Hey Zara! Congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm currently 30 weeks and have been researching this exact process, so this thread has been incredibly helpful for me too! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my sister who just went through this in November - she highly recommends downloading and saving the DE2508 PFL form to your phone/computer BEFORE you deliver. That way when it's time to apply for baby bonding benefits, you're not trying to navigate EDD's website to find the right form while dealing with newborn exhaustion. She said having it ready to go made filling it out much quicker and less stressful. Also, from reading everyone's consistent advice here, I've created reminders in my phone for: - Report birth to EDD within 1 week - Apply for PFL 8-10 days before disability ends - Follow up with doctor's office about EDD forms The fact that so many people are giving the same timeline recommendations really gives me confidence this is the right approach! Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences - this thread has been like having a whole mentorship group of moms who've actually navigated this process successfully. I feel so much more prepared now! 💕

Hey Zara! Congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm 33 weeks and have been stressing about this exact same process, so this thread has been a lifesaver for me too! One thing I wanted to add that my friend mentioned - she said to take a photo of your EDD disability award letter and save it to your phone before delivery. When she was filling out the PFL application later, she needed to reference information from her original disability claim and it was so much easier having the photo readily available rather than trying to log into her account while juggling a newborn. Also, based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to create a simple "EDD action plan" note in my phone with all the key steps and deadlines. The consistency in everyone's timing recommendations (report birth within a week, apply for PFL 8-10 days before disability ends, use online portal) gives me so much confidence that this is the right approach. It's amazing how much less anxious I feel about this whole process after reading everyone's real experiences. Thank you to all the moms who took the time to share what worked for them - it's like having a whole support network of people who've actually been through this successfully! You're definitely not alone in feeling stressed about getting everything right with EDD! 💕

I had this exact same issue a few months ago! The wrong return-to-work date was causing delays with my benefits. What worked for me was documenting everything first - take screenshots of what's showing incorrectly, then try the online method that Andre mentioned above. If that doesn't work within a week, definitely try calling first thing in the morning like Mei suggested. The key is being persistent but polite when you finally get through to someone. They were able to fix mine during the call once I explained the situation clearly. Don't give up!

Had this happen to me too! One thing that really helped was keeping a detailed log of all my attempts to contact them - dates, times, confirmation numbers from online submissions, etc. When I finally got through to someone, having all that info ready made the whole process go much smoother. Also, if you do get it fixed, double-check your account a few days later to make sure the changes actually went through. Sometimes there can be delays in the system updating. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

Hey OP, what documents did you submit? Make sure you didn't miss anything important. I thought I had everything in order but turns out I was missing a form and that's why my claim was held up.

I feel your pain! I went through the exact same thing last month. What finally worked for me was calling the disability insurance number (1-800-480-3287) instead of the main PFL line - they handle PFL claims too and the wait times are usually shorter. Also, try calling around 2-3 PM on weekdays when it's less busy. Don't give up - once you get through, they can actually see your claim status and give you real updates. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I just went through this nightmare myself last month! The trick that finally worked for me was switching to incognito/private browsing mode. Something about the cookies or session data was causing issues. Also, if your license has any punctuation (like Jr., Sr., or II), try entering it exactly as it appears AND also try without the punctuation marks. The EDD system seems super finicky about formatting. Don't give up - it took me 6 attempts but it eventually went through!

I work in tech and deal with these kinds of form validation issues all the time. One thing that often helps is making sure your entries match the exact character limits and formatting the system expects. Try entering your license number without any spaces or dashes, and for your name, stick to basic letters only (no accents, apostrophes, etc). Also, some government systems are really old and don't handle copy/paste well - try typing everything manually instead of copying from another document. If you have a Real ID, make sure you're using the format they expect for those vs. standard licenses. The system might be looking for specific data patterns that aren't obvious to users. Hang in there - these systems are frustrating but there's usually a specific combination that works!

As someone who just went through this exact situation 6 months ago, I want to reassure you that what you're considering is completely normal and legal! I was also in a toxic work environment and made the decision not to return after my maternity leave. Here's what I learned: You can absolutely job search during your PFL period (the baby bonding portion). The key is waiting until you're no longer on pregnancy disability and have transitioned to PFL. During disability, you're certified as unable to work due to your medical condition. But during PFL, you're taking time to bond with your baby - there's no restriction on looking for future employment opportunities. I started my job search around 10 weeks postpartum when I felt more mentally ready to handle interviews alongside caring for my newborn. I was upfront with potential employers about my availability date and most were very understanding. I ended my PFL claim early when I accepted a position and started my new job about 2 weeks after my leave officially ended. The relief of not having to return to that stressful environment was incredible, and it actually made me a better parent because I wasn't constantly anxious about work. Don't feel guilty about using this time to secure a better future for your family - that's exactly what these benefits are meant to help you do! Make sure to keep good documentation of everything and follow proper procedures for ending your benefits when you start your new position. You've got this! 💕

I'm currently 7 weeks postpartum and facing the exact same dilemma! My workplace became incredibly toxic during my pregnancy (new management, unrealistic expectations, several good colleagues quit), and I've been dreading the thought of going back. Reading everyone's experiences here has been SO validating. I was worried that job searching while on leave might somehow be unethical or risky for my benefits, but it sounds like many people have successfully done this during their PFL period. @Sofia Martinez and @Yara Khoury - your timelines and advice are incredibly helpful! I love that you both emphasized waiting until the PFL portion to actively interview. That makes perfect sense from both a benefits perspective and a practical standpoint. @Demi Lagos - thank you for the HR perspective! The point about documenting everything is so important. My company has been making "restructuring" decisions while I'm on leave that feel pretty suspicious timing-wise. I think I'm going to follow the approach several of you recommended: transition to PFL in a couple weeks, start my job search around 8-10 weeks postpartum, and aim to give notice about 2 weeks before my leave ends. The idea of starting fresh somewhere new instead of returning to that stressful environment honestly sounds amazing right now. Has anyone dealt with guilt about "using" maternity leave to job search? I keep having to remind myself that prioritizing my family's long-term wellbeing (including having a mentally healthy parent) is exactly what I should be doing right now! Thank you all for sharing your stories - this community is amazing! 💕