Best tactics to actually reach EDD PFL agent by phone? Hitting max callers message constantly

I was in the same boat last month and found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes! They basically keep dialing for you until they get through, then call you back when they have an EDD agent on the line. Totally worth it when I was dealing with my transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding leave. Check out how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 or go to claimyr.com

Try calling EXACTLY at 8:00 am when they open. I mean literally dialing at 7:59 and hitting send at 8:00:00. That's the only time I've been able to get through the past few months. Also, Tuesdays and Wednesdays seem slightly better than Mondays or Fridays. When you do get through, make sure you have your claim number, the exact dates of your pregnancy disability end and PFL baby bonding start date, and any correspondence reference numbers ready. They'll ask for this info to verify your identity. Hang in there! The transition from SDI to PFL is notoriously problematic right now with all the system upgrades they've been doing.

ugh the EDD is completley useless i swear. I went thru this back in jan when i had my daughter and it took 5 WEEKS to get my baby bonding benefits!! had to borrow $ from my parents to pay rent. the whole system is a joke tbh

Don't waste your time with the prompt selections. When you call, immediately press 0 or 1-1-3 (depending which number you're calling) to get directly to a claims specialist queue instead of listening to all the automated options. Also, there's a technical difference between your SDI ending and PFL beginning that trips many people up. Your claim status shows 'pending review' because there's a required 7-day waiting period between Pregnancy Disability Leave (SDI) and baby bonding (PFL) by law. This waiting period is unpaid, and EDD doesn't make this clear in their communications. Based on your baby being 3 weeks old, you likely need to verify that your doctor properly coded your recovery period end date on your DE2501 form. Then you need to ensure your DE2508F for baby bonding was correctly received. The system won't automatically transition you - these are considered separate claims even though they're related benefits. In 2025, standard recovery periods are 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for C-section before baby bonding can begin.

The most reliable method I've found is calling at 8:01am, then if you get the maximum capacity message, hang up and immediately redial. Keep doing this for about 15-20 minutes straight. It's annoying but I eventually got through using this method last week. Also, make sure you're calling on a landline or with very good cell reception. I noticed that when I called from areas with spotty service, I'd get cut off more frequently even when I did get through the queue. For what it's worth, my transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding had a similar issue - showed pending for almost 3 weeks. When I finally reached someone, they said it was because they needed additional verification from my employer even though the online portal never showed any issues or missing information flags.

im having the exact same problem!!!! been trying to reach them for my baby bonding after my maternity leave ended. my baby is 2 months now and still havent gotten a payment since my disability ended. can they backpay us for the weeks we're waiting???? so stressed

To the person who asked if Claimyr is sketchy - I was hesitant too but it seriously worked. They don't handle any of your EDD login info or anything, they just connect the call. When I finally got through, I found out my baby bonding claim had a flag on it because my employer reported different dates than what I submitted. The EDD rep fixed it right away and my payments started processing the next day.

call the 833 number instead of the 877 one sometimes it less busy tbh

Update: I FINALLY got through today! Called exactly at 8:00am and got the same message, but kept redialing for about 30 minutes and eventually got in the queue. Waited on hold for 47 minutes but finally spoke to someone. Turns out there WAS a problem - they had my baby's birthdate wrong by one day (how???) which was causing the system to flag my claim. The rep fixed it and said I should see payment in 3-5 business days. For anyone else dealing with this, the persistence method does eventually work. Just keep calling and don't give up!

So glad you got through and got it resolved! This gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. It's absolutely ridiculous that such a simple data entry error (wrong birthdate by one day?!) can hold up benefits for weeks when new parents are already dealing with so much stress and financial pressure. The fact that the system doesn't flag these obvious discrepancies for quick manual review is just another example of how broken the EDD processes are. Thanks for sharing your success story - I'm sure it'll encourage others who are struggling with similar issues to keep trying!

Just wanted to add another tip that worked for me - if you're getting the "maximum capacity" message, try calling the Spanish language line (1-800-300-5616) and then asking to be transferred to an English-speaking agent. I know it sounds weird but my coworker suggested it and I actually got through faster that way! The wait time was still long but at least I didn't get the busy signal. Also, definitely have all your documents ready before calling - claim number, social security, employer info, and your baby's birth certificate info. They'll ask for everything to verify your identity and you don't want to waste time scrambling for paperwork when you finally get someone on the line!

Another thing that helped me was calling right after lunch around 1:30-2:00 PM on Wednesdays. I know everyone says mornings are best, but I think fewer people try the afternoon slots. Got through twice using this timing when the 8 AM method wasn't working for me. Also, if you're still having trouble, try reaching out to your state assembly member's office. They have constituent services that can sometimes help escalate EDD issues. I had to do this for my unemployment claim last year and they were able to get movement on my case within a week. Worth a shot when you're dealing with urgent financial needs! One more tip - document EVERYTHING. Keep records of every call attempt, reference numbers from your online messages, screenshots of your claim status, etc. If you end up needing to escalate or file an appeal, having that paper trail is crucial.