Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Update: I tried the Claimyr service I mentioned earlier after multiple failed attempts to reach EDD on my own. Got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes and resolved my issue! The website is claimyr.com for anyone else struggling to get through. Definitely worth it for the time saved and stress reduction.
Checking back in - I finally got through to EDD! I tried the 8:01am call trick first and got nowhere, then I tried the Claimyr service. Got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes who explained that my claim was pending because they needed to verify my last day worked with my employer (even though my employer said they already responded). The agent was able to override it since it had been more than 10 business days waiting for employer verification. Payment should be processed in 24-48 hours! THANK YOU everyone for your help!
Congrats on getting through! This is such a helpful thread - I'm bookmarking it for future reference. The employer verification delay seems to be a really common issue based on what I'm seeing in other posts here. It's frustrating that they don't give you any visibility into what specific step is causing the delay. Did the agent mention anything about how long employer verifications typically take, or if there's a way to expedite them in the future?
Great question! I'm new to this whole PFL process myself and wondering the same thing. The lack of transparency in their system is really frustrating - you'd think they could at least show "waiting for employer response" or give some kind of timeline estimate. @b8d349150bb9 did the agent give you any insights about typical employer verification timeframes? I'm probably going to need PFL in a few months and want to know what to expect!
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This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm 29 weeks pregnant and was totally confused about the EDD timing until reading everyone's experiences here. My HR department gave me conflicting information, so getting real advice from people who've actually been through this process is invaluable. I love the detailed step-by-step breakdown everyone provided - SDI first for pregnancy disability (form DE2501), then PFL for baby bonding (form DE2508). The automatic transition option that @MoonlightSonata mentioned sounds perfect, and I'm definitely going to set up my online account this week. Quick question for those who've done this recently - when you applied for SDI, did you need any specific documentation beyond what your doctor provides? I want to make sure I have everything ready to avoid delays. Also, has anyone had experience with this process if you're planning to take the full 12 weeks of CFRA leave after your PFL ends? Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical advice. This community is amazing for cutting through all the confusing official guidance and getting real answers! 🙏
Hi @Bethany Groves! Welcome to the community! I'm also expecting (22 weeks) and have been following this thread closely - it's been such a game changer for understanding this confusing process! From what I've gathered from everyone's experiences here, for the SDI application you typically just need your basic personal/employment info and then your doctor handles the medical certification piece. Most people mentioned that the doctor's portion is what can cause delays, so definitely have that conversation with your OB's office early like others suggested. Regarding CFRA after PFL - that's a great question! From my understanding, CFRA runs concurrently with your state benefits (SDI/PFL) for the first 16 weeks, then you'd have additional unpaid CFRA time if needed. But I'd definitely double-check with your HR department since CFRA is job protection and SDI/PFL are wage replacement - they work together but are separate systems. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - way better than trying to decode the official websites! Thanks to everyone who's shared their real experiences. It's so reassuring to hear from people who've actually navigated this maze successfully! 💕
This thread has been absolutely incredible! I'm 31 weeks pregnant and have been stressing about the EDD process for weeks. My employer just handed me a pile of forms with zero explanation, and the official EDD website might as well be written in a foreign language. Reading through everyone's experiences has finally made this make sense - SDI first for pregnancy disability using form DE2501, then PFL for baby bonding using form DE2508. The fact that these are two completely separate applications with different timing was the missing piece I needed! I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about setting up the online account early, coordinating with my doctor's office about their submission process, and keeping a calendar of all the deadlines. The mention of text notifications and the automatic transition option gives me so much hope that this doesn't have to be as stressful as I was imagining. One thing I'm wondering - for those who've been through this recently, did you find it helpful to contact EDD directly at any point to confirm your understanding of the process, or is it better to just follow the timeline and trust the system? I'm a bit of a worrier and want to make sure I don't miss anything important! Thank you all for sharing such detailed, real-world advice. This community support is exactly what expecting parents need when dealing with these confusing government systems! 🙏
Hi @Giovanni Mancini! I'm also new to this community and have been following this amazing thread - it's been such a lifesaver for understanding this whole confusing process! I'm 33 weeks pregnant and was in the exact same boat as you with just a pile of forms and no real explanation. From what I've gathered reading everyone's experiences, it seems like most people had better luck just following the process and timeline rather than trying to get through to EDD directly. Several people mentioned how impossible it is to reach them by phone (hours on hold, getting disconnected, etc.). The consensus seems to be that if you follow the steps everyone outlined here - set up your online account, coordinate with your doctor's office, file SDI when you stop working, then file PFL before SDI ends - the system actually works pretty smoothly. That said, @Zara Khan mentioned using Claimyr to get through to EDD when she had an actual problem with her claim transition, so that might be worth keeping in your back pocket if issues arise. But for the initial process, it sounds like trusting the system and staying on top of the timeline is the way to go. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I ve'learned more here than anywhere else! Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences! 💕
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Congratulations on your new baby! I just want to add my recent experience to help reassure you. I'm currently on week 5 of PFL for baby bonding and can confirm what everyone else has said - the payments are completely automatic! Once your claim is approved, you'll receive payments every two weeks without having to certify or do anything else. I was so worried about this too because I kept second-guessing myself, thinking "this can't be this simple with EDD!" But it really is. My payments have come like clockwork every other Tuesday, and I literally just have to check my bank account to see them there. The contrast with unemployment benefits is amazing - no stress about missing deadlines or forgetting to certify when you're already sleep-deprived with a newborn. Just double-check that your direct deposit info is correct in your EDD account and save all your approval paperwork. Then you can focus on what really matters - enjoying these fleeting early days with your little one! The peace of mind of knowing the payments are truly automatic has been such a gift during this adjustment period. 💕
Congratulations on your baby! I just went through this same confusion when I started my PFL leave last month. Everyone here is absolutely right - PFL payments are completely automatic once approved! No weekly certifications needed like with unemployment. I was so paranoid about missing something that I actually called EDD twice in my first week just to confirm, but sure enough, the payments have been coming every two weeks without me having to do anything. It's such a relief when you're already juggling sleepless nights and figuring out life with a newborn. Just make sure your bank account info is current in your EDD profile and keep all your documentation. The EDD website really should make this clearer - I spent way too much time stressing about it when I could have been sleeping! Enjoy these precious early weeks with your little one! 💕
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I just completed this exact transition in late February 2025 and can confirm that everyone's advice about the 5-7 day window is absolutely correct! I applied for PFL on February 15th for my SDI ending February 22nd, with PFL starting February 23rd - zero payment gaps and completely smooth process. What worked perfectly for me: - Applied through SDI Online: "New Claim" > "Paid Family Leave" > "Bonding with new child" - Had baby's birth certificate ready as a clear PDF (kept file size under 3MB) - Took detailed screenshots of every page, especially the confirmation - Called EDD 48 hours after submitting to verify receipt (called at 8:05am and got through in about 45 minutes) One tip I haven't seen mentioned: when you're filling out the application, there's a field for "relationship to care recipient" - select "parent" for bonding with your newborn. It seems obvious but I second-guessed myself for a moment! Also, your benefit amount for PFL should be exactly the same as what you were receiving for SDI, so don't worry if that section looks confusing - the system calculates it automatically based on your existing claim. You're being incredibly smart by planning this out in advance! Most people wait until their SDI is about to end and then panic. Following this timeline that everyone has shared will set you up for success. That bonding time with your little one is absolutely precious and worth navigating all this EDD complexity. Congratulations on your new baby! 🍼💕
I just went through this exact same transition last month and can completely relate to the confusion! The timing really is tricky but everyone's advice here is spot-on. I applied for PFL exactly 6 days before my SDI ended and had zero payment gaps - totally seamless. Here's what worked for me: I applied on February 16th for my SDI ending February 22nd, with PFL starting February 23rd. Used the SDI Online portal under "New Claim" > "Paid Family Leave" > "Bonding with new child" and had my baby's birth certificate ready as a PDF. One thing that really helped was writing out the timeline on paper first - sometimes seeing those dates visually makes it less overwhelming when you're already exhausted from newborn life! Also definitely take screenshots of your confirmation page when you submit. For your situation, you should apply around February 15-17 for your SDI ending 2/22, with PFL starting 2/23. Don't overthink it - you're already ahead of the game by planning this out now instead of scrambling at the last minute like so many people do! The bonding time is absolutely worth all this paperwork stress. Congratulations on your little one! 💕
NebulaNomad
I actually went through this exact same situation last month! Here's what worked for me: I called the PFL helpline first thing in the morning (around 8:05 AM) and got through pretty quickly. The rep was super helpful - they deleted the wrong form right away and walked me through uploading the correct one. Make sure you have your Social Security number and claim number handy when you call. The whole thing took maybe 20 minutes once I got connected. Don't stress too much about it messing up your application - they deal with this kind of thing all the time!
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Hugo Kass
•This is so reassuring to hear! I was really worried I'd somehow permanently messed up my application. Thanks for sharing your experience - it gives me hope that this will be a quick fix. Did they ask you any specific questions about why you uploaded the wrong form, or were they pretty straightforward about just removing it?
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Amara Nnamani
Hey! I had this exact issue a few weeks ago. I was panicking thinking I'd ruined everything, but it turned out to be no big deal at all. I called the PFL customer service line and explained what happened. The rep was really understanding and said this happens more often than you'd think. They removed the wrong form from my account within minutes and told me exactly how to upload the correct one. The key is to call them sooner rather than later - don't let it sit there stressing you out like I did! You got this! 💪
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Philip Cowan
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been stressing about this all day thinking I completely screwed up my application. It's such a relief to know that this is actually a common issue and the customer service reps are used to handling it. I'm definitely going to call first thing tomorrow morning. Thank you so much for the encouragement! 🙏
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Sean Matthews
•Thanks for this! I'm in a similar boat right now and was freaking out thinking I'd have to start my entire application over. It's so good to hear that the reps are understanding about these mistakes. Did they give you any timeline on when your corrected application would be processed after you uploaded the right form?
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