When will I receive my CA PFL check after approval? Timeline and tips needed

I found a way to solve paid family leave payment delays, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o41UIXev4kc

It's understandable to feel anxious while waiting for your paid family leave check. Here's an authoritative response: Typically, once your claim is approved, it takes about 2 to 3 weeks for the payment to be processed, though this can vary depending on your state's system and any potential backlog they may be experiencing. To ensure you receive your payment promptly, verify your method of payment, with direct deposit being the quickest option. Ensure you've completed all necessary certifications, which may differ from unemployment processes. Keep an eye out for common delays such as identity verification issues, employer disputes, or missing documentation. If you haven't received your payment after 3 weeks, it's worth following up. When you call back, inquire about the exact approval date, typical processing times, and if there are any outstanding items that might require your attention. Making a log of each call and interaction can be helpful. Consider trying services like Claimyr to reduce phone wait times, though note the cost it involves, or reach out to a local representative for additional assistance. Being prepared with the right questions and maintaining organized records will be beneficial while navigating this process. Stay persistent and patient, and hopefully, your payment will arrive soon.

Pro tip: call first thing in the morning when they open. Less wait time and the agents aren't burnt out yet.

ugh the waiting game is the WORST 😫 I feel ya. Took me like 6 weeks to get my first check. Hang in there!

Hey, former EDD employee here. Here's what you need to know about getting your paid family leave check: 1. Processing time: Typically 2-3 weeks after approval, but can vary. 2. Payment method: Direct deposit is fastest. Paper checks take longer. 3. Certification: Make sure you've certified for all weeks you're claiming. 4. Common delays: Missing info, identity verification, employer disputes. 5. Follow-up: If it's been more than 3 weeks, definitely call and ask for a status update. Remember, each case is unique. Don't panic if your timeline differs slightly. Keep all your documents organized and be persistent. Good luck!

Guys, I found a way to actually get through on the phone! There's this service called claimyr.com that dials the number, navigates the menu, waits on hold, and then calls you when a real person picks up. It costs $20 but it saved me hours of frustration. Here's the link: https://claimyr.com

have u tried checking ur claim status online? sometimes its faster than calling

Anyone else feel like they're playing a game of "Bureaucracy Bingo" with these claims? 😅 I've got "Endless hold music" and "Conflicting information from different agents" on my card so far!

pro tip: document EVERYTHING. every call, every letter, every online status change. you never know when youll need to prove something later

I'm in the same boat rn. Been waiting 3 weeks already. This system is so broken 😤

I went through this last year. Here's what you need to ask: 1. Exact date your claim was approved 2. Normal processing time for payments 3. Any outstanding issues or docs they need from you 4. Expected date of first payment Make sure to write everything down! Good luck!

Plot twist: the real paid family leave is the friends we made along the way 🤣

Has anyone tried contacting their local representative? I've heard sometimes they can help speed things up.

Guys, i posted this above. i finally reached them on the phone with the 2nd method shown in the video: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM

Thanks for sharing your experience, Max! The waiting period is definitely nerve-wracking. I went through this a few months ago and here's what helped me stay sane: First, make sure you have direct deposit set up - it's way faster than waiting for a paper check. Second, keep calling every few days for updates, but try to be patient with the representatives since they're dealing with high volumes. In my case, it took about 2.5 weeks from approval to actually seeing the money in my account. The key is making sure all your paperwork is complete and there are no identity verification holds or anything like that. One thing that really helped was keeping a simple log of every interaction - date, time, who I spoke with, and what they told me. It made follow-up calls much easier when I could reference specific conversations. Hang in there! The money will come through, it's just a matter of working through their system. 🙏

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just got approved last week and I'm anxiously waiting too. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - sounds like 2-3 weeks is pretty normal. I'm definitely going to try calling early in the morning like someone suggested, and I'll make sure to ask about those specific questions Emma listed. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this waiting game! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences 🙏

I'm in a similar situation - got approved about 10 days ago and still waiting! Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful. I've been checking the online portal obsessively but it just shows "approved" without much detail. Think I'm going to try the early morning call strategy tomorrow and ask those specific questions that Emma listed. It's reassuring to see that most people are getting their payments within 2-3 weeks, even if it feels like forever when you're waiting. Thanks for starting this thread Max - it's nice to know we're all in this together! 🤞

I'm dealing with the same anxiety right now! Got my approval call about a week ago and I keep refreshing my bank account hoping to see something. This thread has been incredibly helpful - especially hearing from Steven who used to work at EDD. I'm going to try that early morning calling strategy and make sure I have all those questions Emma listed written down. It's so reassuring to know that 2-3 weeks seems to be the normal timeline. I was starting to worry something was wrong with my claim. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're all going through this together! 🙏

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been lurking and reading all these responses! I'm in week 2 of waiting after my approval and honestly this thread has been more helpful than any official resource I've found. The anxiety is real when you're depending on this money! I tried the early morning calling strategy yesterday and actually got through in about 30 minutes (way better than my previous attempts). The rep confirmed that my payment is "in processing" which apparently means it should hit my account within the next few business days. She also mentioned to make sure your address is updated in the system since some delays can happen if there are any mismatches. One thing I haven't seen mentioned much - if you have Bank of America, you might get the payment on their EDD debit card instead of your regular account, so make sure to check that too. Just thought I'd share in case it helps anyone else! This community support has been amazing 🙌

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread is giving me so much hope! Got approved 8 days ago and have been checking my account multiple times a day like it's going to magically appear 😅 Based on all the great advice here, I'm planning to call first thing tomorrow morning with Emma's list of questions written down. Really appreciate everyone being so open about their timelines - knowing that 2-3 weeks is normal is helping my anxiety so much. One question though - for those who got direct deposit, did you get any kind of notification when the payment was processed, or did it just show up in your account? I keep wondering if I should be watching for an email or text or something. Thanks Max for starting this thread and everyone for sharing! It's so much better than going through this stress alone 🙏

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just got my approval confirmation 5 days ago and the waiting is driving me crazy. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea what timeline to expect and was starting to panic that something went wrong. I love all the practical tips everyone's sharing. Definitely going to try that early morning calling strategy and write down those questions Emma listed. The direct deposit vs EDD debit card thing is something I never would have thought to check - thanks Nora for mentioning that! It's so reassuring to hear that 2-3 weeks is normal. I was expecting it to be much faster after approval and getting anxious when nothing showed up after a few days. Reading everyone's experiences here is way more helpful than anything I found on the official website. Max, thanks for starting this conversation - it's amazing how much we can help each other navigate this stressful process! 🙏

I'm going through the exact same thing and this entire thread has been such a relief to read! Got my approval 6 days ago and have been obsessively checking my bank account every few hours 😅 The 2-3 week timeline everyone's mentioning is so helpful to know - I was starting to think something was wrong since I haven't seen anything yet. Definitely going to try that early morning calling strategy tomorrow with Emma's list of questions ready. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone had experience with getting updates through the online portal, or does it pretty much stay the same until the money actually hits your account? Mine just shows "approved" without much detail. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines. It's amazing how much this community support helps with the anxiety of waiting! This is way better than trying to navigate this alone 🙏

I'm in the exact same boat as you, Max! Got my approval call about 4 days ago and I'm already getting antsy about when the money will actually show up. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea what to expect timeline-wise and was starting to worry something was wrong when I didn't see anything after a couple days. All the advice here is gold, especially the early morning calling strategy and Emma's list of questions to ask. I'm definitely going to try calling tomorrow at 8 AM with those questions written down. The 2-3 week timeline everyone's mentioning is reassuring, even though it feels like forever when you're waiting for money you need. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone had their timeline affected by which day of the week they got approved? I got my approval on a Friday afternoon, so I'm curious if that might delay things since it was going into the weekend. Thanks for starting this thread - it's so much better than stressing about this alone! 🙏

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Just got approved yesterday and the waiting is already making me anxious. This thread has been incredibly reassuring though - I had no idea what timeline to expect and was worried when I didn't see anything in my account immediately after the approval call. All the advice here is amazing, especially the tip about calling early in the morning and having those specific questions ready. I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM strategy tomorrow and ask about the processing timeline and whether there are any outstanding issues. It's so helpful to hear that 2-3 weeks is normal - I was expecting it to be much faster after approval. The tip about checking the EDD debit card if you have Bank of America is something I never would have thought of either! Thanks Max for starting this conversation and everyone for sharing your experiences. It's such a relief to know we're all going through the same stress and can support each other through it! 🙏

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread is such a relief to find! Got my approval about a week ago and I've been constantly refreshing my bank account hoping to see something show up. The anxiety is real when you're depending on this money! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been way more helpful than anything on the official EDD website. The 2-3 week timeline that everyone's mentioning is actually reassuring - I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong when nothing appeared after a few days. I'm definitely going to try that early morning calling strategy tomorrow with Emma's list of questions written down. The tip about checking the EDD Bank of America card is something I never would have thought of either - I've been obsessively checking my regular bank account this whole time! Max, thank you so much for starting this thread. It's incredible how much we can help each other navigate this stressful process. Knowing that we're all going through the same waiting game makes it so much more manageable. I'll definitely update here once I hear something! 🙏