Hot take: The whole unemployment system is designed to be confusing so people give up and don't get the benefits they deserve. Change my mind.

Thanks for asking this question! I'm dealing with something similar and was totally lost on what to prepare. One thing I'd add to the great list from @Aaliyah Jackson - if your overpayment is related to work-search requirements, make sure you have documentation of your job search activities during that period. I learned the hard way that EDD sometimes flags people for overpayments if they can't prove they were actively looking for work. Screenshots of job applications, emails from potential employers, anything that shows you were meeting the requirements can really help your case.

Update: My PFL claim just changed from \

That's great news! Thanks for the update - it's really helpful to know the timeline worked out. Congrats again on your new baby! For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, it sounds like the system does work most of the time, you just need to be patient for about a week or two. Wishing you and your little one all the best during your bonding time! 💕

pro tip: if ur having trouble with the online system, try using a different browser. sometimes it acts up in chrome but works fine in firefox 👍

Has anyone had issues with the EDD website timing out while filling out the application? I keep losing my progress halfway through and it's so frustrating! Should I try calling instead or is there a trick to keeping the session active?

As someone who just went through this exact same verification nightmare last month, I can't stress enough how broken the EDD phone system is right now. I literally called 47 times over 3 days (yes, I kept count because I was so frustrated!). What finally worked for me was a combination of what others have mentioned: created a fresh ID.me account using my work email instead of personal, then got through using one of those callback services. The EDD rep told me they're getting hundreds of calls daily about this specific verification issue since the January system update. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if your husband has ever changed his name (like after marriage or legally), make sure the ID.me account uses whatever name is currently on file with EDD, not necessarily what's on his current ID. That was my issue - I had legally changed my last name but EDD still had my maiden name in their system. The verification kept failing because of that mismatch. Also, once you get it resolved, screenshot EVERYTHING. The system is glitchy and sometimes loses the verification status randomly. Having screenshots of successful pages saved me when it happened again 2 weeks later. Good luck! It's so stressful dealing with this when you're already preparing for a new baby, but it is fixable!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My partner has been trying to file for PFL for the past week and keeps getting the verification error. It's so reassuring to see we're not the only ones experiencing this nightmare. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going to try the new ID.me account approach first thing tomorrow morning. The fact that multiple people have had success with this gives me hope. I had no idea the January system update was causing so many problems - EDD really should have communicated this better to users. One question for those who successfully got through - after creating the new ID.me account, did you have to wait any specific amount of time before calling EDD to link the accounts, or were you able to call immediately? We're also cutting it close with timing, so every day counts at this point. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and solutions. This thread is incredibly helpful for those of us navigating this frustrating system!

As someone who just went through this exact same nightmare 3 months ago, I feel your pain! The SDI to PFL transition is absolutely broken. What worked for me was having my husband call EDD every morning at exactly 8:00 AM when they open - apparently that's when you have the best chance of getting through before the lines get completely jammed. Also, when you do get someone on the phone, ask them to put notes in your file about what they're doing to fix it. I had to call back twice because the first person said they fixed it but nothing actually happened. The second rep could see the notes and knew exactly what still needed to be done. Keep all your documentation handy when you call - they'll want your SDI claim number, your baby's birth certificate info, and the exact dates your disability ended. Having everything ready speeds up the process once you finally get through. Hang in there - you WILL get this resolved and they will backpay you for everything you're owed!

This whole thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - applied for PFL after my SDI ended and got hit with the "open SDI claim" denial. Been waiting on my appeal for 6 weeks with no word. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key things are: 1) making sure there's no date gap between SDI ending and PFL starting, 2) confirming your doctor submitted the final SDI paperwork properly, and 3) actually getting through to EDD to have them manually close the SDI claim. I'm going to try the 8 AM calling strategy and also look into that Claimyr service. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved - my maternity leave is almost over and I still haven't received a single PFL payment. It's honestly criminal how broken this system is, especially when new parents are already dealing with so much stress and financial pressure. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!