PFL benefits approval timeline confusion - no notification after 2 weeks

PFL is different from SDI in that it doesn't have the 7-day waiting period. However, processing times can vary significantly. In my experience with my recent maternity leave, it took about 10-14 business days for approval, then I received payment 2-3 days after that. Have you checked both your physical mail and email? Sometimes they send communications through regular mail that don't show up in your online account.

Thanks for clarifying about the waiting period! I've been checking my mail obsessively and nothing yet. Is there any way to actually talk to someone at EDD to get a status update? I've tried calling but keep getting the \

mine took forEVER lol. like 3+ weeks before i even got the approval. and then another week for money. but my friend got hers in like 10 days so 🤷‍♀️ super random i guess

Same here! I applied for my PFL benefits back in January and it took almost a month to get approved. I was literally about to start selling my stuff to pay rent when it finally came through. The system is a mess.

I received PFL for taking care of my mom last year and discovered that if you need to speak with someone at EDD about your claim status (which I HIGHLY recommend if it's been more than 2 weeks), use Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a system that connects you with an EDD representative usually within 15-20 minutes instead of spending hours calling and getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5\n\nIn my case, turns out there was a small issue with my documentation that wasn't showing up online, and talking to an agent helped me resolve it right away rather than waiting weeks for a letter.

Thank you! I'll definitely check out that service. At this point I'd try anything - I'm going crazy checking my account multiple times a day with no updates. What kind of documentation issue did you have? Now I'm worried there might be something wrong with my application that I don't know about.

For me, they needed additional verification of my relationship to my mom since I was claiming caregiving benefits. For baby bonding, they sometimes need clarification on dates if there's any overlap with pregnancy disability or if your employer-reported information doesn't match exactly what you submitted. It could be something minor, or it could just be processing delays. Either way, talking to someone directly is the fastest way to find out.

i had my baby in november and had the WORST time with edd!!! my pfl got stuck for over a month because they somehow lost my birth certificate copy even though i uploaded it THREE TIMES!! the online system is garbage and when u finally get thru to someone they act like its ur fault. just keep calling and be super pushy or they'll never fix anything.

The EDD system is 100% designed to make us give up. I'm convinced they intentionally make it difficult to reduce the number of claims they have to pay. My PFL claim was denied TWICE because they said they

The standard processing time for PFL claims is approximately 14 calendar days, but it can extend to 21+ days during busy periods (which we're in now with tax season). Unlike SDI, there is NO waiting period for PFL - you should be paid for the entire eligible period once approved.\n\nA few things that might be causing delays:\n\n1. Incomplete information on your DE2501F form\n2. Discrepancy between your dates and your employer's reported information\n3. EDD requiring additional documentation for baby bonding (birth certificate, etc.)\n4. System backlog (unfortunately common)\n\nIf you're approaching the 3-week mark with no communication, I'd recommend trying to speak with an EDD representative directly. Check your spam folder as well - some EDD communications get filtered there.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! I double checked and I did submit all the required docs including birth certificate. I'll give it another few days since we're just hitting the 2 week mark, but will definitely try to speak with someone if I don't hear anything by next week.

wait did u transition from pregnancy disability to PFL? because thats supposed to be automatic but sometimes they mess up the connection between the two claims. that happened to my sister and she had to call like 20 times to get it fixed!!

Yes, I was on pregnancy disability! I thought the transition was supposed to be smooth but maybe that's the issue. My last SDI payment was exactly 2 weeks ago, and I filed the PFL claim right after. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow morning.

That's likely the source of your delay. The SDI to PFL transition is supposed to be seamless but often requires manual processing by an EDD representative to ensure the claims connect properly. When you speak with someone, specifically mention you're transitioning from SDI to PFL and ask them to check if your claim is stuck in the transition queue. They have a specific process for expediting these cases since they recognize you're between benefit periods.

Just want to add a random data point that I submited my PFL claim for bonding time with our adopted daughter and it took exactly 19 days to get approved and paid. This was back in December 2024. I didn't have to call or anything, it just suddenly appeared in my account one day. I think sometimes the EDD process happens with no issues and those people don't post about it. So hang in there!

Update: I used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above and got through to EDD in about 12 minutes (after spending days trying on my own). Found out my claim was stuck because of a \

I'm so glad you got it resolved! That transition from SDI to PFL is notorious for issues. This information will help other parents facing the same situation. Thanks for the update!

classic EDD \

Congrats on getting it resolved @Yara Assad! This is exactly why I always recommend people don't wait too long before calling EDD. The SDI-to-PFL transition issues are SO common and they never fix themselves - you really do need to speak with someone directly. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, don't feel bad about using services like Claimyr to get through. The EDD phone system is genuinely broken and these workarounds exist because the state hasn't fixed the underlying problem. Your time and stress are worth the small fee to actually reach a human being who can resolve your claim.

Thank you @Yara Assad for sharing your update! This is such valuable information for other parents. I'm actually in a similar boat right now - submitted my PFL claim about 10 days ago after finishing my pregnancy disability leave and have been wondering if I should just wait it out or try to get through to someone. Your experience confirms what I suspected about the SDI-to-PFL transition being problematic. I think I'll try the Claimyr service this week rather than continuing to wait and stress about it. It's frustrating that we have to pay extra just to reach our own state agency, but honestly my peace of mind is worth it at this point!

Wow, this thread is so helpful! I'm a new parent dealing with PFL for the first time and had no idea about the SDI-to-PFL transition issues. @Yara Assad thank you for sharing your resolution - it gives me hope that these problems can actually get fixed when you reach the right person. I'm bookmarking that Claimyr service just in case. It's really sad that we have to jump through so many hoops and even pay third-party services to access benefits we've already paid into through our paychecks, but I guess that's the reality with EDD. For anyone else reading this who's stressed about timing - this thread shows that even when there are delays and complications, people do eventually get their benefits sorted out. Hang in there!

This entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm currently pregnant and planning to take both pregnancy disability and PFL for bonding time, and I had no idea about the potential transition issues between SDI and PFL claims. @Yara Assad thank you so much for sharing your experience and the solution - I'm definitely saving the Claimyr information for when I need it. It's really disheartening that we have to rely on third-party services to access our own state benefits, but at least there are options when the official system fails us. For other expecting parents who might read this later: it sounds like the key is not to wait too long if your claim seems stuck, especially if you're transitioning between different types of benefits. The peace of mind of actually speaking to someone who can resolve issues seems worth the extra effort and cost. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - this kind of real-world data is so much more helpful than the vague official information we get from EDD!

As someone who works in government benefits advocacy, I want to echo what others have said about the SDI-to-PFL transition being a common failure point in EDD's system. @Yara Assad your experience is unfortunately typical - these claims often get stuck in a "limbo" status where the computer systems don't properly hand off from one program to another. What's particularly frustrating is that EDD has known about this issue for years but hasn't implemented a systematic fix. The workaround of calling and having a representative manually process the transition shouldn't be necessary, but it's currently the most reliable solution. For anyone else facing this situation: when you call, ask specifically to speak with someone who handles "inter-program transitions" - this can sometimes get you routed to a specialist who deals with these cases regularly. Also, keep detailed records of your call (date, time, representative name if possible) in case you need to follow up. It's ridiculous that we need to jump through these hoops, but documenting everything helps if there are further delays.

Just wanted to jump in as someone who recently navigated this same situation! I had my baby in February and went through the exact same SDI-to-PFL transition nightmare that @Yara Assad described. My claim got stuck for almost 3 weeks with zero communication from EDD. What finally worked for me was calling first thing in the morning (like 8:01 AM sharp) and using the magic phrase "inter-program transition" that @Nora Brooks mentioned - it got me transferred to someone who actually knew what they were doing! One thing I learned that might help others: if you're transitioning from SDI to PFL, make sure the end date on your pregnancy disability claim matches EXACTLY with the start date you put on your PFL claim. Even a one-day gap or overlap can trigger a manual review that adds weeks to processing time. Also, when you do get through to someone, ask them to put notes in your file about the resolution - I had to call back once more about a payment timing question and the notes saved me from having to re-explain everything. The whole system is frustrating but this thread gives me hope that sharing our experiences helps other new parents know they're not alone in dealing with EDD's broken processes!