EDD PFL claim stuck in 'Pending Processing' after 8 weeks - who to contact for help?

Yes! Absolutely contact your state assembly member's office ASAP. I was in almost the exact same situation in January - my claim was stuck pending for 7 weeks after giving birth. Assembly member's office got it fixed in 5 days after I'd been trying for weeks on my own. Google "[your city] california state assembly" to find your representative. Every assembly member has staff dedicated to helping constituents with EDD issues. They have direct lines to EDD that regular people don't have access to. You'll need to fill out a privacy release form so they can discuss your claim, but they'll send you that. Keep calling the PFL line too though. Sometimes just getting through to anyone can help move things along.

OMG the EXACT same thing happened to me!!! my baby is almost 4 months now and i waited 9 weeks with pending status before i got paid. EDD is a NIGHTMARE this year. i called literally HUNDREDS of times. so frustrating!!

This is unfortunately very common with EDD PFL claims in 2025. The system is overwhelmed due to staffing shortages and increased claims volume. Here are the most effective escalation options in order of effectiveness: 1. State Assembly/Senate member (as mentioned above) 2. EDD Ombudsperson's Office: 1-866-401-2849 3. File a formal complaint through the EDD website 4. Contact the Governor's Office of Constituent Services When you do get through to someone, request expedited processing due to financial hardship. Be prepared to provide documentation showing your financial need (overdue bills, etc). Also important: continue certifying for benefits even while your claim is pending. Many claimants make the mistake of waiting for approval before certifying, which further delays payment.

Try using Claimyr to get through to an actual EDD agent. I was in your same position last month and spent days trying to get through on the phone with no luck. Claimyr got me through to a live person in about 10 minutes who was able to escalate my claim. Cost a bit but worth every penny given how much money was held up. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 and their website is claimyr.com. The agent I spoke with was able to flag my claim as urgent once I explained my financial situation.

Sorry your going through this!! The EDD system is BROKEN!! i had to borrow money from my parents while waiting for my pFL $$. Try emailing them thru the portal too - sometimes different approaches work for different people. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - dates you called, who you talked to, etc. You might need it if you have to appeal anything later.

One thing to check - did you properly transition from SDI to PFL? A lot of claims get stuck in "pending processing" when there's a gap between disability ending and PFL starting. If you had pregnancy disability, there needs to be a clean handoff between the two claims. Sometimes you need to call and explicitly request them to link the claims. Also, login to your account and check if there are any outstanding forms or certifications needed. The system doesn't always notify you when something is missing.

my sister works for edd (not pfl dept) and she says internally theyre telling employees 10-12 week processing times right now!!! they lost a bunch of staff and haven't replaced them. its criminal how they treat new parents imho

Update to my earlier comment: When you contact your Assembly member, include: 1. Your full name 2. EDD Customer Account Number 3. Last 4 of SSN 4. Date you filed for PFL 5. Brief description of issue 6. Phone number where EDD can reach you This speeds up their ability to help you. Also, make sure your phone accepts calls from unknown/blocked numbers since EDD often calls from blocked numbers.

For anyone in a similar situation: if you're experiencing severe financial hardship due to delayed PFL benefits, you can also request an expedited hardship review. Call the main PFL number and specifically say "financial hardship expedite request" when you reach a representative. Be prepared to explain your situation and possibly provide documentation of your hardship (eviction notice, utility shutoff, etc). While not guaranteed, hardship requests can sometimes move your claim to the front of the processing queue.

UPDATE: Assembly member's office got back to me this morning! They have a dedicated EDD liaison who's already reached out to the department on my behalf. They said typical resolution time is 7-10 business days, which isn't ideal but better than nothing. I'm also going to try Claimyr tomorrow to see if I can get through directly. Will update when I have news. Thanks everyone for your help during this stressful time!