Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
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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!
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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!
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Congratulations on your upcoming arrival! I just went through this exact situation 6 months ago and can confirm what others have said - you definitely need to file a separate PFL claim for baby bonding. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have all your documents ready ahead of time. The hospital will give you temporary paperwork showing the birth, but I found it helpful to also request a certified copy of the birth certificate as soon as possible since some people have had issues with temporary documents. Also, if you're planning to take the full 8 weeks of baby bonding leave, you can actually start your PFL claim to begin the day after your disability ends - there's no mandatory gap between the two benefits. Good luck with everything!
Thanks for the tip about getting a certified copy of the birth certificate right away! I hadn't thought about potential issues with temporary documents. That's a great point about timing the PFL to start immediately after disability ends too - I was worried there might need to be some kind of waiting period. Six months ago is recent enough that your experience is super relevant. Did you find the online filing process pretty straightforward once you had all the documents ready?
Yes, the online filing was actually much easier than I expected! Once I had the birth documentation ready, it took maybe 15-20 minutes to complete the whole PFL application through my existing SDI Online account. The system walks you through each step pretty clearly. Just make sure when you get to the claim type selection that you choose "Paid Family Leave" and then select "bonding with a new child" - don't accidentally pick "caring for a family member" like I almost did! The hardest part was honestly just figuring out the timing of when to file, which sounds like you've got sorted out now thanks to all the advice here.
Just wanted to add one more helpful tip from my recent experience - when you file your PFL claim online, there's a section where you can choose your start date. Make sure to select the date that's immediately after your pregnancy disability ends (so if your disability ends on a Friday, start your PFL on the following Monday). I made the mistake of leaving a few days gap thinking I needed "recovery time" between the two benefits, but that just meant I lost those days of pay! EDD doesn't automatically connect the dates for you, so you have to be intentional about making them seamless. Also, keep copies of everything you submit - I screenshot each page of my online application just in case there were any issues later. The whole process took about 10 days from submission to first payment, which was faster than I expected. You've got this!
This is such valuable advice about the seamless timing! I'm new to this whole process and was actually wondering about that exact scenario - whether there should be any gap between disability and PFL. Your tip about screenshotting each page is really smart too. I tend to be pretty anxious about these kinds of applications, so having that documentation for my own peace of mind would be helpful. Quick question - when you say it took 10 days from submission to first payment, was that 10 business days or 10 calendar days? Just trying to plan my finances accordingly since this is all new territory for me. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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Good news! After your disability extension ends, the transition to baby bonding PFL is usually much smoother. The processing time for PFL is typically 5-7 days once you submit the DE2501FP form. Also, don't forget that if you have any paid leave through your employer (vacation, PTO, etc.), you can coordinate that with your state benefits. Some employers even offer supplemental benefits that top-up your state payments to match your full salary. Worth checking your company's parental leave policy if you haven't already!
This is NOT always true. My PFL transition took over TWO WEEKS because they claimed they "needed to review my case" even though I'd already been approved for disability. There's no rhyme or reason to how they process these things - it's completely random who gets quick approval and who gets stuck in bureaucratic limbo.
I'm currently going through this exact same situation right now! My doctor submitted my extension paperwork 10 days ago and I'm still waiting to hear back from EDD. The anxiety is real - especially when you're already dealing with recovery and a newborn. One tip that helped me stay sane: I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all my dates (when I requested the form from my doctor, when they said they'd submit it, when I called to follow up, etc.). It's helped me stay organized instead of just sitting around wondering what's happening. Also, I noticed someone mentioned the Claimyr service earlier - I'm seriously considering trying it if I don't hear something by Friday. Has anyone else here actually used it? I'm desperate to talk to a real person at EDD but those hold times are absolutely brutal when you're caring for a baby. Really hoping both of us hear good news soon! This whole process is way more stressful than it needs to be during what's already such a challenging time.
Hey Dylan! I'm so glad I'm not the only one going through this right now - it definitely helps to know others understand the anxiety! The spreadsheet idea is brilliant, I'm definitely going to start doing that today. I've been feeling so scattered trying to keep track of everything in my head while sleep-deprived. I've been debating the Claimyr service too after @Oliver Weber mentioned it earlier. At this point I m'willing to try anything to avoid those insane hold times. Let me know if you end up using it and how it goes! Fingers crossed we both get our approvals soon. It s'wild that we have to stress about this stuff when we should be focusing on recovery and our babies. Sending you good vibes that Friday brings good news for both of us! 🤞
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Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to apply for PFL baby bonding this weekend (about 2 weeks before my disability ends). I'll double-check all the dates to make sure there's no overlap but also no gap. And I'll make sure to formally notify HR in writing about my plans. This has been so much more helpful than what I got from my company!
Just wanted to add my experience as another data point! I applied for PFL baby bonding exactly 10 days before my disability ended and it worked perfectly - no gap in payments at all. The key things that helped me were: 1) Making sure my disability end date matched what my doctor had certified, 2) Setting my PFL start date for the day immediately after disability ended, and 3) Having my baby's birth certificate ready to upload. The whole application took maybe 20 minutes online. Don't stress too much about the timing - the system really is designed to handle these transitions smoothly when you follow the basic steps everyone mentioned above!
This is so reassuring to hear! I'm a first-time mom and was really anxious about messing up the timing between benefits. Your 10-day timeline sounds perfect - gives enough processing time without risking overlap issues. Did you get any confirmation that your PFL was approved before your disability ended, or did you just have to trust the system would work? I'm planning to apply this weekend but still feeling nervous about the whole process!
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I swear, dealing with EDD is like trying to nail jello to a wall. Anyone else feel like they're getting the runaround every time they call? 😤
Preach! 🙌 I've called so many times I think I know their hold music by heart now lol
Just to add to what others have said - EDD definitely doesn't call outside business hours. I learned this the hard way when I got a "callback" at 7 PM last month asking for my SSN and bank info. Turned out to be a scam! If you're expecting a call back, they'll only reach out during their normal operating hours (8 AM - 5 PM, Mon-Fri). Stay safe out there! 🛡️
Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really scary that scammers are getting so sophisticated. Did you report it to EDD or anywhere else? I want to make sure I'm prepared if something like this happens to me too.
Emma Anderson
I'm so sorry for your loss with your mom - that must make this time even more overwhelming. I went through something similar with my husband's leave when our daughter was born last year. Since you've confirmed he has RUIA deductions, definitely go through the Railroad Retirement Board. One thing that helped us was calling RRB directly at 1-877-772-5772 - they were actually much easier to reach than EDD and way more helpful. The railroad system has different rules but the benefits can be comparable depending on his specific situation. Also, some railroad companies have additional family leave policies beyond what RUIA provides, so definitely check with HR about any supplemental benefits. The timing will be different than California PFL, but the good news is you'll likely get clearer answers once you're dealing with the right system. Railroad workers deal with this all the time, so RRB should be able to walk you through everything step by step. Good luck with everything!
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Omar Fawaz
•Thank you so much for the kind words about my mom - it really has made everything feel more overwhelming, but this community has been such a lifesaver with all the guidance. I'm definitely calling that RRB number today! It's reassuring to hear they're easier to reach than EDD. I hadn't thought about checking for additional company benefits beyond RUIA either, so that's a great tip. Did your husband end up getting a good amount of time off through the railroad system? We're just hoping he can get at least a few weeks to help out since I won't have my usual support system.
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Keisha Johnson
I'm a railroad worker myself (BNSF) and went through this exact situation two years ago when my son was born. Since your husband has RUIA deductions, he'll definitely need to go through the Railroad Retirement Board, not California EDD. The good news is that RRB is generally much more responsive than state agencies. For railroad workers under RUIA, you get sickness benefits that can be used for family bonding, but the process and timing are different. He'll need to apply after the baby is born and will need documentation like the birth certificate. The benefit amount is based on his railroad earnings, and there's typically a 4-day waiting period. One important thing - make sure he coordinates with his railroad's crew management or HR about the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as well. Railroad FMLA works a bit differently than regular FMLA, and he might be eligible for unpaid protected leave beyond what RUIA covers. Some railroads also have their own supplemental family leave policies. The RRB customer service line (877-772-5772) is your best bet for getting accurate information specific to his situation. They can walk you through the whole process and timeline. Hang in there - it's confusing at first but once you get connected with the right people it gets much clearer!
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