Seriously tho, has anyone tried contacting their local representative about this? I'm thinking of reaching out to mine to see if they can help speed things up.

I'm in week 7 of waiting for my PDL approval and honestly starting to lose hope. It's so frustrating because I need this money to cover my expenses while I'm out on leave. The stress of waiting is almost worse than the original reason I needed the leave! Has anyone had success getting through to someone who could actually help expedite the process? I've tried the regular phone lines but like others mentioned, it's nearly impossible to get through. Might have to try that calling service someone mentioned earlier.

Congratulations on your baby coming so soon! 🎉 As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the amazing advice everyone has shared and wanted to add my own experience from going through this process just 2 months ago. You can absolutely file tomorrow - don't wait! The 7-day waiting period is about when payments begin, not when you can submit your claim. I filed the day after my last work day and while I didn't get paid for that first week, my benefits started on day 8 as expected. One thing I'd emphasize that really saved me stress: create a simple checklist and timeline for yourself. Mine looked like: Day 1 (tomorrow) - file claim online early in the day, Day 3-4 - call automated line to confirm claim received, Week 2 - follow up if still showing pending, etc. Having that roadmap helped me stay calm when the process felt overwhelming. Also, if your company offers any kind of supplemental disability insurance or paid leave that might cover that first week, definitely check with HR today before you leave! I discovered my employer had a small benefit that covered the waiting period but I almost missed the deadline to apply. The system definitely has its quirks and delays, but most people do get through it successfully. You're asking all the right questions and getting excellent advice here. Wishing you a smooth delivery and that your claim processes quickly! 💕

Congratulations on your upcoming arrival! 🎉 As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this thread closely since I'm also expecting and trying to figure out all these EDD requirements. Your question really resonated with me because I was confused about the same timing issue! From everything I've read here, it sounds like you can definitely file tomorrow (your first official day off work) - the 7-day waiting period is just about when you start receiving payments, not when you can submit your claim. I've been taking notes on all the great advice shared here, and the key points seem to be: file online as soon as possible, make sure your doctor faxes the medical certification directly to EDD rather than submitting it yourself, take screenshots of everything during the filing process, and budget for about 3 weeks without payment to account for both the waiting period and processing time. It's definitely nerve-wracking dealing with all this paperwork when you should be focusing on your baby, but seeing how many people have successfully navigated this process (even with some bumps along the way) is really encouraging. The community here has been incredibly helpful in breaking down what can feel like an overwhelming system! Wishing you a smooth delivery and hoping your claim processes quickly! Thanks for asking the questions many of us newcomers are wondering about too! 💕

My sister had this exact thing happen with her last week of PFL not showing up. The EDD system is garbage for handling single weeks at the end of claims. She had to call like 20 times before getting through to a human who fixed it. Good luck!!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - PPD is incredibly difficult and the last thing you need is EDD stress on top of it. I went through a similar transition about 6 months ago. For your missing 8th week, definitely call first thing in the morning (8am sharp) - that's when I had the most luck getting through. The single week payments seem to get stuck in their system more often than the bi-weekly ones. Don't wait too long because there are time limits on when they can fix payment issues. Regarding the PPD disability claim - yes, it's a completely separate claim from PFL. Since you went straight from unemployment to PFL (no pregnancy disability), you will unfortunately have the one-week waiting period. But here's something that helped me: ask your psychiatrist if they can backdate the start date to the day after your PFL ends if you were already experiencing symptoms. This can help minimize any gap. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure your psychiatrist is very specific about your functional limitations in their certification. Don't just say "depression" - detail how it affects your ability to concentrate, make decisions, handle stress, etc. The more specific they are about work-related limitations, the smoother your approval will be. File online through SDI Online as soon as possible, and push your doctor to submit their portion quickly. My approval took about 2 weeks once everything was submitted properly. You've got this mama - focus on getting better, the financial stuff will work out! ❤️

I'm a new mom who recently transitioned from disability to baby bonding PFL after my employer terminated me during my recovery period. I can definitely confirm that you CAN receive PFL benefits even after termination - your eligibility is based on your wage history during the base period, not your current employment status when you file. Here's what made my transition smooth: I filed my DE2508 form online about 10 days before my disability ended, making sure to specify that my PFL should start the day after my disability benefits stopped. The key was having my doctor put a very clear, specific end date on the final medical certification - no vague language like "approximately" or "pending reassessment." One thing I wish I'd known earlier: save screenshots of your entire EDD account before starting the transition! During my switch from disability to PFL, some of my payment history temporarily disappeared from the portal, and having those screenshots helped when I needed to reference past payments. Also, don't let your employer intimidate you about your benefits. When mine tried to suggest that termination would affect my PFL eligibility, I knew from researching that they were wrong. You've paid into this system through your paychecks - these benefits are YOURS. The financial stress is real, but the system does work once you understand the process. You're asking all the right questions and planning ahead, which will serve you well. Take care of yourself and that little one! 💕

I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation! As a new member here, I've been reading through all the responses and I'm amazed by how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. I wanted to add my perspective as someone who just went through a similar transition last month. Yes, you absolutely CAN receive baby bonding PFL after termination! Your eligibility is based on your earnings during the base period (when you were working and paying into SDI), not whether you're currently employed when you file. Here's what worked perfectly for me: I submitted my DE2508 form about 2 weeks before my disability was set to end, and I made sure to specify the exact start date for my PFL (the day after my disability ended). The transition was seamless with no gap in payments. Two things that really helped: 1) I had my doctor write the disability end date very clearly at the top of the final medical form, not just buried in the notes, and 2) I took screenshots of my entire EDD account dashboard before starting the transition process, which came in handy when I needed to reference information later. Don't let your employer make you feel like you're not entitled to these benefits - you've earned them through your payroll deductions! I know how overwhelming this feels when you're dealing with recovery and caring for a newborn, but you're asking all the right questions and you've got this! The community here has given you excellent advice. Wishing you and your little one all the best! 💙

Just a heads up, there's been some changes to the PFL policy recently. Make sure you're looking at the most up-to-date info on the official website. I almost messed up my application because I was using old guidelines 😅

I'm in the same boat right now - applied about 10 days ago and still waiting for that callback! The anxiety is real 😰 I've been checking my online account daily but no updates yet. Reading through these comments is actually making me feel better knowing I'm not alone in this. @Zainab Abdulrahman your checklist is gold, I'm definitely going to start keeping a log. Has anyone tried calling the main number directly or is it always just endless hold times?