I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation right now! My PFL baby bonding claim has been stuck for over 2 weeks and I'm getting nowhere with the regular phone lines. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm planning to try the Tuesday 8:00 AM strategy using 1-877-238-4373 with the 1-1-2 sequence. The insider tips about listening for background noise during that 3-4 second delay and using specific language like "PFL baby bonding claim stuck due to employer date issue" are game-changers I never would have known about. It's both heartbreaking and reassuring to see so many other new parents struggling with this broken system when we should be focused on bonding with our babies instead of fighting bureaucracy. Thank you everyone for sharing what actually worked - this community support gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off! Going to charge my phone, write down my questions, and commit to however many redials it takes this Tuesday morning. 🤞

I'm a new parent who just successfully got through to EDD PFL after weeks of trying! I used the Tuesday 8:00 AM strategy with 1-877-238-4373 and the 1-1-2 sequence that everyone's been recommending. It took 67 redials but I finally got through after listening for that background noise cue during the delay - that insider tip was absolutely crucial! My claim was stuck because my employer submitted the wrong transition date from pregnancy disability to baby bonding, just like so many others here. The rep was incredibly helpful and fixed it immediately - I should see payments within 5-7 business days. To anyone still struggling: download an auto-redial app, have your claim ID and baby's birth date ready, charge your phone fully, and DO NOT give up once you hear hold music no matter how long it takes. This thread gave me the exact roadmap I needed when I was desperate and overwhelmed. Thank you to everyone who shared what worked - your advice literally saved my family's financial situation! 🙏✨

I'm a new parent who recently navigated a similar childcare crisis, and I wanted to share one more resource that hasn't been mentioned yet: many hospitals and healthcare systems actually have their own internal childcare referral networks or partnerships that aren't widely advertised to staff. Since you're in healthcare, I'd suggest reaching out directly to your employee assistance program (EAP) if your employer has one. They sometimes have emergency childcare vouchers or can connect you with providers who specifically work with healthcare families and understand shift work/on-call schedules. Also, consider looking into au pair programs through agencies like Cultural Care or Au Pair in America. While there's typically a longer application process, some families have had luck finding au pairs who were already in the country and looking to transition to a new host family more quickly. The stress you're feeling is completely valid - balancing a 4-month-old, work demands, and an impossible childcare market would break anyone. From reading all the excellent advice in this thread, it sounds like you have a solid action plan forming. Take it one step at a time, and remember that whatever solution you find doesn't have to be perfect or permanent - it just needs to work for your family right now.

I'm a working mom who went through an almost identical situation when my daughter was about the same age. The desperation you're feeling is so real - I remember crying in my car after another daycare rejection call while pumping between patient visits. One thing that saved me was connecting with other healthcare workers through our hospital's lactation support group. It turned out several of us were struggling with the same childcare issues, and we ended up forming an informal childcare co-op where we'd cover for each other during emergency situations. Even if your hospital doesn't have a formal group like this, you might be able to start one by putting up a simple flyer in the break room. Also, I wanted to mention that when I finally did speak with an EDD representative (after many failed attempts), they told me that maintaining your employment relationship is crucial for PFL eligibility, but taking unpaid leave through FMLA/CFRA while actively searching for childcare can actually strengthen your case if you do eventually need to quit for "good cause." The most important thing is that you're not alone in this, and the incredible response to your post shows there's a whole community of parents who've faced these impossible choices. Whatever you decide, document everything and trust that you're doing the best you can in a broken system. Sending you so much support!

This thread has been absolutely amazing to read through! I'm 29 weeks pregnant with my first baby and honestly had no clue how complicated the timing could get with maternity benefits until seeing @Summer Green's situation. What really helped me was everyone's consistent advice about using your actual medical disability start date regardless of what your employer is paying you. @Gael Robinson's explanation about SDI and employer pay being two separate but coordinated systems was such a game-changer - I was definitely overthinking this and worried about somehow getting in trouble for "double-dipping." I'm totally stealing the wage tracking spreadsheet idea from @Owen Jenkins! Even though I'm still months away from needing it, I can see how having everything organized would be crucial when you're sleep-deprived with a newborn. @Summer Green - huge congratulations on your little one! 🎉 Thanks for asking the question that started this incredibly helpful discussion. Your baby's timing might have been stressful for paperwork, but it created the perfect learning opportunity for all of us expecting parents! This community is seriously the best resource for getting real-world advice on navigating these benefits. The official EDD stuff makes it sound so intimidating, but reading everyone's actual experiences makes it feel totally doable. Definitely bookmarking this whole thread for future reference! 💕

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 31 weeks pregnant and due in early March, and reading through everyone's experiences has really eased my anxiety about potential timing complications with maternity leave. @Summer Green - congratulations on your little one! 🎉 Your situation perfectly illustrates how babies have their own timing regardless of our work schedules. It's so reassuring to see how the community came together to provide such clear, consistent guidance. What really stood out to me was @Gael Robinson's explanation about SDI and employer pay being separate systems that coordinate together - I had been stressing about having to choose between them! And the wage tracking advice from @Owen Jenkins is brilliant - I'm setting up my system now so I'm prepared if my little one decides to arrive early too. @Liam Murphy's HR perspective was especially valuable - knowing that employers actually encourage transparency in these situations takes away so much of the worry about doing something wrong. This community is amazing for getting real-world advice that goes way beyond what you can find in official materials. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should be required reading for all expecting parents! 💕

Hey OP, just checking in. Any luck with unlocking your account? Keep us posted!

I went through this exact same situation last month! Here's what finally worked for me: I called the EDD technical support line (not the regular claims line) at 1-800-300-5616. They have a separate department that handles account lockouts and password resets. When you get through, ask specifically for the "UI Online technical support team." They were able to reset my security questions after verifying my SSN, date of birth, and some details from my claim. It took about 45 minutes on the phone but they got me back in. Also, make sure you have your EDD customer account number ready - it's on any mail they've sent you. Good luck! 🍀

Just joined this community after dealing with the exact same "system exception" error for my PFL claim for the past 3 weeks! I've been refreshing that stupid error page multiple times a day thinking it was my internet or browser, but clearly this is a massive system-wide issue affecting so many new parents. Reading through this entire thread has been such a relief - I was genuinely convinced I had somehow messed up my application or that my claim was lost in the system. The automated phone system tip at 1-800-300-5616 that @Zainab mentioned has been a total game changer! I just tried it and found out my claim is actually approved with payment issued on 2/14. Still haven't received anything yet, but at least now I know it's out there somewhere. Going to try calling that tech support number 877-238-4373 that @TechNinja shared tomorrow to see if I can track down where my payment went. It's absolutely ridiculous that new parents have to become IT specialists and payment detectives just to access our own benefits when we're already exhausted and stressed about finances. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and workarounds - this community has been an absolute lifesaver during this nightmare! The fact that so many of us are dealing with this broken system is unacceptable, but at least we're figuring it out together.

Just joined this community after dealing with the exact same "system exception" error for my PFL claim for almost 2 weeks now! I've been getting so frustrated thinking there was something wrong with my application, but reading through all these experiences has been such a huge relief - clearly this is a widespread system issue affecting tons of new parents. I tried the automated phone system at 1-800-300-5616 that @Zainab mentioned and was finally able to confirm my claim is approved! Haven't received any payment yet though, so I'm going to look for my old EDD debit card and also try that tech support number 877-238-4373. It's so maddening that we have to become tech detectives just to get basic information about our own claims when we're already sleep-deprived and really need this financial support. Thank you everyone for sharing your solutions - this community has been a lifesaver during this whole mess!