Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
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- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
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- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Sending good vibes your way, OP! Dealing with EDD can be a nightmare, but don't let it get you down. You got this! 💪
Thanks so much! Really appreciate the support. This community is awesome 🙏
Hey Anastasia! I went through this exact same thing last month. The key is to stay calm and be super organized when you call. Have your claim number, SSN, and the correct return-to-work date written down before you dial. Also bring any documentation that supports the correct date (like a doctor's note or employer letter). One thing that really helped me was calling the technical support line instead of the regular claims line - sometimes they're less busy. The number is 1-800-300-5616. When you get through, be polite but firm about needing the correction made immediately. Also, ask them to send you a confirmation letter or email with the changes. That way you have proof if anything gets messed up later. Good luck! 🤞
This is super helpful, thank you! I didn't know about the technical support line - that's a great tip. I'm definitely going to try that number first. Really appreciate you sharing the specific steps too, makes me feel way less anxious about the whole process 😊
The technical support line tip is gold! I wish I had known about that when I was dealing with my claim issues. Also seconding the documentation part - I made the mistake of not asking for written confirmation and had to call back three times because they kept "forgetting" to update my file. @Keisha Thompson thanks for sharing that number!
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This is really helpful information everyone! I'm in a similar situation - currently 32 weeks pregnant and was laid off 2 months ago. My doctor just told me today that I might need to stop working earlier than expected due to some pregnancy complications. @Naila Gordon - when you mention the DE2501 form, does the doctor need to specify an exact date when disability starts, or can it be a range? My OB said "probably within the next 2-3 weeks" but wasn't super specific about timing. Also wondering if anyone knows - once I transition from unemployment to disability, will I need to reapply for a new unemployment claim after I recover postpartum, or can I somehow reopen my existing claim? The thought of going through that whole application process again while dealing with a newborn sounds overwhelming!
@Matthew Sanchez Welcome to the conversation! For the DE2501 form, your doctor needs to specify an exact start date for your disability - they can t'leave it as a range. If your OB says within "the next 2-3 weeks, you" ll'need them to pick a specific date based on their medical assessment. They can always amend it later if complications arise sooner. Regarding your unemployment claim - you ll'typically need to file a NEW unemployment claim after your disability ends since there will be a significant gap in your work search availability. Your previous claim will have expired by then. I know it sounds daunting with a newborn, but the online application process has gotten easier, and you can always use services like the one @Mateusius Townsend mentioned if you need help getting through to EDD. One tip: start gathering your employment documentation now while you have time, so it s ready'when you need to reapply later. Good luck with everything!
@Matthew Sanchez Your doctor will need to provide a specific date on the DE2501 form - EDD doesn t'accept date ranges for disability start dates. If your OB is uncertain about the exact timing, they should choose the most likely date based on your current condition. If complications arise earlier than expected, they can always complete an amended form with a new start date. For the unemployment question - yes, you ll'need to file a completely new UI claim after your disability period ends. Your original claim will have expired during the months you re'on disability and postpartum recovery. The good news is that your recent work history and earnings should still count toward establishing the new claim. Pro tip: Make sure you keep all your medical documentation organized throughout this process. You ll'need copies of delivery records, doctor clearance to return to work, and potentially childcare arrangements documented when you do restart unemployment. It might seem overwhelming now, but taking it one step at a time helps!
This whole thread is so helpful! I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant and just got laid off from my marketing job last week. Reading through everyone's experiences is giving me hope that there's actually a path forward through this maze of benefits. One question I haven't seen addressed yet - does anyone know if the pregnancy disability benefits count toward your overall SDI benefit year maximum? I'm wondering if using SDI for pregnancy now would limit my ability to claim regular disability later if I had other health issues. Also, @Ben Cooper - how is your sister doing now? Did she manage to get everything sorted out with the transition? Would love to hear an update on how it all worked out for her! The timing aspect seems so crucial based on what everyone is saying. Sounds like the key is having that clear cutoff date from the doctor and making sure to stop unemployment certification immediately. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences - it's way more helpful than trying to decipher the EDD website!
@Diego Chavez Welcome! Great question about the SDI benefit year maximum. From what I understand, pregnancy disability benefits do count toward your overall SDI benefit year limits which (is typically 52 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period .)However, this usually isn t'a concern for most people since pregnancy disability is relatively short-term 4 (weeks before + 6-8 weeks after delivery = about 10-12 weeks total .)The bigger consideration is that if you have other health issues that require disability benefits within the same benefit year, those weeks would be deducted from your remaining balance. But honestly, most people don t'hit the 52-week annual maximum unless they have serious ongoing health conditions. As someone new to all this myself, I m'also finding this thread incredibly valuable! The personal experiences here are so much clearer than trying to navigate the official EDD resources. Good luck with your situation - sounds like you re'asking all the right questions early which is smart!
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I'm dealing with a similar situation - my claim has been pending for about 3 weeks now. One thing that helped me was logging into my account and checking if there are any "action items" or document requests that might not be obvious at first glance. Sometimes they'll request additional verification docs but it's buried in the interface. Also, I found that calling the technical support line (not the main claims line) can sometimes get you through faster, and they can at least tell you if there are any obvious issues with your claim. The wait times are still brutal, but it's another option to try. Really hoping both of our claims get processed soon - this whole system needs a serious overhaul!
That's a really good point about checking for hidden action items! I just logged back into my account and found there was actually a document verification request that I completely missed. It wasn't showing up on the main dashboard but was buried in a sub-menu. Thanks for that tip - hopefully this gets things moving for me now. It's crazy how they make these important requests so hard to find in their system.
I'm so sorry you're going through this - the waiting and uncertainty is incredibly stressful when you're depending on these benefits. I went through something similar last year and it took about 7 weeks total before I saw my first payment. A few things that helped me: 1) I kept detailed notes of every time I called and what they told me, 2) I made sure to certify for benefits every two weeks even though the claim was pending (you can backdate payments once it's approved), and 3) I contacted my assemblymember's office after week 4 - they actually have staff specifically for EDD issues and can sometimes get answers faster than calling directly. The system is definitely overwhelmed, but don't lose hope. Your claim will eventually get processed, and you should receive all the back payments you're owed once it goes through. Keep pushing and advocating for yourself!
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I'm also waiting for my PFL paper check and this thread is exactly what I needed to find! My claim was approved 4 days ago and I've been checking the portal obsessively. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should see the status change to "paid" in the next day or two, then expect the actual check within a week after that. The USPS Informed Delivery recommendation keeps coming up - definitely going to set that up today. It's so stressful when you're counting on that money, but reading all these real timelines from people who've been through it recently is really helping manage my expectations. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this is way more helpful than the generic EDD website info!
You're right on track with that timeline! I just went through this exact process and the obsessive portal checking is so relatable 😅 Based on my experience and what others have shared here, 4 days post-approval means you should definitely see that "paid" status change soon. The USPS Informed Delivery really is a game changer - I wish I had known about it earlier in my process. It's amazing how much this thread has helped normalize the anxiety we all feel waiting for these checks. Hang in there, you're almost at the finish line!
I'm also in the paper check waiting game! My PFL claim was approved 3 days ago and I've been refreshing the portal constantly hoping to see it change to "paid" status. This thread has been such a relief to read - it's so much better getting real timelines from actual people rather than the vague official guidance. The USPS Informed Delivery tip that keeps getting mentioned sounds amazing, definitely setting that up today. It's nerve-wracking when you're budgeting around that money arriving, but seeing everyone's experiences here makes me feel like 7-10 days total is pretty realistic. Thanks to everyone who's shared their timelines - it really helps knowing we're all going through the same stressful waiting period!
Ava Rodriguez
Serious question: has anyone had issues with their bank after switching to direct deposit? My bank once froze my account when I got a large deposit and I'm worried about that happening with unemployment payments.
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Miguel Ortiz
•I haven't had any problems, but it might be worth giving your bank a heads up that you'll be receiving unemployment deposits. Better safe than sorry!
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Zainab Omar
•That's actually a really smart idea! I had a similar thing happen with a tax refund once. Most banks have fraud detection that can get triggered by unusual deposits. A quick call to let them know you're switching to direct deposit for unemployment could save you a lot of headache.
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Riya Sharma
One thing I'd add to all this great advice - make sure you keep checking your Money Network card balance for a few weeks after the switch. Sometimes there can be adjustments or retroactive payments that still go to the old card method even after you've switched to direct deposit. I almost missed a small adjustment payment because I stopped checking my card balance thinking everything was going to my bank account!
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