EDD Paid Family Leave Application Process - Need Help and Advice
Hey everyone, I'm trying to apply for EDD Paid Family Leave and I'm having some trouble. Has anyone gone through this process recently? Any tips or advice would be really appreciated. I'm not sure where to start or what to expect.
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Liam O'Connor
I just went through this last month! It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but don't worry. Here's what you need to do: 1. Make sure you're eligible. You need to have paid into State Disability Insurance (SDI) in the past 5-18 months. 2. Get the claim form (DE 2501F) from the EDD website or your employer. 3. Fill out your part of the form completely. Don't leave anything blank! 4. Have your healthcare provider fill out their section. This is super important. 5. Submit the form within 41 days of starting your leave. 6. Wait for EDD to process your claim. This can take a couple weeks. 7. If approved, you'll get a debit card with your benefits. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
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CosmicCadet
ā¢Wow, thank you so much for this detailed breakdown! š It's really helpful. Quick question - do you know how long the whole process usually takes from submitting the form to getting approved?
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Liam O'Connor
ā¢In my experience, it took about 3 weeks from when I submitted my form to when I got approved. But I've heard it can vary. Some people get it faster, others might wait a bit longer. Just make sure all your info is correct to avoid delays!
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Amara Adeyemi
ā¢This is great info! I wish I had this when I applied last year. One thing to add - make sure you keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. The EDD lost some of my paperwork and having copies saved me a huge headache.
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Giovanni Gallo
ugh, good luck dealing with EDD. their system is a nightmare š¤® i've been trying to get through to someone on the phone for weeks
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
ā¢Same here! It's like they don't want us to actually get our benefits. š
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Dylan Wright
ā¢I found a way to actually get someone on the phone. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM
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Giovanni Gallo
ā¢for real? that sounds too good to be true. does it actually work?
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Dylan Wright
ā¢Yeah, it really does work. I was skeptical at first too, but I was desperate after trying for weeks. It got me through to an agent in about an hour. Saved me so much time and frustration.
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NebulaKnight
ā¢$20 just to talk to someone? That's ridiculous. The system is so broken š¤
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Dylan Wright
ā¢I get it, it sucks to pay. But for me, it was worth it to finally get my issue resolved. Time is money, ya know? š¤·āāļø
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Sofia Ramirez
Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before applying. They'll use any excuse to deny you or delay your claim. Double check everything!
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Dmitry Popov
Has anyone here applied for PFL for bonding with a new baby? I'm pregnant and trying to plan ahead.
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Ava Rodriguez
ā¢I did this last year! It's pretty straightforward for bonding leave. Just make sure you have the birth certificate or hospital records ready when you apply. Congrats on the baby! š¶š
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Dmitry Popov
ā¢Thank you! That's good to know. Did you take the full 8 weeks?
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Ava Rodriguez
ā¢Yep, took the full 8 weeks. It goes by so fast tho, enjoy every minute!
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Miguel Ortiz
Anyone know if theres a way to check the status of your claim online? I submitted mine 2 weeks ago and havent heard anything
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Zainab Khalil
ā¢You can check your claim status on the EDD website. Log into your account and look for the 'Claim Status' section. It should show you where things are at.
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Miguel Ortiz
ā¢Thanks! I'll give that a try. Fingers crossed š¤
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QuantumQuest
Pro tip: if you're having trouble with the online system, try using a different browser. For some reason, the EDD site hates Chrome but works fine on Firefox. Took me forever to figure that out š¤¦āāļø
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Connor Murphy
ā¢omg thank you!! ive been going crazy trying to get the site to work. gonna try firefox rn
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Yara Haddad
Does anyone know if you can apply for PFL if youre self-employed? I cant find a straight answer anywhere
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Keisha Robinson
ā¢Yes, you can! But you need to have opted into the Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC) program first. There's a waiting period though, so if you haven't done it already, you might not be eligible right away.
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Yara Haddad
ā¢Ah, gotcha. Wish I'd known about this earlier. Thanks for the info!
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Paolo Conti
Just a heads up, they've changed some of the rules recently. Make sure you're looking at the most up-to-date info on the EDD site. I almost messed up my application because I was going off old info.
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Amina Sow
Anyone else feel like they need a law degree to understand all this PFL stuff? š¤Æ Why do they make it so complicated?
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GalaxyGazer
ā¢For real! I swear they do it on purpose to discourage people from applying. Stay strong, we're all in this boat together! šŖ
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GalacticGladiator
Hey @CosmicCadet! I just went through the PFL process a few months ago and it's definitely doable once you know the steps. Here are some additional tips that helped me: ā¢ Submit everything online if possible - it's faster than mailing ā¢ Keep your confirmation numbers for everything you submit ā¢ If your doctor's office is slow with paperwork, give them a heads up early about what they'll need to fill out ā¢ The benefit amount is about 60-70% of your wages, so plan your budget accordingly ā¢ You can start the process before you actually need to take leave The whole thing took me about 2.5 weeks from submission to first payment. Don't let the horror stories scare you - most claims go through just fine! Good luck! š
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