Just want to echo what others have said and add a couple practical tips from my experience helping my sister navigate PFL for her husband's cancer treatments: 1. Apply ASAP once you have the doctor's form - there's no waiting period, but processing takes time and you want benefits to start when the leave begins. 2. Keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. EDD sometimes "loses" paperwork and you'll need to resubmit. 3. Your fiancé should inform his employer about both PFL (wage replacement) AND potentially FMLA/CFRA (job protection) - these are separate but can run concurrently. 4. If EDD requests additional documentation after the initial application, respond immediately. Any delay can pause your entire claim. The brain fog from neurological conditions is so real - maybe have your fiancé handle most of the paperwork side while you focus on preparing for your procedures. You've got this! The system is confusing but totally doable with the right documentation.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my partner! One thing I learned that might help you is that you should definitely have your fiancé apply at least 2-3 weeks before the procedures if possible. While there's no official waiting period for PFL, the processing time can vary a lot depending on how complete your initial application is. Also, when you see your new neurosurgeon, it might be worth asking if their office has experience with disability/PFL forms. Some medical offices have staff who are really familiar with what EDD needs, which can save you from having to resubmit paperwork later. My partner's doctor's office actually had a checklist they use for these forms! One more tip - make sure your fiancé saves the confirmation number when he submits the application online. You can use it to track the claim status, which is super helpful when you're dealing with brain fog and trying to keep track of everything. The online portal is actually pretty user-friendly once you get familiar with it. Hope your procedures go smoothly and the PFL process is straightforward for you both! 💜

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I was in almost exactly the same boat! I switched jobs at 33 weeks pregnant after 7 years at my previous company and was absolutely panicking about SDI eligibility. Here's what I learned: Your base period wages are what matter, not your current job status. Since you worked for 8.5 years at your previous job, you'll have WAY more than enough wage credits for SDI - you only need about $300 in your base period to qualify, and you'll have thousands. A few things that helped me stay organized: - Started collecting pay stubs from both jobs early (better to have them and not need them) - Got my OB to complete the medical portion of DE2501 about 6 weeks before my due date (some offices are really slow!) - Filed exactly 4 weeks before delivery, which gave me peace of mind The best part? My new employer ended up being incredibly supportive throughout my entire leave - way more than my old company ever was. Sometimes these "scary" timing changes end up being exactly what we needed! You're going to be absolutely fine. With your work history, this should be a straightforward approval. Try to relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy! 💕

Hey there! I'm new to this community but had to jump in because I literally just went through this exact scenario 6 months ago! I switched jobs at 31 weeks pregnant after working at my previous company for 10 years, and I was absolutely terrified about SDI eligibility. The relief I felt when I got approved was incredible - and you're going to feel the same way! With 8.5 years of work history, you have MORE than enough wage credits. The base period calculation goes back over a year, so all those wages from your previous job absolutely count. Here's my advice from someone who stressed unnecessarily: Start the paperwork process NOW. Get your OB on board early (mine took 2 weeks to complete their portion!), gather pay stubs from both employers, and file about 4-6 weeks before your due date. EDD was able to pull all my wage data automatically once I listed both employers. The cherry on top? My new company's parental leave policy ended up being SO much better than what I would have gotten at my old job. Sometimes these scary changes end up being exactly what we needed at exactly the right time! You've got this mama - your work history speaks for itself and everything is going to work out perfectly! 💕

I had a similar E311 error a few months ago and it turned out to be a mismatch with my address. Even though I had moved and updated my address with EDD online, their verification system was still using my old address from when I first filed. I had to call (took forever to get through) and specifically ask them to update the address in their verification database, not just my profile. Might be worth checking if you've moved recently or if there's any address discrepancy between what you're entering and what they have on file from previous claims or employers.

I went through this exact same issue about 6 months ago! The E311 error is so frustrating. What finally worked for me was discovering that my middle initial was missing in EDD's system even though I had it on all my forms. Apparently when my employer first reported my info years ago, they left it off, and that tiny discrepancy was causing the verification to fail. I had to go to a local EDD office with my Social Security card, driver's license, and a recent pay stub to get it corrected in person. The whole process took about 3 hours at the office, but they fixed it on the spot. Might be worth checking if there are any small differences like that in how your name appears across different documents!

I've been dealing with the same nightmare for over a month now. Here's what's worked for me so far: I started calling at 7:58 AM sharp (2 minutes before they officially open) and spam-dialing the number until I get through to the menu. Once I'm in, I select the options quickly and then just... wait. And wait. And wait. The longest I've been on hold was 4.5 hours, but I did eventually get through. I know it sounds insane, but I just put my phone on speaker, plugged it in to charge, and did other things while waiting. Also, make sure you have ALL your documents ready before you call - ID, Social Security card, any correspondence from EDD, your claim details, etc. When you finally get a human, you want to make the most of that precious time. Don't give up, everyone. The system is broken, but persistence does pay off sometimes.

I totally feel your frustration! I've been in the exact same situation for about 3 weeks now. The automated system just keeps looping me back to the same useless menu options. What's really helped me is keeping a detailed log of every time I call - the time, how long I waited, which menu options I tried, etc. It sounds tedious but it's actually been therapeutic to document this madness, and if I ever do get through, I'll have all the details ready. Also, I've started treating it like a part-time job - blocking out 2-3 hours in the morning just for calling attempts. It's not ideal, but at least I'm not letting it ruin my entire day anymore. Hang in there! 💪

This is amazing advice! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my PFL claim has been pending for 7 weeks and I was starting to think I'd never see those benefits. I had absolutely no idea that Assembly members' offices could help with individual EDD cases like this. I've been calling EDD almost daily and getting nowhere - either can't get through at all or get told the same "it's processing" line with no timeline. It's so stressful when you're already dealing with having a new baby and need that income! I'm definitely going to look up my Assembly member today and submit a casework request. Did they give you any updates along the way or did you just wake up one day to find it was suddenly resolved? Also, did you have to provide your SSN or other sensitive info on the initial form, or was it pretty basic information? Thank you SO much for sharing this - you've given me the first real hope I've had in weeks that this might actually get resolved! 🙏

This is such a lifesaver! I'm currently 4 weeks into waiting for my PFL claim and was starting to panic about how I'm going to pay rent next month. I had no clue that Assembly members could actually help with individual EDD cases - I thought they only dealt with passing laws and stuff like that. I'm definitely going to try this approach this week. Quick question though - when you say they called you back on Monday after submitting Thursday, was that a business day turnaround or did they actually call over the weekend? Just trying to set my expectations for timing since I'm getting pretty desperate here. Also, did you have to explain your whole situation again when they called, or had they already reviewed everything from the form? I'm so tired of having to repeat my story over and over to different people who can't help anyway. Thanks for giving me hope that there's actually a way out of this EDD nightmare!