EDD PFL specialist not answering calls - might have to cancel paternity leave

same exact thing happened to us!! specialist never called us back either, we kept calling for 3 weeks and nothing. finally got through by calling the main EDD number at exactly 8:00am and hitting 0 instead of trying the specialist number. good luck!!

EDD PFL is LITERALLY THE WORST!!! I had the exact same problem in May when I was trying to transition from pregnancy disability to baby bonding. Got that stupid letter saying to call a specialist, and when I finally got through after two weeks of trying, the person had no idea why I was even told to call!! Turns out there was just a simple form missing that nobody bothered to tell me about until I threatened to file a complaint. The system is BROKEN!! They act like new parents have all the time in the world to sit around calling them all day. It's ridiculous!

This is unfortunately very common with PFL claims right now. The department is severely understaffed, especially in the specialist units. Here's what you need to do: 1. First, check your online account to see if there's a specific issue flagged on your claim. Sometimes they need additional documentation but the letter doesn't specify. 2. Try calling the main EDD number (1-800-480-3287) instead of the specialist number. Press 1 for English, then 2 for PFL, then 4 for claim questions. Do this right at 8:00am. 3. If you received an award letter, that means the claim was approved in principle but something is holding up payment. This is usually fixable. 4. Don't have your husband return to work yet if possible - PFL is a benefit he's entitled to, and they WILL backpay all weeks once the issue is resolved. The specialist probably needs to verify something simple like identity or employment details. Hang in there!

My wife had a baby in April and i had the same problem with my PFL claim i was about to give up too but my brother told me to try Claimyr.com to get through to EDD. It costs money but it worked and i got connected to a real person in like 5 minutes!! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 The EDD agent i talked to fixed my claim right away and my payment came 3 days later. might be worth trying if u keep hitting dead ends

I'm currently on maternity leave, and I noticed that the specialists are more likely to answer on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for some reason? Monday and Friday seem to be the worst days to call. Also, have you been checking your UI Online account daily? Sometimes they'll update your claim status there without actually calling you back. I'd also recommend checking if your husband's employer submitted all the required documentation. When I first applied for my baby bonding claim, there was a delay because my HR department hadn't responded to EDD's employment verification request. Might be worth having him check with his workplace if they received anything from EDD.

One thing to know about PFL for baby bonding is that there are specific timelines that must be followed. Since your husband started his leave on August 9th, he should have applied for PFL ideally before that date, but no later than 41 days after starting leave. The letter requesting a call to a specialist typically indicates there's either missing information or a potential issue with the claim. Common reasons include: 1. Incomplete medical provider certification 2. Employment verification issues 3. Identity verification needs 4. Potential overlap with SDI benefits 5. Incomplete bonding documentation (birth certificate, etc.) If you received the benefit amount letter, that's actually a good sign - it means the claim was initially processed. The payment is likely pending the resolution of whatever issue the specialist needs to discuss. Did you receive any specific form numbers on the letter? That might provide a clue about what's holding up the payment.

just wanted to say dont give up!!! my husband almost went back to work too when we were waiting for his baby bonding pay but we finally got through and they fixed it and paid everything including backpay. the system sucks but dont let them cheat you out of your benefits!!

By the way, make sure you're calling between 8am-5pm Pacific time. I know this sounds obvious but I've talked to people who were calling outside business hours and wondering why no one answered. Also, do you have any friends or family members who could help by calling on different phones at the same time? Sometimes that increases your chances of getting through.

UPDATE: We finally got through!!! Used the Claimyr service that someone recommended here and got connected to an EDD agent in about 10 minutes. Turns out there was a simple issue - they needed additional identity verification because my husband has a new address that didn't match his previous tax records. The specialist processed it right away and said payments should start processing within 5-7 business days, with full backpay. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. This has been such a stressful experience but I'm relieved it's finally getting resolved!

Congratulations on getting it resolved! This is such a perfect example of why people shouldn't give up on their PFL benefits even when EDD makes it incredibly difficult. Your story will definitely help other parents who are going through the same nightmare. It's ridiculous that a simple address verification issue caused weeks of stress and almost forced your husband back to work early, but I'm so glad you got the backpay sorted out. Enjoy the rest of your family bonding time - you definitely earned it after all that hassle!

This is such a common issue unfortunately! I went through the exact same thing last year with my PFL claim for my son. The specialist system is completely broken - I think they're overwhelmed and understaffed. One thing that helped me was also trying to call right at lunch time (around 12pm) since sometimes different staff come on shift then. Also, if you have your husband's social security number, date of birth, and claim number ready, it speeds up the process once you do get through. I'm so glad you finally got it resolved! The address verification thing is super common - they're really strict about matching records. At least now other parents reading this will know that Claimyr service actually works. Worth every penny to avoid that stress and get your benefits flowing again. Enjoy the rest of your bonding time with your little one!

Wow, what a rollercoaster! I'm so happy you finally got through and got it resolved - that must be such a huge relief after weeks of stress. The fact that it was just an address verification issue that caused all this chaos is infuriating but unfortunately very typical for EDD. Your post is going to be so helpful for other parents going through the same nightmare. I saved all the tips from this thread for future reference - the timing suggestions, the main number sequence, and especially knowing about Claimyr as a last resort option. It's ridiculous that new parents have to become EDD experts just to get their rightful benefits, but at least we can help each other navigate the broken system. Enjoy every moment of the rest of your bonding time with your baby! You definitely earned it after dealing with all that bureaucratic nonsense. And congrats on the new little one! 💙

As a new parent who just went through this exact same nightmare with EDD PFL, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to not give up! My situation was almost identical - weeks of unreturned calls, mounting financial pressure, and seriously considering going back to work early just to pay the bills. What finally worked for me was a combination of the strategies mentioned here: calling the main EDD number right at 8am using the sequence Lourdes shared (1-800-480-3287, press 1, then 2, then 4), and being persistent about calling multiple times per day. It took about 12 days of this routine, but I finally got through. My issue turned out to be something super simple too - they needed to verify my employment dates because there was a small discrepancy between what my employer reported and what I put on my application. Literally a one-day difference that held up weeks of payments! The agent was actually very helpful once I got through and processed everything immediately. Got my first payment 4 days later with full backpay. The relief was incredible. Hang in there everyone - these benefits are worth fighting for, and the system does eventually work (even if it's painfully slow and frustrating). Your families deserve this bonding time!

This entire thread is exactly what I needed to read right now! I'm currently dealing with the same situation - my wife just had our baby two weeks ago and I'm supposed to start my paternity leave next Monday, but I'm terrified after reading all these horror stories about EDD PFL payments getting delayed. I've been proactively calling to make sure everything is set up correctly, but now I'm wondering if I should delay my leave start date until I can confirm the payments will actually go through on time. We can't afford to go weeks without income like so many of you experienced. Has anyone had success getting everything verified BEFORE starting their leave? Or should I just start as planned and hope for the best? The uncertainty is killing me, especially seeing how common these payment delays are. At least now I have all these great strategies to try if I run into problems - the specific phone number sequence, the timing tips, and knowing about Claimyr as a backup option. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly. It's incredibly helpful for those of us just starting this process!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently 8 months pregnant and my husband is planning to take his paternity leave in about 6 weeks, so reading through everyone's experiences has been both terrifying and incredibly helpful. It's honestly shocking that something as basic as paid family leave - which we all pay into through our paychecks - requires this level of strategic planning and persistence just to access. The fact that new parents are forced to become EDD experts while dealing with sleepless nights and all the stress of having a newborn is just cruel. I'm definitely going to have my husband try that preemptive verification call using the sequence Lourdes shared before his leave starts. And we're bookmarking the Claimyr service as a backup plan - it seems like multiple people had success with it, which gives me confidence it's legitimate. Thank you everyone for being so generous with sharing your hard-won knowledge. This community is a lifeline for navigating California's broken benefits system. I'll make sure to update this thread with our experience when the time comes - hopefully it will be smooth sailing, but if not, at least we'll be prepared!

I'm so glad I found this thread! Currently dealing with a very similar situation - my partner started her maternity leave 10 days ago and we're still waiting on the first PFL payment. We got the award letter showing the weekly amount, but when we call the specialist number it just goes straight to voicemail every time. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that this will eventually get resolved, but it's incredibly stressful when you're counting on that income. We've been living off savings and credit cards, which isn't sustainable much longer. I'm definitely going to try the main EDD number sequence that Lourdes shared (1-800-480-3287, press 1, 2, then 4) tomorrow morning right at 8am. And if that doesn't work, the Claimyr service sounds like it might be worth the cost just for peace of mind. It's absolutely ridiculous that new parents have to become EDD detectives just to get benefits we've been paying into for years. Thank you all for sharing your strategies and experiences - this community is a lifesaver when you're navigating this broken system!

This entire thread has been such an eye-opener! I'm expecting my first baby in January and my partner is planning to take paternity leave, so I've been researching PFL benefits. Reading through all these experiences is both helpful and terrifying - I had no idea that getting payments could be such a nightmare process. It's incredible how many of you have had to deal with unresponsive specialists and weeks of financial stress just to access benefits you've been paying into. The fact that simple issues like address changes or minor employment date discrepancies can cause such major delays is just mind-blowing. I'm definitely saving all the strategies you've shared - the specific phone number sequence, the timing tips about calling right at 8am or during lunch, and knowing about services like Claimyr as a last resort. The advice about doing a preemptive verification call before leave starts is brilliant too. Thank you all for being so generous with sharing your hard-won knowledge. Stories like Ellie's show that persistence really does pay off, even when the system seems completely broken. It gives me hope that we can navigate this successfully when our time comes. This community is amazing! 💙

Reading through this entire thread as someone who's about to go through the PFL process myself has been both incredibly helpful and absolutely infuriating. The fact that so many new parents have to deal with weeks of financial stress and unresponsive specialists just to get benefits they've already paid for is completely unacceptable. I'm bookmarking all the strategies shared here - especially the main number sequence (1-800-480-3287, press 1, 2, then 4) and the timing advice about calling right at 8am. The Claimyr service recommendations from multiple people give me confidence it's a legitimate option if the regular channels fail. What really stands out to me is how often these delays are caused by simple administrative issues - address changes, employment date discrepancies, missing forms - that could easily be resolved with better communication from EDD. Instead, families are left in limbo not knowing what's wrong or how to fix it. Ellie, I'm so glad you finally got your situation resolved and that your husband can enjoy the rest of his bonding time! Your persistence really paid off, and sharing your experience is going to help so many other families. This thread is proof that community support can make all the difference when navigating broken bureaucratic systems.