As you navigate your CA EDD claim filings, you may find that you have to submit your claim(s) via paper forms. This process can be a bit confusing, so we've collated some common questions and guidance below! This article is non-exhaustive, so we always recommend reviewing the CA EDD's website as well for the most up to date guidance.
Why might I need to file via paper forms?
If you are unable to provision a CA EDD account online, you will need to file by paper mail.
You may be unable to file online for the following reasons:
You don’t have a California Driver’s License or ID
Your California Driver’s License or ID is expired
EDD is unable to register your account based on the information you’ve provided or the information provided is inaccurate
You have filed for claims or unemployment with the EDD before under a different name/maiden name or your name is too long for their systems
Your medical provider will not certify claims online
Your medical provider is not in the state of California
How does this affect the timeline of my claim?
In general, filing via paper forms will mean a significantly longer processing time than the typical two week turnaround seen with online claims. On average, paper claims see approval between 6-8 weeks post submission. However, we have facilitated some paper claims that have required upwards of three months for approval due to the CA EDD’s antiquated processes with paper mail.
If after 2-3 weeks you haven't heard anything back from the EDD, we recommend reaching out to them directly to check in on your claim status.
For guidance on contacting the EDD, please see our Contacting the CA EDD article!
How do I fill out my paper claim?
We’ve provided detailed instructions below to guide you through the process:
CA EDD Claim for Paid Family Leave (PFL) Benefits |
Part A:
A1: Your personal social security number
A2: Your own date of birth
A3: Select “English”
A4: Your First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name
A5: Your gender for the purposes of filing the claim
A6: Your own phone number
A8: Your mailing address.
Note that if it differs from your residential address, the EDD often flags this as fraud and may deny/freeze payments.
A9: Your Employer’s name - include your employer's name
Employer's address - include this address on your claim form
548 Market St #68975
San Francisco, California 94104
Please note that the employer mailing address linked to your claim is Cocoon’s office address. We use this address in order to help facilitate your claims and ensure any documentation that needs to be filled out by your employer is quickly and accurately returned to the EDD!
A10: The last day you worked before going on caregiver leave
A11: The day you want to start getting paid
A12*: The day you plan to return to work (please note, that this is NOT the last day of your leave as you will not be paid for this day). If you require more time beyond the time your medical provider has certified, this requires a new certification.
A13: Select “No” as this may be grounds for the EDD to deny payment
A14: Select “bond with child”
A15: Your occupation (ie “Engineer” or “Salesperson”)
A16: Cocoon recommends selecting “check” as EDD Debit cards may have withdrawal limits are may be subject to fraud freezes.
If you are interested in setting up direct deposit through the EDD Debit Card process through Bank of America, please select “EDD Debit Card”.
A17: The legal first and last name of your child
A18: Select “Child”
A19: Select “No” to avoid any chance of claim denial
A20: Select “Yes” or “No” if applicable
A21: Select what is applicable
A22: If your employer is topping up your leave, please input “LPFL”. If they are not paying you, input “N/A”
A23: Select “Yes”
A24: Select what is applicable
A25: Remember to sign and date!
Part B:
B1: Your personal social security number
B2: Leave blank if the child is biologically yours
B3: Select “Child”
B4: Your legal last name
B5: At the time of claims filing, your may not have received your child’s social security number. You may leave this section blank.
B6: Input your child’s Date of Birth
B7: Select your Child’s Gender for claim filing purposes.
B8: Input the legal First Name, Middle Initial, and Last Name of your child
B9: Leave Blank. If you input a different address, the EDD will frequently flag address discrepancies between your address and your child’s residence address as potential fraud.
B10: At the time of claims filing, you may not have other documentation except a Hospital Verification Letter. If you do not have other forms of documentation like a birth certificate, select “Other” and write in Hospital verification Letter.
B11: Remember to sign and date! Please note that the claim date should be on or after the birth date of your child.
Include Documentation
Please remember to print and include a copy of your child’s birth verification or documentation to include with your paper claim mailing.
Sample verification letter:
Part C:
Skip Section C as this section is only applicable for caregiver leaves.
Section D: Medical Certification
Skip Section D as this section is only applicable for caregiver leaves.
Mailing Completed Claims
Once your claim is completed (remember to include all original pages and documentation), send the claim to the following CA EDD address:
Paid Family Leave - EDD PO Box 989315 West Sacramento, CA 95798-9315 |
Have Questions? We're here to help!
Email us at [email protected]