I hope your daughter recovers quickly! Just wanted to add that you should also check if your employer offers any supplemental benefits that could help bridge the gap between your full salary and the PFL benefit amount (which is typically 60-70% of wages). Some companies have short-term disability or family leave insurance that can top off the difference. Also, once you get the DE2508 form, you can partially complete your section before taking it to the doctor - this saves time and ensures you don't miss any required fields on your part.

I went through this exact situation when my teenage son had surgery last year. One thing that really helped was creating a timeline - write down when you first need to be out of work and your expected return date. This helps with both the PFL application and coordinating with your employer. Also, don't forget that PFL benefits are taxable income, so you might want to elect to have taxes withheld from your payments (there's a checkbox on the form). The last thing you need while caring for a sick child is a surprise tax bill next year. Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery!

Hey Alice! I just went through this whole process 6 months ago with twins and preeclampsia. The stress is real but you're asking all the right questions! Here's my biggest piece of advice: Download the EDD mobile app AND bookmark the desktop site. Sometimes one works when the other doesn't. I literally had to switch between them multiple times during my application process. Also, once you get your claim number, write it down in like 5 different places. You'll need it for EVERYTHING and if you lose it, getting through to customer service to retrieve it is nearly impossible. One thing I don't see mentioned yet - if you work from home or have a desk job, EDD might question why you can't work with high-risk pregnancy. My doctor had to write a super detailed letter explaining how even sitting at a computer for 8 hours could worsen my blood pressure. Just something to keep in mind when you talk to your OB about the certification! The whole thing is scary at first but honestly once the payments start coming in regularly, it's such a relief. You're going to be fine - just stay on top of the paperwork and don't be afraid to call your doctor's office to follow up! 🤗

Hi Alice! I'm currently going through a similar situation - 20 weeks with gestational diabetes and my doctor just mentioned I might need early leave too. Reading through all these responses is honestly both helpful and terrifying! 😅 One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my HR department: if you're planning to use any vacation time or sick leave to supplement your SDI benefits, make sure to coordinate that with your employer BEFORE you file your SDI claim. Some companies require you to use up accrued time first, while others let you save it for after your disability benefits end. Also, I've been keeping a pregnancy journal with all my symptoms and doctor visits documented - my sister (who's a lawyer) suggested this could be helpful if there are any questions about medical necessity later on. Might be worth starting one now if you haven't already! The amount of information to track is overwhelming but everyone here seems to have made it through okay. Sending you positive vibes for a smooth process and healthy pregnancy! 💕

Same exact situation here! I've been at this for 2 weeks straight and it's absolutely ridiculous. What really gets me is that they have all these automated messages saying "we're experiencing high call volumes" - like, when are you NOT experiencing high call volumes?? 🙄 I tried the claimyr.com service that someone mentioned and honestly it was worth every penny of that $20. Saved me literally days of my life sitting on hold. Also discovered that if you call the SDI line first (1-800-480-3287) and then ask them to transfer you to PFL, sometimes they can do a warm transfer that bypasses the main queue. Not guaranteed but worked once for me! This whole system is broken and needs a complete overhaul. Hang in there everyone - we shouldn't have to jump through these hoops just to get help with our own benefits! 😤

Ugh, I'm going through this exact same torture right now! 😩 Been trying for almost a month and it's like they only have one person answering phones for the entire state. I'm starting to think the hold music is just a myth at this point - I've never even heard it! The most frustrating part is that I NEED to update my claim info but there's literally no other way to do it except by phone. Their online system is useless for anything beyond the basics. Reading through all these tips is giving me some hope though - definitely going to try that technical support line trick and the SDI transfer method. At this point I'm willing to try anything! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, at least I know we're all suffering together 😭

I'm a new member here and going through the exact same situation! My PFL payment has been stuck at "sent" status for 6 days now after transitioning from SDI to baby bonding leave. My first PFL payment came through perfectly, but this second one is just sitting somewhere in their system. Reading through all these comments has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to think something was specifically wrong with my claim. It's frustrating that EDD doesn't proactively communicate about these technical issues when they know parents are counting on this income for essential expenses. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm planning to try the Claimyr service tomorrow morning since the regular phone lines seem impossible to get through. Has anyone who used Claimyr been able to get confirmation about when the broader batch processing issue might be fully resolved? I'm worried this could affect my future payments too. Thank you all for sharing - this community has been more helpful than anything I could find on the official EDD website!

I'm a new member here and unfortunately dealing with this exact same issue! My PFL payment has been showing as "sent" for 5 days now with nothing appearing in my bank account. Just like everyone else, I transitioned from SDI to baby bonding PFL and my first payment came through fine, but this second one is completely stuck. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I was starting to panic thinking it was something wrong with my specific claim or bank account. It's so frustrating that EDD doesn't send any kind of alert about these technical issues when they know payments are delayed. The stress of not knowing what's happening while managing a newborn and expecting that income is overwhelming. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service first thing tomorrow morning based on all the positive feedback here. Has anyone had any luck with the regular EDD phone lines recently, or is the third-party service really the only viable option? I've tried calling twice and got disconnected both times after waiting over an hour. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - knowing this is a widespread technical issue rather than an individual problem makes me feel so much better!

I just wanted to add my experience as someone who had a very similar dual-job situation last year! One thing that really saved me stress was creating a "PFL prep checklist" that included things like gathering all my wage statements, scheduling the doctor appointment early, and even preparing a simple one-page summary for my doctor about both jobs and their physical requirements. Another tip that helped me: I actually called both of my employers' HR departments before I filed anything, just to let them know my timeline and ask about any company-specific policies. My main job had a supplemental benefit I didn't even know about, and my part-time job was super accommodating about flexible deadlines during my final weeks of pregnancy. The process seems overwhelming at first, but you're already on the right track by asking questions and planning ahead. The key is just staying organized and being completely transparent about your work situation on all the forms. You've got this, and congratulations on your upcoming little one! 🍼

I'm jumping in as someone who just completed this exact process 3 months ago with twins! What really helped me was creating a dedicated email folder for all EDD correspondence and taking screenshots of everything I submitted online. The system can be glitchy and having your own digital trail is a lifesaver. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: when you transition from PDL to PFL after birth, there's sometimes a gap where you might not receive payments for a week or two while they process the new claim. Plan your budget accordingly! Also, your PFL benefits might be calculated differently than your PDL benefits depending on your base period wages, so don't assume they'll be the same amount. The fact that you're planning this out so thoroughly at 36 weeks shows you're going to navigate this successfully. Just remember to be patient with the system - it's not perfect, but the benefits are definitely worth the paperwork hassle. You're doing everything right by asking these questions now rather than scrambling at the last minute!