Can't reach EDD PFL department for weeks - any working phone numbers?
I'm at my wits end trying to contact EDD about my Paid Family Leave claim! I submitted my baby bonding application over 3 weeks ago and haven't heard ANYTHING back. My benefits were supposed to start on Feb 3rd but the online portal just shows 'pending' with no other info. I've tried calling the main number (literally 20+ times) but either get disconnected or sit on hold until their office closes. Are there any other phone numbers I can try to actually reach a human being? I've got bills piling up and my employer is asking for documentation of my leave approval. Help!!
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Rajan Walker
omg same boat over here! been trying 4 almost a month. the # on their website is useless. my claim is stuck in processing hell & rent is due next week ðŸ˜
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•It's so frustrating! Have you tried emailing them through the contact portal? I did that twice last week and still nothing. I'm starting to worry my application got lost or something.
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Nadia Zaldivar
Try calling right when they open at 8:00 AM. I've had better luck getting through then. Also, make sure you're calling the right department. For PFL baby bonding, use 1-877-238-4373. The regular disability number won't help with PFL issues. When you do get through, ask them to expedite your claim due to financial hardship.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•Thank you! I'll try calling right at 8am tomorrow. Is the 877 number different from the main EDD number? I've been using 833-978-2511 which is what was on my claim paperwork.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
After weeks of frustration, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD agent for my PFL claim. It connected me directly to an EDD agent without the crazy hold times. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. The agent was able to see that my claim had some missing information they never notified me about. Got it resolved in one call instead of waiting more weeks!
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Ev Luca
•Is this legit? Sounds like an ad. I don't want to pay for something that should be a free government service.
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Avery Davis
The EDD system is DELIBERATELY BROKEN. They make it impossible to reach anyone so people give up on their benefits. I filed for PFL after my twins were born and ended up submitting a formal complaint to my state representative before anyone would help me. THREE MONTHS waiting while bills piled up. This is how they save money - by making the process so frustrating people abandon their claims!!!
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Collins Angel
•While I understand your frustration, the delays are usually due to staffing shortages rather than deliberate obstruction. PFL claims for baby bonding typically process within 14 business days unless there's missing information or employer verification issues. If it's been longer than 3 weeks, there's likely a specific problem with your claim that needs addressing.
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Marcelle Drum
Have you tried checking if your employer actually submitted their portion of the paperwork? When I applied for baby bonding PFL last year, my claim was stuck for weeks because my HR department hadn't completed their verification. The EDD never notified me - I had to figure it out myself. Also, try contacting them through their social media accounts. Sometimes their Twitter team responds faster than phone support.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•I didn't even think about that! I'll check with HR tomorrow. I just assumed everything was filed correctly since I got the confirmation number online. And I'll try their social media too - great idea!
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Rajan Walker
when i had my first baby in 2023 i had to call like 67 times in one day before getting someone. second baby now and same problems ugh. the whole system is broken
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Nadia Zaldivar
•If you're having to call that many times, try a different approach. Call during off-peak hours (Wednesday-Thursday afternoons tend to be better), select the Spanish option even if you don't speak Spanish (their Spanish-speaking agents also speak English and those queues are often shorter), and have your claim number, last 4 of SSN, and date of birth ready when you call to speed things up.
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Collins Angel
I work as an employment benefits specialist and can offer some insight. For PFL baby bonding claims specifically, there are a few common holdup reasons: 1. Transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding requires a separate DE2501F form 2. Employer wage verification delays 3. Identity verification issues 4. Missing birth certificate/documentation 5. Incorrect dates on application Calling at 8:00 AM is definitely best. Also, check your EDD online account for any correspondence requiring your response - they often send notices there without email notifications.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•Thank you so much for this detailed info! I just checked my online account again and there actually WAS a notice from a week ago asking for additional documentation. I completely missed it because I was only looking at the claim status page. I'm uploading the missing info right now!
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Tate Jensen
my sister had baby last month and she told me to tell u that trying different phone options sometimes helps? like if u pick the option for "new claims" instead of "existing claims" u might get a different call queue. worth trying maybe
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•Thanks for the tip! I'll try different menu options tomorrow morning. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved.
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Nadia Zaldivar
Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to EDD after trying the suggestions here? Did you find the documentation they were looking for in your online account?
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•Yes! Good news - I called the 877 number right at 8am and only waited about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed they needed my baby's birth certificate which I had already uploaded after seeing the notice. She expedited my claim and said I should see payment within 3-5 business days. Thank you all for the helpful advice!
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