Splitting PFL baby bonding leave - new claim or continue previous claim number for second portion?

This is super helpful, thank you! I'm definitely going to follow your advice about calling ahead to verify everything is processed correctly before my second leave starts. That's such a smart tip - I would have been stressed out of my mind if payments got delayed because of a paperwork issue. Quick question - when you called to check on your application status, were you able to get through to someone relatively easily or did you have to wait forever on hold? I'm trying to figure out the best time to call EDD.

I had mixed luck with call times - mornings around 8-9am seemed to work better than afternoons. I also tried calling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays which felt less busy than Mondays. Still took about 45 minutes on hold but way better than the 2+ hour waits some people mentioned! If you do end up waiting forever, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier might be worth it for peace of mind. I almost used it myself but got lucky with timing. The main thing is just getting confirmation that your employer's section was filled out correctly - that seems to be where most delays happen with split leaves.

I had mixed results with calling EDD - some days I got through in 20-30 minutes, other days I was on hold for over an hour. I found that calling right when they open at 8am gave me the best chance of shorter wait times. Also try calling on Tuesday-Thursday if possible - Mondays and Fridays seem to be their busiest days. If you do end up waiting forever, that Claimyr service @Rami Samuels mentioned might be worth it for peace of mind, especially if you re'getting close to when your second leave is supposed to start. Better to pay a small fee than risk delayed payments!

I had mixed luck with calling times - mornings around 8-8:30am seemed to have shorter wait times, but it's still pretty hit or miss. I usually had to wait 45-60 minutes even at the "best" times. One thing that helped was using the callback feature if available - that way I didn't have to sit on hold the whole time. Also, if you get disconnected (which happened to me twice), don't give up! The system seems to work better on some days than others. @bf963f9fa2b6 might have better tips on timing since they seem to have had success getting through when they needed to verify their claim status.

I had mixed results with calling EDD - sometimes I got through in 30 minutes, other times it was 2+ hours. My best success was calling right at 8am when they open, but even then it's hit or miss. One thing that really helped was using the callback feature if they offer it - you can request a callback instead of staying on hold, though sometimes they don't call back the same day. I also found Tuesday-Thursday mornings tend to be slightly better than Mondays or Fridays. If you do end up waiting forever like some others mentioned, that Claimyr service someone posted about earlier might be worth it just for peace of mind, especially since you're dealing with time-sensitive leave dates.

Honestly, calling EDD is still a nightmare - I got lucky and called right at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday and only waited about 45 minutes (which felt like a miracle compared to my previous experiences). I've heard that Tuesdays and Wednesdays early morning tend to be better than Mondays or Fridays. If you can't get through the regular way, that Claimyr service @Rami Samuels mentioned might be worth it for peace of mind. I almost used it myself but got through on my third attempt. The key is having all your paperwork ready before you call - claim number, application dates, employer info - so you can get everything sorted quickly once you reach someone. Best of luck with your split leave! It s'so nice that California actually allows this flexibility for new parents.

I had mixed results with calling EDD - some days I got through in 30 minutes, other days it was 2+ hours. What worked best for me was calling right at 8am when they open. If I didn't get through in the first hour, I'd hang up and try again the next day. Tuesday through Thursday seemed to have shorter wait times than Mondays and Fridays. Also, have all your claim info ready - they'll ask for your claim number, SSN, and details about your leave dates right away.

I had mixed luck with calling times - mornings around 8-8:30am seemed to work best for me, but even then I was on hold for about 45 minutes. Fridays were absolutely terrible, so avoid those if possible! One thing that helped was having all my info ready before calling - claim number, social security number, and the specific dates I needed to verify. The reps seem to appreciate when you're organized and can get through your questions quickly. @LordCommander do you remember what time of day worked best when you called to check on your application?

I called around 8:15 AM on a Wednesday and only waited about 25 minutes - much better than the horror stories I'd heard! I think early morning weekdays are definitely your best bet. Pro tip: have your claim number, SSN, and all your dates ready before you call. The rep was super helpful once I got through and could quickly pull up my info. They even walked me through exactly what to expect for timing on my payments for the second portion. @bf963f9fa2b6 - thanks again for sharing your experience, it really helped me feel more confident about the whole process!

I had mixed luck with calling EDD directly - sometimes I'd get through in 30 minutes, other times I'd be on hold for 2+ hours. What worked best for me was calling right when they opened at 8am on Tuesday or Wednesday (avoid Mondays!). But honestly, after reading about that Claimyr service mentioned earlier in this thread, I wish I had known about it sooner. Would have saved me so much time sitting on hold. For something this important where you need to verify everything before your leave starts, it might be worth the cost to guarantee you actually reach someone.

I had the same question about calling EDD! From my experience, the absolute best time to call is right when they open at 8:00 AM - like literally have your phone ready to dial at 7:59. I usually got through within 10-15 minutes that way. Avoid calling mid-morning through afternoon if possible - that's when wait times get crazy long. Also Tuesday through Thursday seem to be less busy than Mondays and Fridays. If you can't get through in the morning, I've had decent luck calling around 4:30 PM when some of the earlier callers have been helped and before the end-of-day rush. Hope this helps with your timing strategy!

Thank you so much for sharing your detailed experience! This is exactly the kind of real-world walkthrough I needed to hear. It's really reassuring that the process went smoothly for you - all the mixed information in this thread had me pretty worried about potential delays and complications. I love your tip about checking the remaining benefit balance online. I had no idea you could see that in your EDD account! That's going to be super helpful for planning my second portion timing. Quick follow-up question - when you used Claimyr to call EDD, did they charge a fee for the service? I'm trying to weigh whether it's worth the cost versus just dealing with the long hold times myself.

Great question about splitting into more than two portions! From my research and experience, California PFL doesn't actually limit you to just two splits - you can take your 8 weeks in as many separate portions as you want within the 12-month window. So yes, theoretically you could do 3 weeks + 2 weeks + 3 weeks like you mentioned. However, keep in mind that each separate portion requires filing a new DE 2501F application and going through the whole verification process with your employer each time. So while it's legally allowed, it might get administratively complicated (and potentially annoying for your HR department) to do too many splits. Your plan sounds really solid though! Those are all the key steps that worked for me and others here. The 3-week advance timeline for your second application is perfect, and definitely keep that Claimyr service as a backup option. One tip - since you're planning this as a dad, make sure your employer understands that baby bonding PFL applies equally to both parents. Some HR departments still have outdated ideas about parental leave being "just for moms." Having the official EDD documentation ready can help clarify this if needed. Sounds like you're going to navigate this process really smoothly with all your advance planning!