I'm in the same boat, friend. 5 weeks and counting here. This waiting game is killing me.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the waiting is absolutely brutal when you need that money for bills! I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago and what finally worked for me was a combination of things: I called my state assembly member's office and they actually have staff who specialize in helping with EDD issues. They can't magically speed things up, but they can at least get you real information about what's holding up your claim. Also, make sure you check that your employer submitted their portion correctly - that was actually my holdup and nobody told me for weeks! In the meantime, if you're really struggling with bills, see if your local 211 has any emergency assistance programs. Hang in there - it WILL come through eventually, even though the system is absolutely broken right now. 💪

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to apply for PFL baby bonding this weekend (about 2 weeks before my disability ends). I'll double-check all the dates to make sure there's no overlap but also no gap. And I'll make sure to formally notify HR in writing about my plans. This has been so much more helpful than what I got from my company!

Just wanted to add my experience as another data point! I applied for PFL baby bonding exactly 10 days before my disability ended and it worked perfectly - no gap in payments at all. The key things that helped me were: 1) Making sure my disability end date matched what my doctor had certified, 2) Setting my PFL start date for the day immediately after disability ended, and 3) Having my baby's birth certificate ready to upload. The whole application took maybe 20 minutes online. Don't stress too much about the timing - the system really is designed to handle these transitions smoothly when you follow the basic steps everyone mentioned above!

Whatever you do, DON'T TRUST THEIR SYSTEM to work properly!! I had my baby in January, and not only did they NOT send me the PFL link automatically, but when I finally got through to someone after DAYS of calling, they told me I should have applied earlier and now I might have a GAP in my benefits!! The EDD system is completely BROKEN especially for new moms who are already sleep deprived and recovering from CHILDBIRTH!! It's ABSURD that we have to jump through these hoops!!

I'm currently 32 weeks and planning ahead for this same transition! Reading all these responses is both helpful and nerve-wracking. It sounds like the system is hit-or-miss, so I'm definitely going to set multiple calendar reminders starting at week 6 of my disability period to check for the PFL email. One question I haven't seen answered yet - if you don't get the automatic email and have to call EDD, is there a specific time of day that's better for getting through? I keep hearing about how impossible it is to reach them, and I'm worried about trying to navigate their phone system with a newborn! Also, has anyone had success using the EDD online chat feature for this, or do you absolutely have to call? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so helpful to hear real stories instead of just the official EDD website info!

Just to confirm what others have said - this is completely normal and happens all the time. When your pregnancy disability claim is approved, your fracture claim will automatically close. The good news is that since you've already served a waiting period this benefit year, you won't have another 7-day unpaid waiting period for the pregnancy disability claim. Also, your benefit calculation should remain the same since it's based on your base period wages from before your first claim.

I'm currently in a similar situation - on disability for a back injury and just found out I'm pregnant (20 weeks). Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful! I'm definitely going to start preparing the paperwork early based on all the advice here. One question though - if my current disability claim runs out before I need to start pregnancy leave, do I still need to file a new claim or can there be a gap between them?

This thread has been incredibly helpful for someone like me who's about to navigate the PFL system! I'm due with my first baby in May and my husband is planning to take bonding leave. Reading about everyone's experiences - both the nightmares and the success stories - is giving me a much better idea of what to prepare for. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about keeping meticulous records from day one, taking screenshots of everything, and making copies of all submitted documents. The fact that so many of you were initially approved and then denied seems to suggest this is more of a systemic issue with EDD's processes rather than actual eligibility problems. @Luis Johnson - your success story gives me so much hope! It's encouraging to know that people do win these appeals, especially when the denial was due to EDD's own mistakes. @Aisha Patel and @Gabrielle Dubois - thank you for all the specific procedural advice and phone numbers. I'm saving all of this information for reference. For those of you still waiting on your appeals - I'm rooting for you all! This system is clearly broken but it sounds like persistence and good documentation really do pay off. Please keep us updated on your outcomes!

I'm currently going through the exact same situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! My wife was approved for PFL in January, received 3 payments, then got hit with a denial letter last week saying she didn't meet eligibility requirements. We filed our appeal immediately but I've been panicking about the timeline. Reading everyone's experiences here - especially @Luis Johnson's success story - gives me so much hope that we can get through this. The consistency in the 6-8 week timeline for hearing dates is actually reassuring, even though it feels like forever when you're living it. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service that @Tyrone Johnson recommended since calling EDD has been absolutely impossible. Also planning to request our complete claim file like @Oliver Schulz suggested - that's such a smart move to see exactly what documentation they have. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice. It's amazing how this community is helping each other navigate this broken system. Will keep everyone updated on our progress, and hoping all of you still waiting get positive outcomes soon!