I actually went through this exact same situation last month! Here's what worked for me: I called the PFL helpline first thing in the morning (around 8:05 AM) and got through pretty quickly. The rep was super helpful - they deleted the wrong form right away and walked me through uploading the correct one. Make sure you have your Social Security number and claim number handy when you call. The whole thing took maybe 20 minutes once I got connected. Don't stress too much about it messing up your application - they deal with this kind of thing all the time!

Hey! I had this exact issue a few weeks ago. I was panicking thinking I'd ruined everything, but it turned out to be no big deal at all. I called the PFL customer service line and explained what happened. The rep was really understanding and said this happens more often than you'd think. They removed the wrong form from my account within minutes and told me exactly how to upload the correct one. The key is to call them sooner rather than later - don't let it sit there stressing you out like I did! You got this! 💪

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress on top of having a newborn! I went through a similar name issue with EDD last year (they had an extra "e" at the end of my first name somehow). What worked for me was actually a combination of several approaches mentioned here: First, I did submit the DE1326C form like others suggested, but I also called my state senator's office (not just assembly member). They have a constituent services team that specifically handles EDD issues and they were incredibly responsive. Within 48 hours of contacting them, someone from EDD called ME directly to resolve it. One thing I learned is that name discrepancies often happen when your employer's payroll system doesn't match what you put on your original EDD account. You might want to check with your HR department to see exactly how they have your name in their system - if it matches the EDD version, that could explain how this started. Also, while you're waiting for resolution, make sure to document everything about your lost income due to this delay. Sometimes they can provide additional compensation for processing delays that weren't your fault, especially when it involves a newborn. Don't let them just say "sorry for the inconvenience" - this is real money you need for your baby! Keep us posted on how your office visit goes tomorrow! 🤞

I'm a new parent too and just wanted to say how sorry I am that you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare during what should be a special bonding time with your daughter! The stress of not having income while caring for a newborn is unimaginable. Reading through all the advice here, it sounds like you're getting some really solid guidance. The DE1326C form seems to be the consensus solution, and I love that you're taking a multi-pronged approach with the certified mail AND the office visit. One small tip I wanted to add - when you go to the EDD office tomorrow, consider bringing your baby with you if possible. I know that sounds crazy with a 3-week-old, but sometimes having a visual reminder of WHY this is urgent (aka your tiny human who depends on that income) can motivate staff to go the extra mile. Plus, if there are long wait times, people are often more understanding about letting parents with infants go first. Also, if you have any friends or family members who can help with follow-up calls while you're recovering and bonding, don't hesitate to ask. You shouldn't have to be dealing with this level of stress right now. Sending you so much luck for tomorrow's office visit! This community has your back and we're rooting for you to get this resolved quickly! 💪👶

As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago, I want to emphasize something that might get overlooked - make sure you understand how PFL payments actually work before you rely on them financially. The 60-70% wage replacement sounds decent on paper, but there are some catches: 1) There's a weekly benefit cap (around $1,620/week max in 2025) 2) The percentage is based on your highest quarter of earnings in your "base period" which might be lower than your current salary 3) There's a 7-day waiting period before benefits start 4) You won't get your first payment for 2-3 weeks after filing I made the mistake of assuming I'd get exactly 65% of my current paycheck and nearly got into financial trouble. Double-check the EDD website's benefit calculator or call them to get an estimate of your actual weekly benefit amount before making any major financial commitments. Also, start setting aside some emergency savings now if you can - even with PFL benefits, those first few weeks without any income can be tight, especially with new baby expenses piling up!

One more thing to consider that I learned the hard way - even if your employer is supportive of you taking PFL time, make sure you clarify whether they want you to use any accrued vacation/sick time first or if they'll let you go unpaid while collecting PFL benefits. Some employers have policies requiring you to exhaust paid time off before taking unpaid leave, which could complicate your PFL claim timing. Others are fine with you keeping your PTO for later while you're on unpaid leave collecting EDD benefits. This became an issue for me because I wanted to save my vacation days for when my wife went back to work (so I could cover childcare gaps), but HR initially told me I had to use them during my bonding leave. After some back and forth, they agreed to let me take unpaid leave while collecting PFL, but it would have been much easier if I'd clarified this upfront. Just another detail to nail down in those conversations with your manager and HR! The clearer you can be about all the logistics beforehand, the smoother everything will go when baby actually arrives.

I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation - submitted my PFL claim back in late August and it's been complete silence from EDD ever since! This thread has been incredibly helpful though, so thank you Katherine for starting this discussion. I'm definitely going to try a multi-pronged approach based on everyone's advice: starting with William's professional email template, then moving to the early morning calling strategy that Vanessa mentioned, and if all else fails, contacting my local representative like Olivia did successfully. It's honestly mind-blowing that we have to become experts in government bureaucracy navigation just to get updates on our own benefit claims, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions. The spreadsheet tracking idea from Fatima is brilliant too - I wish I had started documenting everything from day one! Here's hoping we all get some movement on our cases soon. Hang in there everyone! 💪

I'm in the exact same boat! Filed my PFL claim back in early October and it's been total silence since then. This thread has been so incredibly helpful - I honestly thought I was doing something wrong or missing some obvious step. Reading everyone's experiences and strategies has given me hope that there's actually a path forward. I'm planning to start with William's email template tomorrow, then try the early morning calling approach if that doesn't work. The local representative option is definitely going in my back pocket for later if needed. It's wild that we have to become professional government agency whisperers just to get basic information about our own cases, but this community support makes it feel so much less overwhelming. Katherine, thank you for starting this thread - just knowing I'm not alone in this bureaucratic maze helps more than you know! Fingers crossed we all start seeing some movement soon 🤞

Pro tip: if you can't get through on the phone, try reaching out on Twitter. Sometimes their social media team can help or at least escalate your case. Worth a shot! 🐦

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Been waiting 2 months for my PFL benefits and just found out about an offset from an old UI overpayment I didn't even know about. The frustrating part is they don't automatically notify you - I had to call and ask why my benefits weren't coming through. From what I've learned so far: - Request a detailed breakdown of the overpayment in writing - Ask about setting up a payment plan so they don't take 100% of your benefits - Check if the overpayment is even valid (sometimes there are errors) - Document everything! Has anyone had luck negotiating the offset amount so you can still get some benefits while paying back the overpayment? I really need these PFL payments and can't afford to have them completely withheld. 😰