Need to cancel PFL claim - Help with process and potential consequences?
Hey everyone, I need to cancel my PFL claim but I'm not sure how to go about it. Has anyone here had experience with this? I'm worried about any potential consequences or if there's a specific process I need to follow. Any advice would be really appreciated!
34 comments


Tom Maxon
I found a way to solve PFL claim cancellation issues, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIG-57Xfiqc
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Adrian Hughes
I've been through this before. You need to contact the PFL office directly to cancel your claim. It's not too complicated, but it can take some time to get through to someone.
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Molly Chambers
•How long did it take you to get through? I've been trying for days and can't seem to reach anyone 😫
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Adrian Hughes
•It took me about a week of trying. Keep at it, you'll get through eventually!
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Ian Armstrong
•a WEEK?? omg thats insane. the system is so broken 🤦♀️
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Eli Butler
Make sure you have a good reason for cancelling. They might ask you why and it could affect future claims.
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Marcus Patterson
I found a way to get someone on the phone quickly. 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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Lydia Bailey
•Sounds too good to be true. Has anyone else tried this?
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Mateo Warren
•20 bucks? Thats kinda steep for just a phone call...
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Marcus Patterson
•I know it sounds sketchy, but I swear it worked for me. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Sofia Price
•Can you give more details about how it works? Im desperate to talk to someone
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Marcus Patterson
•Sure! You just go to their website, choose the department you need to call, pay, and they start calling for you. When they get a real person, your phone rings. Super simple.
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Alice Coleman
Whatever you do, make sure you document everything. Get names of who you talk to, dates, and reference numbers. The bureaucracy can be a nightmare.
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Owen Jenkins
•This 👆 Learned it the hard way. Always CYA when dealing with government agencies.
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Lilah Brooks
Have you considered just letting it expire naturally instead of cancelling? Might be easier depending on how much time is left.
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Lara Woods
•I hadn't thought of that. How long does it usually take to expire?
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Lilah Brooks
•It depends on your specific claim, but usually they last for a set period. Check your approval letter, it should have an end date.
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Jackson Carter
Ugh, I feel your pain. I've been trying to modify my PFL claim for weeks and its been a total nightmare. The whole system needs an overhaul tbh.
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Kolton Murphy
•Preach! 🙌 Its like they purposely make it difficult
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Evelyn Rivera
•Have you tried contacting your local representative? Sometimes they can help push things through.
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Julia Hall
Here's a detailed guide on cancelling your PFL claim: 1. Gather all your claim information, including your claim number and any relevant dates. 2. Call the PFL office directly. Be prepared for a long wait. 3. When you get through, explain clearly why you need to cancel. 4. Ask about any potential consequences or impacts on future claims. 5. Request written confirmation of the cancellation. 6. Follow up with a written request if they ask for it. 7. Keep all documentation related to the cancellation. Remember, cancelling might affect your eligibility for future claims, so make sure it's absolutely necessary. Good luck!
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Lara Woods
•Thank you so much for this detailed guide! This is exactly what I needed. 🙏
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Arjun Patel
•Saving this for future reference. Super helpful!
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Jade Lopez
lol good luck. youll need it dealing with these clowns 🤡
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Giovanni Rossi
I went through this same situation last year. The key is to be persistent with calling - I recommend calling right when they open at 8 AM, that's when I had the most luck getting through. Also, be prepared to explain your reason for canceling clearly and concisely. They asked me several questions about why I needed to cancel and whether I was sure about my decision. The whole process took about 2 weeks from when I first called to when I received written confirmation. Don't give up!
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Sean Matthews
Thanks for sharing your experience, everyone! This is really helpful. I'm in a similar situation and have been dreading the phone call process. @Julia Hall your step-by-step guide is amazing - I'm going to follow it exactly. @Giovanni Rossi the 8 AM tip is gold, I'll definitely try that tomorrow morning. Has anyone dealt with any negative consequences after canceling? I'm worried it might affect my ability to file future claims if I need to.
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Keisha Williams
•Hey @Sean Matthews! I actually canceled my PFL claim about 6 months ago and was worried about the same thing. The good news is it didn't affect my ability to file a new claim when I needed it later. They do ask about previous claims when you apply, but as long as you have a legitimate reason for canceling (like returning to work early or change in circumstances), it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure to keep all the documentation from your cancellation - I had to reference it when I filed my new claim. The rep told me that voluntary cancellations are pretty common and they understand life circumstances change. Hope that helps ease your worries a bit!
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NebulaNinja
I actually just went through this process about a month ago! One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to have your Social Security number and claim confirmation number ready when you call - they'll ask for it right away to pull up your file. Also, if you're canceling because you're returning to work earlier than expected, they might ask for documentation from your employer. The whole thing was less scary than I thought it would be once I finally got someone on the phone. The hardest part really is just getting through to a live person. Good luck with everything!
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Adriana Cohn
•This is such good practical advice! I'm planning to cancel my claim too and hadn't thought about having employer documentation ready. Quick question - when they asked for employer documentation, was it just a simple letter confirming your return date, or did they need something more formal? I want to make sure I have everything prepared before I call so I don't have to go through the whole phone queue nightmare multiple times 😅
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Chloe Harris
Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else going through this! I successfully canceled my PFL claim about 3 months ago. The biggest tip I can give is to call multiple times throughout the day if you don't get through - I noticed the hold times were shorter around 2-3 PM compared to first thing in the morning when everyone calls. When I finally got through, the representative was actually really helpful and walked me through the whole process. She explained that as long as you have a valid reason (like returning to work early, no longer needing leave, etc.), canceling won't hurt your record. The whole call took about 15 minutes once I got someone, and I received an email confirmation within 2 business days. Don't stress too much about it - it's more straightforward than it seems!
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Aisha Hussain
•Thanks so much for sharing your experience @Chloe Harris! The 2-3 PM timing tip is really interesting - I never would have thought of that. Everyone always says to call first thing in the morning, but it makes total sense that fewer people would be calling in the afternoon. I'm going to try that approach when I call later this week. It's also really reassuring to hear that the rep walked you through everything and was helpful once you got through. I've been putting this off because I was worried it would be complicated, but hearing all these success stories is giving me confidence to just get it done. Did they ask you any follow-up questions about why you were canceling, or was it pretty straightforward once you explained your situation?
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Noah huntAce420
I'm in the exact same boat right now! Been trying to figure out the cancellation process for my PFL claim and this thread is a goldmine of information. @Julia Hall your step-by-step guide is incredibly helpful - I'm definitely going to follow those exact steps. And @Chloe Harris the afternoon calling tip is brilliant, I never would have thought of that timing strategy! I've been dreading making this call but reading everyone's experiences makes it seem much more manageable. Quick question for those who've been through this - do they typically ask for a specific reason code or category when you're canceling, or can you just explain in your own words? I want to be as prepared as possible before I call. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this community is amazing! 🙏
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Amara Chukwu
•Hey @Noah huntAce420! I haven't gone through the cancellation process myself yet, but from reading all these experiences, it sounds like they just want you to explain your situation in your own words rather than picking from specific codes. Most people here mentioned reasons like "returning to work early" or "change in circumstances" and that seemed to work fine. I'm actually planning to call next week too after reading all this advice! The afternoon timing tip from @Chloe Harris definitely seems worth trying. Good luck with your call - sounds like once you get through to someone, the actual process is pretty straightforward. Let us know how it goes! 💪
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
I actually had to cancel my PFL claim earlier this year and wanted to share what worked for me! The most important thing is to be super persistent with the phone calls - I literally set reminders to call every 2 hours until I got through. When I finally connected with someone, they were surprisingly understanding about my situation (had to return to work sooner than expected due to staffing issues). The rep walked me through everything and even sent me a confirmation email the same day. One tip I didn't see mentioned - if you have the EDD online portal account, log in before you call and have all your claim details pulled up on screen. It made the verification process much faster when they asked for information. The whole cancellation was processed within 3 business days and I haven't had any issues with future claims. Don't overthink it too much - once you get someone on the phone, they handle this kind of request all the time!
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