Reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful! As someone who just started this process with my 2-month-old, I wanted to share what I've decided after weighing all the options. I initially wanted to do unemployment first to maximize total time off, but the overpayment stories really scared me. The reality is, with a 2-month-old who's still not sleeping through the night, I'm honestly not in the right headspace to be genuinely "available and actively seeking work" that unemployment requires. I've decided to go with PFL first - all 8 weeks starting next month. Even though it means less total time off compared to doing unemployment first, the peace of mind is worth it. No risk of audits, no stress about job applications I'm not mentally ready for, and I get the higher weekly benefit amount ($980/week vs $450/week unemployment in my case). The plan is to use PFL now for pure bonding time, then reassess in a few months when I'm more recovered and my son is more predictable. If I still need more time off, I can explore unemployment then when I'm truly ready to work if the right opportunity comes up. For anyone else struggling with this decision - trust your gut about whether you're genuinely ready to work right now. The extra few weeks off aren't worth the financial and legal risks if you can't honestly meet unemployment requirements.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread has been incredibly valuable! As a new parent myself, I'm facing this exact same dilemma and the insights here are helping me think through my options more clearly. One thing I'm realizing from reading everyone's stories is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on your individual situation - your childcare options, mental readiness to job search, financial needs, and risk tolerance for potential EDD issues. For those who successfully did unemployment first, it sounds like having reliable childcare and being genuinely ready to work were absolutely crucial. But the overpayment horror stories are definitely concerning and show that EDD takes the "available for work" requirement seriously. I'm leaning toward the PFL-first approach myself after reading about the audit risks. Even though it means less total time off, the higher weekly benefit amount and guaranteed approval without worrying about availability requirements seems like the safer bet right now. One question for the group - has anyone had experience with how employers react when you tell them you want to use PFL before starting a new position? I'm wondering if using PFL after getting a job offer but before starting might be a good middle ground strategy.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - filed 3 weeks ago and still radio silence! It's so stressful when you're counting on that money. From reading all these responses, it sounds like the early morning calling strategy is key. I'm definitely going to try the 8am sharp approach tomorrow. Also thinking about reaching out to my assemblymember's office like Aisha suggested - that's brilliant advice I never would have thought of! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, at least now I know I'm not alone in this mess 😅

Just went through this same nightmare! Filed my PFL application 6 weeks ago and it felt like screaming into the void. Here's what finally worked for me: I called the disability insurance number (not the main EDD line) at exactly 8:00 AM - seems like they have separate staff handling PFL claims and the wait times are slightly better. Also, if you have any medical documentation that wasn't crystal clear the first time, consider resubmitting it via fax AND online. Sometimes one method gets processed faster than the other. I know it's super anxiety-inducing when you need that money, but hang in there - once it goes through, they do backpay to your original filing date. Sending good vibes that you hear back soon! 🤞

I'm a labor and delivery nurse who sees families deal with EDD complications all the time, especially after premature births. Your situation is unfortunately very common, but absolutely fixable! The most important thing to understand is that premature births create unique medical circumstances that justify extended disability benefits. When I help families with their paperwork, I always emphasize these key points to include in medical certifications: 1) The physical trauma of emergency/early delivery often requires longer recovery than standard births 2) Interrupted sleep patterns from NICU visits and hospital stress impact healing 3) Breastfeeding/pumping complications with preemies create additional physical demands 4) Caring for a medically fragile infant requires extended recovery time for the mother 5) Postpartum anxiety/depression rates are significantly higher for NICU parents Your son's ongoing breathing issues and adjusted developmental age are absolutely relevant medical factors. I've seen doctors successfully certify 10-12 weeks of disability for similar situations, especially when there's good documentation of the NICU stay and ongoing complications. Don't let EDD's initial response discourage you - I've watched families go from getting denied to receiving 20+ weeks of combined benefits once they had proper medical advocacy. Your OB should be familiar with writing these extended certifications for premature birth cases. If they seem unsure, you can reference other successful cases or even ask to speak with their office's patient advocate who handles disability paperwork. You're not asking for anything unreasonable - you're asking for what the system is designed to provide in exactly these circumstances!

I'm currently dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! My baby was born 8 weeks early and spent 25 days in the NICU. Like you, I made the mistake of continuing to work (remotely) during the initial chaos thinking I could preserve my leave time for when things stabilized. What I've learned from my experience and from reading everyone's advice here is that you absolutely CAN get significantly more time than those 9 weeks. The key is understanding that EDD treats premature births as special medical circumstances that often warrant extended benefits. Here's what I'm doing based on all the great advice in this thread: 1) Getting my OB to complete a new DE2501 form certifying extended pregnancy disability leave due to premature birth complications 2) Including documentation of the NICU stay and my baby's ongoing medical needs 3) Emphasizing how the premature birth affected MY recovery - the stress, sleep disruption, pumping complications, anxiety about caring for a medically fragile infant 4) Framing it as a "good cause" late claim since the medical circumstances prevented timely filing My doctor was very understanding once I explained the situation and has agreed to certify 10 weeks of post-birth disability (instead of the standard 6-8) plus potentially 4 weeks retroactive pre-birth disability. Combined with the 8 weeks of PFL bonding, I'm looking at potentially 22 weeks total. Don't give up! Your son's breathing issues and developmental needs are absolutely valid medical justifications for extended time. The system is designed to help families in situations exactly like ours - we just need to know how to navigate it properly. Wishing you the best of luck with your OB appointment!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this process recently. Filed my FMLA paperwork about 3 months ago and finally got approved last week! Here's what I learned: 1) The spam folder check is CRUCIAL - I found two important updates there that I'd completely missed. 2) Keep a detailed log of every call, email, and piece of mail - it really helps when you finally get someone on the phone. 3) Don't be afraid to escalate if you're not getting anywhere after 6-8 weeks. The congressperson suggestion is legit - I didn't use it but my coworker did and it worked. The waiting is absolutely brutal and the lack of communication is infuriating, but hang in there everyone. The system is broken but your benefits will eventually come through. Stay persistent and don't give up! 💪

I'm new here but going through this exact same nightmare right now! Filed my FMLA paperwork about 4 weeks ago and absolutely nothing back yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both comforting (knowing I'm not alone) and terrifying (seeing some people wait 6+ months 😰). I've already tried calling a few times but can never get through - those 2+ hour hold times sound brutal but maybe I need to just bite the bullet and camp out on hold all day. The spam folder tip is genius, definitely checking that ASAP! I had no idea contacting your congressperson was even an option - that's going straight to my backup plan list. It's insane that we have to become professional advocates just to get basic information about our own benefits. Thanks to everyone sharing their stories and tips, this community is already saving my sanity! 🙏

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - you're asking all the right questions! I went through this process last year and the key things that saved me stress were: 1) Getting my SDI Online account set up early (like others mentioned, the verification takes time) 2) Having my doctor pre-fill their portion of the DE2501 at my 37-week appointment 3) Filing the disability claim literally the day after my last day of work (May 1st in your case) One thing I didn't see mentioned yet - make sure you understand your employer's policy on using accrued vacation/sick time during your leave. Some employers require you to exhaust paid time off first, others let you save it for when you return. This can affect your benefit amounts and timing. Also, don't worry too much about the "gap" between your last paycheck and when benefits start. EDD disability benefits are retroactive to your first day of disability, so you won't actually lose money - you just might have to wait a bit for that first payment. The whole system really is needlessly complicated, but thousands of women go through this every month and it does work out! You're being so proactive by asking these questions now. 🤗

I'm also navigating this for the first time and feeling so overwhelmed! Reading through everyone's advice has been incredibly helpful. I'm due in about 8 weeks and my HR department basically just handed me a folder and said "figure it out" 😅 A few questions based on what I'm seeing here: 1) For the SDI Online account - do I need any specific information from my employer to set it up, or can I do it with just my personal info? 2) When you say "pre-fill" the doctor portion - do they actually complete everything except the dates, or just fill out their contact info? 3) Has anyone had experience with employers who offer short-term disability insurance through a private company instead of EDD? My HR mentioned something about that but I'm not sure if it changes the process. This whole thread has made me feel so much less alone in this confusion. It's wild that such an important benefit system is so hard to navigate! Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's giving me hope that I can actually get through this without a complete meltdown! 🤞