Can't reach EDD by phone for baby bonding PFL application - desperate for help!

The EDD phone system is basically designed to be impossible, I swear. For baby bonding specifically, try calling exactly at 8:01am (not 8:00 - their system is still booting up) and use the option for 'existing claim questions' even if you don't have a claim yet. That sometimes gets you to a different queue with shorter wait times. Also, double-check that he's using the DE2508 form specifically for PFL, not the disability one. A lot of new dads make that mistake.

Thanks for the tip about calling at 8:01! We've definitely been using the right form (DE2508), and we even tried the trick where you select Spanish and then ask for English when a rep answers, but no luck so far. I'll try your suggestion tomorrow morning!

Omg the EXACT same thing happend to me!!! The stupid website kept saying my information was wrong but it WASNT. I ended up having to fax in my application for baby bonding (yes, FAX like its 1995) and it actually worked faster than trying to get through on the phone lol. Took about 10 days but I got approved. Do you have access to a fax machine?

I didn't even think about faxing it in! There's a FedEx Office near us that probably has fax services. Did you just fax the DE2508 form, or did you need to include other documentation too?

Having worked through this process recently, I can offer some guidance. For baby bonding PFL applications, there are a few critical points to understand:\n\n1. The online system cross-references your information with both EDD and vital records databases. If your child's birth certificate hasn't been fully processed in the system yet (which can take 4-6 weeks in some counties), you'll get the error about information not matching.\n\n2. For phone contact, the technical issue queue (option 2, then 4) often has shorter wait times than the general queue, and those agents can still help with baby bonding applications.\n\n3. Make sure your husband's employer has properly reported his wages to EDD in the base period (typically 5-18 months before the claim). Missing wage reports are a common reason for SSN mismatches.\n\nI'd recommend trying both the fax approach and making one more attempt by phone using the technical queue. Also, if your hospital provided a DE2501FC form, include that with your application as it can help verify the birth date.

This is why I HATE the EDD system so much. Why should new parents have to become experts in their stupid database systems just to get benefits they're entitled to?? The fact that birth certificates aren't automatically linked to the PFL system is ridiculous. It's 2025 for crying out loud. The whole system is designed to make people give up.

I understand your frustration. The systems should definitely be better integrated, but until they are, knowing how to navigate them is unfortunately necessary. The good news is that once approved, the baby bonding benefits are quite good in California compared to most states.

have u tried calling different EDD numbers? sometimes the disability number can help with PFL stuff too. my cousin got thru that way for his baby bonding claim last month

We've tried the main PFL number (877-238-4373) but not the disability one. Do you happen to know what number your cousin called? We'll try anything at this point!

After struggling with the EXACT same issue for my baby bonding claim (our twins were born in January), I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD agent in about 15 minutes. It basically keeps dialing for you until it gets through, then calls you when it has an agent on the line. Totally worth it because I was going insane trying to call myself.\n\nTheir website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5\n\nThe agent I got was super helpful and fixed the SSN mismatch issue on the spot. Turns out my employer had reported my SSN with a transposed digit to EDD, which is why the online system kept rejecting me.

I've heard of this! My friend used it for her unemployment claim. Does it actually work for PFL too? I thought it was just for regular unemployment.

Yes, it works for all EDD departments including PFL! They get you through to the same phone lines we've all been banging our heads against.

Pro tip: if you're still struggling, try contacting your state assembly member's office! I couldn't reach EDD for WEEKS about my maternity to baby bonding transition. One email to my assembly member's constituent services and they had an EDD specialist call me back within 2 days. Apparently they have direct lines to EDD case workers that regular people can't access. Totally free service too.

That's an amazing tip - thank you! I never would have thought of contacting our assembly member. We'll definitely try this route if we still can't get through. Do you just call their main office?

I'm going through this EXACT nightmare right now with my pregnancy disability transitioning to baby bonding. The whole system is BROKEN!!!! I've called 67 times this week (yes I kept count) and either get disconnected or told the wait time is

I hear you. The system is definitely strained, especially since they reduced staffing after the pandemic unemployment surge but never fully restored it. For transitioning from pregnancy disability to baby bonding, you might have better luck with the dedicated transition team at 866-401-2539, option 3. They sometimes have shorter wait times since it's a specialized unit.

THANK YOU for that number!!! Will try tomorrow morning. At this point I'm desperate enough to try anything.

Just wanted to follow up - what ended up working for you? Were you able to get through to EDD for your husband's baby bonding claim?

Finally got it resolved! We ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above, and it actually worked - got us through to a real person after trying for almost a week on our own. The agent said there was a mismatch between the baby's birthdate on the hospital records and what we entered (we put 03/12 instead of 3/12 - seriously, that was the issue). Fixed it on the spot and the claim was processed two days later. Thanks everyone for your help!!