Impossible to reach PFL by phone - called 1000+ times with no success!

I finally got through to PFL last week after trying for days. The trick is to call right when they open at 8:00 AM, but be dialing at 7:59 exactly. Also use the claims status option instead of the general questions one - I found those agents can still help with most issues but that queue seems shorter. Don't give up, they eventually answer!

The EDD phone system is BROKEN BY DESIGN!!! They don't want us to reach them - saves them money when people give up. I spent THREE WEEKS trying for my disability claim before getting through. The whole "call between these hours" advice is pointless when EVERYONE is calling then! The system doesn't even put you in a proper queue - just hangs up on you. Complete garbage system for parents who already have enough stress.

Have you tried reaching out to PFL through UI Online messaging? It's not perfect but sometimes they respond faster than phone. Also make sure you're calling the dedicated PFL number (877-238-4373) not the regular unemployment one. I've found Tuesdays and Wednesdays are slightly better than Mondays too.

ugggh i feel ur pain!!!! been there with PFL last month. kept calling and calling. so frustrating when ur trying to take care of a baby AND deal with this nonsense. took me like 9 days of calling to get thru.

I was going through this same nightmare with PFL last month! It's impossible to reach anyone. I was about to lose my mind when a friend told me about Claimyr - it's a service that connects you with EDD without the endless redialing. I was skeptical but tried it and got connected with a PFL rep in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their site is claimyr.com. It worked for my PFL claim issue when I couldn't get through for weeks.

Another effective approach is to contact your state assembly member's office. They have dedicated EDD liaisons who can often help push PFL claims through when you're stuck. Just Google your district's assembly member and call their constituent services line. They've helped several people I know with PFL issues that couldn't be resolved through normal channels.

Omg i had THE SAME ISSUE with my pfl claim last month!!! the phone thing is a joke. what worked for me was going in person to an edd office. they cant directly access pfl stuff but the person i talked to made some internal call and got info about my claim! might be worth a try if ur getting nowhere with the phone.

Quick update on PFL phone system: They recently changed their call center hours and added more staff according to their website, but it's still overwhelmed. When you do get through, make sure you have your claim ID, last four of SSN, and all correspondence dates ready. The most important thing is to be super specific about what you need - if your claim status hasn't updated in 3 weeks, ask directly about the processing timeline and what's causing the delay. Get the rep's ID number too, in case you need to reference the call later.

I had success reaching PFL by calling the disability number instead (800-480-3287) and then asking to be transferred to PFL when I finally got through. Sometimes the different departments have different call volumes, and the reps can transfer you internally. Worth a try if the direct PFL line isn't working!