Best time to call EDD for PFL claims - any direct numbers that actually work?

Call exactly at 8:00:01 am when they open!!! That's what worked for me. Be ready with your finger on the dial button at 7:59. Good luck!!!

This is literally why I almost had a breakdown during my maternity leave last year. The system is BROKEN!!! I called for THREE WEEKS STRAIGHT without getting through. Then suddenly one day at like 3:15pm on a Wednesday someone picked up and fixed my claim in 5 minutes. It's completely random and designed to make us give up. DON'T GIVE UP.

I've found that calling on Wednesdays or Thursdays between 1pm-3pm tends to have slightly better results. Mondays are absolutely the worst. Also, try the general EDD number (1-800-300-5616) instead of the PFL specific one sometimes - occasionally they can help with PFL claims too or transfer you to the right department without hanging up on you. Another tip: when you go through the automated prompts, sometimes option 3 (for employers) has a shorter wait time, and once you get a human, they'll usually still help you even though you're not an employer. Just be polite when they answer and explain you're having trouble reaching someone about your PFL claim.

I used to struggle with this too until I discovered Claimyr. It's a service that basically waits on hold for you and calls you back when an EDD rep is on the line. Saved me hours of frustration with my PFL claim. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 and their website is claimyr.com. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked and got my baby bonding claim sorted out in one call.

try calling at 8am sharp or 1pm right after lunch breka. thats usally when theres less calls i think. also try pressing 0 a bunch of times during the recorded message sometimes that gets u to a person faster lol

One more thing to try: if you're having trouble reaching someone by phone, try sending a secure message through your UI Online account. Go to 'Contact Us' and select 'Paid Family Leave' as the category. While it's not as immediate as a phone call, I've sometimes received responses within 3-5 business days, which might be faster than constantly trying to call. Also, double-check your online account to make sure they haven't sent you any notices requesting additional information. Sometimes claims get held up because they need something from you, but the physical mail notification gets lost or delayed.

When I had my baby last year I went through this EXACT same thing. So frustrating! I finally got through by calling at exactly 8:01am on a Tuesday, but it still took 45 minutes on hold. The whole system is designed to make claiming your benefits as difficult as possible and it's especially cruel to do this to new parents. Like we don't have enough stress already?!?

After checking this thread later in the day - just wanted to follow up with the OP. Were you able to get through to EDD using any of these suggestions? I'm curious which method worked for you.

Wow, this thread is gold! I'm dealing with the same PFL nightmare right now - submitted my claim 2 weeks ago for caring for my sick mother and haven't heard anything. I've been calling daily with no luck. @Ethan Clark so happy to hear the Claimyr service worked for you! I'm definitely going to try that since the traditional calling methods clearly aren't working. It's ridiculous that we have to pay a third-party service to access benefits we've already paid into through our paychecks, but at this point I'm desperate. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this struggle!

I'm in a similar boat - been trying to reach EDD about my PFL claim for bonding with my newborn for over two weeks now. The system is absolutely brutal when you're already exhausted from caring for a baby! Reading through all these suggestions gives me some hope though. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy first, then maybe the Claimyr service if that doesn't work. It's infuriating that we have to become experts in gaming their phone system just to access benefits we've paid into. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this struggle!

I just went through this exact situation last month with my PFL claim for my premature baby's NICU stay. After reading through all the great advice here, I wanted to add one more tip that worked for me: try calling on Friday afternoons around 2-3pm. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I think fewer people are calling then because they assume it's a bad time. I got through on my third Friday attempt and the rep was super helpful - turns out my doctor had submitted the wrong form code. Also, definitely keep detailed notes of every call attempt (time, day, how long you waited before getting disconnected) because if you do need to escalate or file a complaint later, having that documentation really helps. The whole system is beyond frustrating when you're already dealing with a new baby and recovery. Hang in there @Ethan Clark - so glad the Claimyr service worked for you!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a new parent dealing with my own PFL claim issues - submitted my bonding claim 3 weeks ago and have been getting nowhere with the phone system. It's so reassuring to see I'm not the only one struggling with this broken system. The timing suggestions are really valuable - I'm going to try the 8am sharp strategy first, then maybe the Friday afternoon approach @Alexander Zeus mentioned. The Claimyr service sounds promising too based on @Ethan Clark's success. It's ridiculous that we need to strategize like this just to access benefits we've paid into, especially when we're already dealing with the stress of new parenthood. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and creating this supportive community!

I'm going through this exact same frustration right now with my PFL claim for caring for my newborn! It's been almost a month since I submitted and I've called probably 50+ times with no luck getting through. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both comforting (I'm not alone!) and infuriating (this system is clearly broken for everyone). I'm definitely going to try the early morning 8am strategy and the Friday afternoon approach that several people mentioned. The Claimyr service sounds like it might be worth the cost at this point - @Ethan Clark I'm so glad that worked for you! It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to pay a third party or become experts in gaming their phone system just to access benefits we've already paid into through our paychecks. For anyone else struggling with this - one thing I've noticed is that the automated message sometimes gives slightly different wait time estimates at different times of day. Not sure if that actually means anything, but I've been tracking it along with my call attempts. This whole process adds so much unnecessary stress when we should be focusing on our families. Thanks to everyone for sharing your strategies and experiences!

I'm new to this community and currently going through my first PFL claim experience - submitted my bonding claim about 2 weeks ago for my newborn and haven't been able to get through to EDD at all. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and eye-opening about how broken this system really is. It's incredibly frustrating that we have to strategize and game their phone system just to access benefits we've already paid for through our paychecks. I'm definitely going to try some of the timing strategies mentioned here - the 8am sharp approach sounds promising, and I'm intrigued by @Alexander Zeus's Friday afternoon tip. The Claimyr service that helped @Ethan Clark also seems worth considering if the direct calling doesn't work out. It's honestly heartbreaking that so many new parents are dealing with this added stress when we should be focusing on our babies and recovery. Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences and creating this supportive space - it really helps to know we're not alone in this struggle!