we're burning through savings fast. I wanted to share something that might help others: I finally got through yesterday using the early morning calling strategy (called at 8:01am sharp) and found out my claim was stuck because they needed additional verification of my employment. The crazy thing is they never sent me any notice about this! The rep was able to tell me exactly what documents to upload and said it should move forward within 2 weeks now. So my advice: KEEP CALLING. I know it's exhausting but that one successful call revealed an issue that could have delayed me for months. Also, when you do get through, ask specifically if there are any pending requirements or missing documents - don't just ask about status. To everyone still waiting: I see you, this system is absolutely broken, but don't give up. We've got each other's backs in this fight! 💪
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This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently 8 weeks postpartum and dealing with my own EDD nightmare - my PFL claim has been "pending" for 3 weeks now with no updates. I've tried calling multiple times but keep getting the runaround between different departments. Reading through all these strategies gives me hope that I can actually get this resolved. I'm definitely going to try the Thursday afternoon calling tip and the assembly member contact route if that doesn't work. It's so frustrating that we have to become detective-level experts just to access benefits we've already paid into, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works. Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your experiences - it really makes a difference for those of us still fighting the system!
Danielle, I'm so sorry you're dealing with a pending claim for 3 weeks - that's incredibly stressful when you're already adjusting to life with a newborn! Have you tried the specific PFL number (1-877-238-4373) that Paolo mentioned earlier in the thread? Also, since your claim is already submitted and just pending, you might want to ask specifically about "pending claim status" when you call rather than general PFL questions - sometimes using the exact language they use in their system helps get you to the right department faster. The assembly member tip from Noah could be especially helpful in your situation since you have a concrete issue (pending claim) that they can follow up on. Hang in there - you shouldn't have to be an expert to get the benefits you've earned! 💪
One more resource that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're in the Bay Area, San Francisco, or LA County, some local workforce development offices have EDD liaisons who can help with complex cases like yours. I used the WorkSource center in Oakland when I had issues with my claim last year, and their EDD specialist was able to make direct contact and get my case escalated within a week. They don't charge anything and it's way less stressful than trying to navigate the phone system yourself. You can search for "America's Job Center" or "WorkSource" locations near you - not all of them have EDD specialists, but it's worth calling to ask. They're also really helpful for understanding all the paperwork and making sure you don't miss any deadlines. Just another option to add to your toolkit!
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This exact thing happened to my sister a few months ago! Her claim completely disappeared from the portal like it never existed. She was panicking because she needed that money for her newborn's medical expenses. After about 2 weeks of calling daily (literally setting timers to call every 15 minutes), she finally got through to someone who told her it was a "system migration issue" and her claim was still being processed, just not visible online. It magically reappeared a week later with backpay included. Hang in there - the claim is probably still in the system somewhere, just hidden due to their terrible website glitches. Keep calling and don't give up! 💪
This gives me so much hope! I'm dealing with the same disappearing claim issue right now and was starting to think I'd never see that money. Did your sister have to provide any additional documentation when her claim reappeared, or did it just process normally from there? I'm on day 5 of calling every chance I get 😅
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I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare scenario! I can't imagine the stress of dealing with a layoff while trying to bond with your newborn and navigate EDD's broken system. From everything I've read here and my own experience with EDD, you should definitely continue your PFL claim to completion - the layoff doesn't cancel benefits you were already entitled to. But that 3-month pending status is absolutely unacceptable and needs immediate attention. I had a similar issue (not with layoff but with a stuck claim) and what finally worked was calling EDD at exactly 8:00 AM when their phone lines open. Keep hitting redial until you get in the queue. Have all your information ready - claim number, Social Security, dates of employment, layoff documentation, everything. When you get through, be very clear that you need BOTH issues addressed: 1) Why your PFL has been pending since January with no award letter, and 2) How to properly note your layoff without disrupting your existing claim. Also document EVERYTHING - dates you called, who you spoke with, reference numbers. EDD's left hand often doesn't know what the right hand is doing, so you may need to call multiple times. You've got this mama! Don't let their broken system intimidate you - you and your baby deserve those benefits. Keep fighting for what you're owed! 💪
Thank you for the detailed advice! The 8 AM calling strategy is something I hadn't thought of - I'll definitely try that tomorrow. You're absolutely right about documenting everything. I've already started keeping notes of all my attempts to reach them, but I need to be more systematic about it. It's so frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating their broken system just to get the benefits we're legally entitled to. But reading all these responses has given me hope that this can be resolved. I'm not giving up!
Oh wow, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! What an awful situation to be in with a newborn. I went through something similar when my company had layoffs during my maternity leave last year. The good news is that you can absolutely continue your PFL claim - being laid off doesn't disqualify you from benefits you were already entitled to when you filed. Finish your full 8 weeks, then immediately apply for unemployment after. But like everyone else has said, that 3-month pending status is a HUGE red flag. You should have received payments by now. The fact that you got the debit card but no award letter suggests there's a documentation issue or system glitch that needs to be resolved by an actual human. When you call EDD, make sure to emphasize that you have TWO separate issues: 1) Your original claim being stuck in pending status since January 1st, and 2) Your recent layoff that needs to be noted on your account. Don't let them try to handle just one or the other. I know how overwhelming this must feel with everything going on, but don't give up! You're entitled to those back payments from January, and you deserve to have this resolved. Keep pushing until you get answers. Your baby needs you to advocate for your family right now! ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing your experience - it really helps to know I'm not alone in this situation! You're absolutely right that I need to frame this as two separate issues when I call. I think that's been part of my confusion - I wasn't sure if the layoff would complicate the existing pending issue or if they're completely unrelated problems that just happened to occur at the same time. Your advice about emphasizing the back payments from January is spot on - I hadn't even thought about how much money I'm potentially losing while this drags on. I'm definitely not giving up, especially after reading all these encouraging responses. Time to put on my advocate hat and fight for what my baby and I deserve! 💪
Caesar Grant
Wow, reading through all these responses is so helpful! I had no idea this was such a common mistake. I'm in a similar boat - filed PFL last week when I actually need SDI for a knee surgery recovery. I was beating myself up thinking I was the only one dumb enough to mix these up, but clearly the system is just confusing! I'm definitely going to call that dedicated disability line (1-800-480-3287) tomorrow morning at 8 AM with all my medical paperwork ready and use the "claim type correction" phrase. It's such a relief to see so many success stories here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is a lifesaver! 🙏
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Javier Mendoza
•I'm so glad this thread exists too! It's incredible how something that feels so isolating and stressful is actually super common. I was literally googling "how badly did I mess up my benefits" at 2 AM last night, and finding this conversation has been such a relief. The knee surgery recovery sounds tough - I hope you get the SDI sorted out quickly so you can focus on healing instead of bureaucratic stress. It sounds like you've got all the right info now thanks to everyone's shared experiences. Wishing you luck with the call tomorrow! 🤞
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Aisha Jackson
This thread is giving me life right now! I literally made this exact same mistake just yesterday - filed PFL when I need SDI for a work injury. I was spiraling thinking I'd completely screwed myself over, but reading everyone's success stories is such a huge relief! It's crazy how something that feels like such a personal failure is actually just a super common mix-up due to confusing forms. I'm screenshot-ing all the key tips here: call 1-800-480-3287 at 8 AM sharp (avoiding Mondays), ask for "claim type correction," have medical docs ready to email, and keep a call log. You all are absolute heroes for sharing your experiences so detailed - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find anywhere else! 🙌
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Chloe Taylor
•I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! It's amazing how this one post has turned into such a comprehensive guide for fixing PFL/SDI mix-ups. I was just lurking and reading through everyone's experiences, and it's honestly incredible how supportive this community is. The fact that multiple people have shared almost identical successful outcomes really shows that this mistake is totally fixable. I love how everyone has contributed different pieces of the puzzle - the specific phone number, the magic phrases to use, the best times to call, even the emotional support of knowing you're not alone in making this mix-up! This is definitely going in my bookmarks in case I ever need to help someone else navigate this. Hope your call goes smoothly! 💯
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