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New mom filing for PFL bonding - when to apply and what docs needed?

Hey everyone, I just had a baby and I'm trying to figure out this paid family leave bonding thing. Has anyone gone through this process recently? I'm not sure when I should file my claim or what information I need to have ready. Any advice would be really appreciated!

Zoe Gonzalez

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Congrats on the new baby! šŸŽ‰ I went through this last year. Make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after the birth. You'll need your baby's birth certificate, your employment info, and medical certification. Don't wait too long or you might miss out on some benefits!

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Avery Flores

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Thanks so much! Do you remember how long it took for them to process your claim?

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Zoe Gonzalez

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It took about 2-3 weeks for me, but I've heard it can vary. Just make sure all your docs are in order to avoid delays!

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Ashley Adams

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2-3 weeks? You got lucky! Mine took over a month 😩

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ugh the system is so broken. i filed 6 weeks ago and still havent heard anything back. good luck!

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Aaron Lee

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Pro tip: Keep calling them every few days to check on your claim status. Sometimes it helps speed things up if you stay on top of it. It's annoying, but it worked for me!

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This! šŸ’Æ The squeaky wheel gets the grease, as they say.

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Calling them is impossible tho. I've tried for weeks and can never get through 😤

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Natalie Wang

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I found a method to 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 explaining it: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM

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Noah Torres

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Sounds too good to be true. Has anyone else tried this?

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$20 just to talk to someone? That's ridiculous. The system is so broken šŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļø

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Natalie Wang

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I know it sounds sketchy, but I swear it worked for me. Saved me hours of frustration. Sometimes you gotta pay to play šŸ¤·ā€ā™€ļø

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Ryan Young

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Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before filing. Here's a checklist I used: • Baby's birth certificate • Your last pay stub • Employer info (address, phone number, dates of employment) • Doctor's note confirming birth date • Your ID • Social Security numbers for you and the baby Hope this helps! And don't forget to breathe - dealing with bureaucracy while taking care of a newborn is tough, but you've got this! šŸ’Ŗ

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Avery Flores

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This is so helpful, thank you! I didn't even think about needing the baby's social security number.

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Sophia Clark

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Great list! I'd add: take pictures of everything before you send it in. You never know when they might 'lose' something šŸ™„

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anyone else feel like they need a law degree to understand all this stuff? lol

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Seriously! I'm pretty sure it's designed to be confusing on purpose šŸ¤”

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Joshua Wood

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Quick question - does anyone know if you can apply for this if youre self-employed? Asking for a friend

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Justin Evans

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I think you can if you've been paying into the system, but don't quote me on that. Might wanna double check the official website.

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