EDD PFL phone number hacks? How to actually reach a human at Paid Family Leave

The EDD phone system is a nightmare, but I've had the most success calling EXACTLY at 8:00 am when they open. Not 8:01, not 7:59 - literally the second they open. I call from my landline and cell simultaneously to double my chances. Got through within 10 minutes last month when I needed to ask about my baby bonding transition from disability. Also, try the main SDI number instead of the PFL-specific one. Sometimes the wait times are shorter and they can often help with PFL questions too since it's technically the same department.

sameeeee boat!! been trying for 2 weeks and cant get thru. its ridiculous they expect new parents to sit on hold all day?? like we dont have newborns to take care of?? my claim says pending too and i have NO IDEA why. so frustrating!!!

I work with EDD claims professionally and can offer some insights. First, "pending" status after 3 weeks for PFL baby bonding is actually normal, especially if you're transitioning from pregnancy disability. They're likely waiting for your SDI claim to fully close before processing the PFL portion. For contacting them, a few tips: - Call on Tuesday-Thursday (avoid Mondays and Fridays when volume is highest) - Try between 1-2pm when many agents return from lunch - Select the Spanish option, then ask for English when connected (shorter queues) - When prompted by the automated system, press 1, then 2, then 3, then 1 again - this specific sequence often routes you to agents handling PFL claims Also, check your EDD online account for any notifications about missing documentation. Sometimes they need additional info but the letter gets lost in the mail.

I tried calling every day for TWO WEEKS and kept getting busy signals or disconnected. Then I used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD agent in about 25 minutes! It costs money but honestly it was worth every penny after wasting hours trying to call myself. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92Ay5?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2wM But check their website (claimyr.com) because sometimes they fill up. I got to talk to someone who actually fixed my PFL claim issue on the spot.

Pro tip from someone who just went through this mess: Try the disability customer service number instead (1-800-480-3287) and ask to be transferred to PFL. I got through in 20 minutes last week when the PFL number had me on hold for over an hour before disconnecting me. Also, if you're transitioning from pregnancy disability to baby bonding, make sure you already received your final disability payment before stressing too much about the PFL claim. The system won't process your PFL until the disability claim is fully closed, which can add an extra week or two to the process.

isnt it crazy that we need to come to a forum to figure out how to talk to the government agency thats supposed to be helping new parents?? my sister had a baby in oregon and everything was super easy, all online, no need to call anyone. california needs to fix this!!

Just to add - if your baby bonding claim has been pending for over 3 weeks and you've already received your final pregnancy disability payment, there might be a flag on your account that requires manual review. Sometimes this happens if: 1. Your baby's birthdate on the PFL form doesn't match the date on your pregnancy disability claim 2. Your employer information changed between claims 3. You filed your PFL claim before your pregnancy disability claim was fully closed 4. Your doctor used different dates on your return-to-work certification Definitely worth calling to check if any of these apply. And remember, when you do get through, ask for a direct number or extension for follow-up questions. Many representatives will provide this if you ask nicely!

Another trick that worked for me - try calling the Spanish line even if you don't speak Spanish fluently. When they answer, just say "English please" and they'll transfer you to an English-speaking agent. The Spanish line consistently has shorter wait times because fewer people think to try it. Also, download the EDD mobile app if you haven't already. Sometimes claim updates show up there before they appear on the website. It's still pretty clunky but occasionally gives you more detail about why a claim is stuck. One more thing - if you're comfortable sharing your zip code area, some local Assembly member offices have staff who specialize in EDD issues and can sometimes help expedite claims. It's worth a shot if you're really desperate!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my PFL claim 2.5 weeks ago and it's just sitting in pending status with zero communication. It's so stressful not knowing if there's an issue or if it's just normal processing time. I've been trying some of the tips from this thread - called right at 8am yesterday using both my phone and my partner's phone at the same time (thanks @Logan Chiang!) and actually got through on the second phone after about 15 minutes! The agent was super helpful and explained that my claim was just waiting for final verification that my pregnancy disability had fully closed out, which apparently takes 7-10 business days from your last disability payment. She also gave me her direct extension (which I'm not sure I should share publicly, but if you DM me I can pass it along). Definitely ask for a direct callback number when you get through - it saves so much time for follow-up questions! One more tip: she mentioned that if you're transitioning from pregnancy disability to baby bonding PFL, the system automatically holds your PFL claim until the disability claim shows as "paid in full" in their system, even if you already received your final payment. So the pending status might just be normal processing, not an actual problem with your application. Hope this helps and good luck everyone! The system is definitely broken but there are ways to work around it.

Just wanted to share what finally worked for me after reading through all these amazing tips! I used the dual phone strategy from @Logan Chiang and called right at 8:00 AM sharp this morning - got through in about 8 minutes on my second phone! The agent confirmed that my claim was just waiting for the pregnancy disability to fully close out in their system (even though I got my final payment 2 weeks ago). She said it typically takes 2-3 weeks from your last disability payment before PFL can process, which explains the "pending" status we're all seeing. She also mentioned that if you're getting anxious about the timeline, you can check if your pregnancy disability claim shows "PAID" status in your online account - once it switches from "PAID" to "CLOSED" that's when PFL will automatically start processing. Thanks everyone for all the phone hacks! The system is still terrible but at least we can help each other navigate it. Sending solidarity to all the new parents dealing with this mess! 💜

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm a first-time parent going through the exact same nightmare - filed my PFL baby bonding claim 3.5 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "pending" with zero communication from EDD. I've been calling obsessively but keep getting disconnected or waiting on hold forever. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the 2-3 week wait after your final pregnancy disability payment is actually normal processing time, which is somewhat reassuring. My disability claim still shows "PAID" status, so I'm watching for it to switch to "CLOSED" like @GalacticGladiator mentioned. I'm definitely going to try the dual phone strategy tomorrow at exactly 8:00 AM - calling both the main PFL number and the disability number simultaneously. And I'll ask for a direct extension if I get through. It's ridiculous that new parents have to become phone ninjas just to access benefits we're entitled to, but I'm grateful for this community sharing all these workarounds! Has anyone had success with the mobile app showing updates before the website? I've been checking my online account daily but wondering if the app might give different info.

I just went through this exact same situation last month and wanted to share what finally worked for me! After 3 weeks of "pending" status and countless failed phone attempts, I tried a combination of the strategies mentioned here: 1. Called at exactly 8:00 AM using two phones (landline + cell) 2. Used the disability number (1-800-480-3287) and asked to be transferred to PFL 3. When I got through (took about 12 minutes), the agent explained that my claim was waiting for my pregnancy disability to show "CLOSED" status instead of just "PAID" The key insight was that even though I'd received my final disability payment 2 weeks prior, the system takes an additional 7-14 business days to fully close out the disability claim before PFL can process. Once that happened, my PFL was approved within 3 days and I got my first payment the following week. The agent also gave me a direct callback number specifically for PFL issues, which was a game-changer for follow-up questions. Definitely ask for one when you get through! Don't give up - the "pending" status after 3 weeks is actually normal for disability-to-PFL transitions, even though EDD does a terrible job communicating this to new parents who are already stressed enough!

Just wanted to jump in and say THANK YOU to everyone sharing these phone strategies! I'm a new parent dealing with the exact same PFL nightmare - filed 3 weeks ago and stuck on "pending" with zero updates. I've been calling daily and either get busy signals or sit on hold until my baby needs attention and I have to hang up. Reading through this thread has been SO helpful and reassuring. I had no idea that the 2-3 week wait after final disability payment was normal processing time - EDD really needs to communicate this better! My pregnancy disability still shows "PAID" so I'm watching for it to switch to "CLOSED" like others mentioned. I'm definitely trying the dual phone approach tomorrow morning at exactly 8:00 AM with both the main PFL number and the disability transfer method. Has anyone had luck with the Spanish line transfer trick recently? I'm willing to try anything at this point! It's honestly ridiculous that new parents have to become phone ninjas just to access benefits we've already paid into, but I'm so grateful this community exists to help each other navigate the broken system. Will report back if I have any success! 🤞

As someone who just successfully navigated this exact situation, I wanted to share what finally worked for me! I was stuck in "pending" hell for almost a month with my PFL baby bonding claim. The breakthrough came when I realized that EDD has a separate technical support line (1-833-978-2511) that handles account issues and claim status problems. I called this number instead of the main PFL line, and they were able to see that my claim had a "system hold" because my pregnancy disability hadn't fully processed in their backend, even though it showed as complete on my end. The tech support agent was able to remove the hold immediately and escalate my claim for manual review. I got my approval notification 2 days later and first payment within a week. Also pro tip: if you're calling any EDD number, press 0 repeatedly during the automated menu instead of following the prompts. This sometimes routes you directly to a live agent and skips the queue system entirely. Worked about 30% of the time for me, but when it worked, I got through in under 5 minutes. Hang in there everyone - the system is absolutely broken but these workarounds do help!

OMG I'm literally going through this EXACT same situation right now and this thread is giving me life! Filed my PFL baby bonding claim almost 4 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "pending" with absolutely zero updates or communication from EDD. I've called probably 30+ times and either get busy signals, disconnected, or sit on hold for over an hour with a crying baby in the background until I have to give up. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and infuriating - reassuring because it sounds like the 3+ week pending status might actually be normal for disability-to-PFL transitions (who knew?!), but infuriating because EDD provides ZERO communication about expected timelines. My pregnancy disability payment ended about 2.5 weeks ago and still shows "PAID" status, so based on what others have shared, I'm probably still in that waiting period for it to switch to "CLOSED." I'm definitely trying the dual phone strategy tomorrow at exactly 8:00 AM with both the main number and the disability transfer approach. Also going to try that technical support line that @Jake Sinclair mentioned (1-833-978-2511) - had no idea that even existed! The "press 0 repeatedly" hack sounds promising too. It's absolutely insane that new parents have to become amateur EDD detectives just to access benefits we've already paid into through our paychecks. Thank you all SO much for sharing your strategies and timelines - this community is literally more helpful than the entire EDD website! Will definitely report back if I have any breakthroughs 🙏

I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Filed my PFL baby bonding claim 2.5 weeks ago and it's been stuck on pending with zero updates. I've probably called 40+ times and either get disconnected immediately or wait on hold for an hour until my newborn needs something and I have to hang up. This thread is incredibly helpful though - I had NO idea that the 2-3 week wait after your final disability payment is actually normal processing time! My pregnancy disability shows "PAID" but not "CLOSED" yet, so sounds like I'm still in that waiting period. EDD really needs to communicate these timelines somewhere instead of leaving new parents to stress about whether something is wrong. I'm definitely trying the dual phone strategy at exactly 8:00 AM tomorrow, and that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) that @Jake Sinclair mentioned sounds promising. The "press 0 repeatedly" hack is genius too - I never would have thought of that! It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole playbook just to access benefits we've already paid into, but I'm so grateful for this community. You all are way more helpful than anything on the actual EDD website! Will update if I have any success getting through 🤞

I'm dealing with the exact same situation and this thread has been a godsend! Filed my PFL baby bonding claim 3 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "pending" with absolutely no communication from EDD. I've called probably 25+ times and either get busy signals or sit on hold for over an hour with my newborn crying in the background. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and maddening - reassuring because it sounds like the 3+ week wait after disability payments end might actually be normal (wish they'd tell us that!), but maddening because the complete lack of communication from EDD is inexcusable for new parents who are already overwhelmed. My final pregnancy disability payment came through about 2 weeks ago and still shows "PAID" status, so based on what others have shared, I'm probably still waiting for it to switch to "CLOSED" before PFL can process. I'm definitely going to try the dual phone strategy tomorrow at exactly 8:00 AM with both the main PFL number and the disability transfer method. Also planning to call that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) that @Jake Sinclair mentioned - had no idea that existed! The "press 0 repeatedly" hack sounds worth trying too. Thank you all for sharing your strategies and timelines - this community is literally more helpful than the entire EDD system! I'll report back if I manage to get through and learn anything new. Solidarity to all the new parents fighting this bureaucratic nightmare! 🙏

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in week 2 of the exact same nightmare - filed my PFL baby bonding claim and it's been stuck on "pending" with zero communication. I've been calling obsessively and either get disconnected or wait on hold forever while trying to manage my newborn. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly eye-opening and somewhat reassuring. I had NO idea that the 2-3 week wait after your final pregnancy disability payment is actually normal processing time - EDD really needs to communicate this somewhere! My disability payment ended about 10 days ago and still shows "PAID" status, so sounds like I'm right in that waiting period for it to switch to "CLOSED." I'm definitely going to try the dual phone strategy at exactly 8:00 AM tomorrow with both phones, plus that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) that @Jake Sinclair mentioned. The "press 0 repeatedly" hack sounds promising too! It's absolutely insane that new parents have to become EDD detectives just to access benefits we've already paid into through payroll taxes. Thank you all SO much for sharing these strategies - this community is way more helpful than anything on the official EDD website! I'll report back if I have any success getting through. Sending solidarity to all the exhausted parents fighting this broken system! 🙏

I'm in the exact same boat and this thread has been a lifesaver! Filed my PFL baby bonding claim 3 weeks ago and have been stuck on "pending" with zero updates. I've called probably 35+ times and either get busy signals or sit on hold for hours until my baby needs attention and I have to hang up - it's literally impossible! Reading through all these experiences has been both reassuring and infuriating. I had NO idea that the 2-3 week wait after your final disability payment is actually normal processing time! My pregnancy disability ended about 2 weeks ago and still shows "PAID" but not "CLOSED" yet, so it sounds like I'm right in that waiting period everyone's talking about. I'm definitely going to try the dual phone strategy at exactly 8:00 AM tomorrow - calling both the main PFL number and using the disability transfer method. Also going to try that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) and the "press 0 repeatedly" trick that @Jake Sinclair mentioned. It's absolutely ridiculous that new parents have to become phone ninjas and crowdsource basic information just to access benefits we've already paid into! But I'm so grateful this community exists - you all have been more helpful than the entire EDD website. Will definitely report back if I manage to get through and learn anything new. Sending solidarity to everyone dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare while caring for a newborn! 🤞💜