I just went through this exact same situation! Yes, you definitely need your SSN on every single page of the DE2501F form - even Parts C, D, and E that don't apply to bonding claims. I made the mistake of leaving it off a couple pages thinking they weren't relevant and had to resubmit everything. For the hospital verification letter and other attachments, I wrote my SSN in the top right corner in small print. The EDD representative I finally got through to said they need it for their scanning and filing system. It's tedious but saves you weeks of delays. Also, make copies of everything before sending! Good luck with your bonding leave - such an exciting time! 🍼

I'm going through this same process right now and honestly, the SSN requirement is such a headache! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's super helpful to know I'm not the only one confused by this. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like the safest approach is definitely to put your SSN on every single page, even if it feels redundant. I'd rather be overly cautious than deal with delays or having to resubmit everything. @QuantumQuest and @GalaxyGazer, your detailed explanations are gold! Question for those who've been through this - did you write your SSN by hand on the hospital documents, or did you add it digitally before printing? I want to make sure I'm doing this the most professional way possible.

As someone who just went through this entire process last year, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help! First, create a calendar reminder to check your SDI Online account weekly once your claim is approved. Even though payments are automatic, I caught an issue early because I was monitoring regularly. Second, start gathering documents for your PFL application NOW - you'll need your baby's birth certificate or hospital record of birth, and sometimes getting these documents takes longer than expected when you're juggling a newborn. Third, consider opening a separate savings account for your maternity leave funds. EDD payments come on a different schedule than regular paychecks, and having everything in one place helps with budgeting during this transition. Lastly, don't be afraid to reach out to your local EDD office if you run into issues. Sometimes the in-person staff can resolve problems faster than the phone system. You've got this! The process seems overwhelming at first, but once you understand the flow from SDI to PFL, it becomes much more manageable.

I'm a new mom who just finished this whole process a few months ago, and I want to echo what others have said - the SDI part really is mostly automatic once your doctor submits the initial claim! But here's something I wish someone had told me: when you get your EDD debit card, set up text alerts immediately. I almost missed a payment issue because I wasn't checking regularly enough. Also, regarding the transition to PFL - I found it helpful to call EDD about a week after submitting my baby bonding application just to confirm it was received and processing. Yes, the wait times are brutal, but it gave me peace of mind during an already stressful time. One more tip: if you're planning to take your full 8 weeks of baby bonding time, you can split it up! I took 6 weeks consecutively right after my disability ended, then saved my last 2 weeks for when my partner went back to work. Just make sure to indicate this on your application. The flexibility really helped our family transition. Congratulations on your pregnancy and don't stress too much about the paperwork - once you get through the initial setup, the system actually works pretty well!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - caring for my mom after her hip replacement surgery. From what I've learned through this whole process, you're absolutely doing the right thing by using multiple submission methods. I faxed mine first, then uploaded it online the next day just to be safe. One thing that might help ease your anxiety - I noticed on the EDD website that they actually recommend using the online upload system now because it creates an automatic confirmation in your account. You should be able to see a record of your uploaded documents in your UI Online portal under "Form Submissions" or something similar. Also, keep in mind that even though you got your benefit calculation notice quickly, the actual approval process can still take 1-2 weeks after they receive the medical certification. But since you've covered all your bases with both fax and upload, I'd say you're in good shape! Just stay on top of those bi-weekly certifications when they become available.

I went through this exact same process last year when I was on PFL to care for my elderly father after his stroke. You're definitely overthinking this - having both faxed AND uploaded the DE2647DF form puts you in a really good position. From my experience, EDD actually prefers the electronic submissions (fax and online upload) over physical mail because it's faster for them to process. The fact that you've already received your benefit calculation notice is encouraging, even though as others have mentioned, it's not directly tied to the medical form processing. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure you have your fax confirmation receipt saved somewhere safe. I had to reference mine twice when dealing with EDD reps. Also, if you do decide to call them for confirmation, try calling right at 8:00 AM when they open - that's when I had the most luck getting through. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, especially when you're depending on that income. But based on what you've described, it sounds like you've done everything right. Just focus on completing your certifications when they become available and try not to stress too much about the form submission - you've covered all the bases!

I'm currently going through this exact same nightmare! Applied for PFL 9 days ago after having my baby and it's like my application disappeared into a black hole. The EDD online system is absolutely useless - just shows "application submitted" with zero indication of what's happening behind the scenes. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both comforting and infuriating. Comforting to know this is "normal" but infuriating that in 2025 we still can't get basic status updates on our own benefits! I've been checking the portal multiple times a day like it's going to magically update. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service if I don't hear anything by next week. The thought of spending hours every day trying to get through to EDD while dealing with a newborn sounds like torture. It's ridiculous that we have to pay a third party just to communicate with our own state agency, but at this point I'll try anything. Thanks for posting this and to everyone who shared their experiences - at least now I know what to expect and that there are ways to actually get through to a real person when the system inevitably fails us!

I'm going through this exact same frustrating experience right now! Applied for PFL 6 days ago after my baby was born and the complete lack of status updates is driving me crazy. It's 2025 and we literally have better tracking for pizza deliveries than for our own government benefits! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though - sounds like 2-3 weeks is unfortunately the norm, and there are actually some workarounds to get through to EDD. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service if I don't hear anything by next week, and I just set up the text alerts that someone mentioned (had no idea that was even an option). It's so reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with EDD's stone-age system, but also infuriating that new parents have to go through this stress when we're already exhausted and worried about finances. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread is going to save my sanity over the next week or two!

Glad to hear your card finally arrived! I'm actually going through something similar right now - my PFL claim was approved 6 days ago and I'm anxiously waiting for my card too. It's so stressful when you have bills coming up and no access to the money that's supposedly already been issued. Your timeline of 12 business days gives me hope that mine should arrive soon. Did you end up calling to check on it, or did you just wait it out? Also, how easy was it to transfer the funds to your regular bank once you got the card?

I'm currently waiting for my PFL card too - claim approved 5 days ago for baby bonding. Reading through all these experiences is really helpful! Question for those who've been through this: once you get the card, do you need to call to activate it or can you activate it online? Also, are there any fees for transferring money from the EDD card to your regular bank account? Trying to plan ahead so I can access my funds as quickly as possible when it arrives.