As someone who's been through the SDI process for work-related injuries, I wanted to add a few practical tips for your situation: 1. When you're filling out your application, be very specific about your job duties. Don't just put "line cook" - describe that you need to grip knives for extended periods, lift heavy pots/pans, and perform repetitive chopping motions. This helps EDD understand why you can't work during recovery. 2. Keep copies of ALL your medical records related to the carpal tunnel diagnosis, not just the surgery forms. Sometimes they ask for additional documentation showing the progression of your condition. 3. If your restaurant uses a payroll service like ADP, give them a heads up that EDD might contact them for wage verification. This can speed up the process. 4. Since you mentioned a cyst removal too, make sure your surgeon includes both procedures on the medical certification - don't let them forget the "minor" procedure since it all affects your recovery time. You've got this! The fact that you're planning ahead puts you way ahead of most people. With 3+ years of steady employment and a legitimate medical need, you should have no issues qualifying.

I went through SDI for carpal tunnel surgery about 6 months ago and wanted to share a few things that really helped me navigate the process smoothly: First, when you talk to your surgeon about the medical certification, ask them to schedule a follow-up appointment about 2 weeks post-surgery. This gives them a chance to reassess your actual recovery progress and adjust the timeline if needed - way better than guessing at the initial appointment. Second, since you're in food service, make sure to mention to EDD that you'll likely need both hands fully functional before returning. Unlike office workers who might be able to work with one hand in a brace, kitchen work requires bilateral hand strength and coordination for safety reasons. Also, a heads up - your first certification form will arrive about 10 days after your claim is processed, and then you'll get them every 2 weeks after that. Set reminders on your phone because late submissions can delay payments. One last thing: if your restaurant has workers comp insurance, double-check that this isn't considered a work-related injury. If it is, you might need to file through workers comp instead of SDI, which could actually get you better benefits. Just something to consider! Good luck with your surgery - you're being smart by planning ahead!

I had a similar issue last year with my disability payments! In my case, it turned out the EDD had an address mismatch in their system that was causing deposits to get rejected by my bank, but neither side was communicating this properly. I had to call EDD directly and verify all my banking information was correct in their system. It took about a week to resolve, but once they updated everything, the missing deposit showed up along with the current one. Definitely check with EDD to make sure they have the right account details on file - sometimes the issue isn't with your bank at all!

This exact thing happened to me about 6 months ago! Turned out my bank had updated their ACH processing system and some deposits were getting stuck in a queue without any notification. The frustrating part was that the first customer service rep I talked to didn't know about the system issues, so they just told me there was no record. I had to call back three times before I got someone who actually looked deeper into it. My advice would be to call your bank again and specifically ask them to check for any ACH holds, pending transactions, or system delays - don't just accept "no record" as the final answer. Also, if it's an EDD payment, they sometimes batch process on different days than expected, especially around holidays. Hang in there, it'll likely show up in the next day or two! 🤞

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My doctor submitted a supplemental certification two weeks ago to extend my benefits, but I keep getting notifications that I need to submit a Continued Claim Certification form that I can't find anywhere. Here's what I've tried so far: - Checked my online account inbox multiple times - Looked through all sections of my SDI portal - Called the customer service line (but couldn't get through after 2+ hours on hold) - Verified my address and contact info is correct It's so frustrating because my benefits are going to lapse if I don't submit this form, but I literally cannot access it! Has anyone found a reliable way to get through to someone who can actually help with this issue? I'm starting to wonder if this is a widespread system glitch affecting multiple people. Thanks for starting this thread Isabella - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this nightmare! 😤

I just went through this exact issue last month and found a solution that might help! After my doctor submitted a supplemental certification, I was stuck in the same loop where the system said I needed the Continued Claim Certification form but it wasn't appearing anywhere. What finally worked was logging into my SDI account and looking under "Claim Management" -> "Forms and Documents" -> "Available Forms". The form was actually there as a downloadable PDF, but it wasn't showing up in my regular inbox or notifications. If it's still not there, try this: call the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 and ask them to check if your claim has a "pending certification status" that's blocking the form generation. When the rep looks up your claim, specifically mention that your doctor submitted a supplemental cert on [date] and ask them to manually "refresh the claim workflow." I also recommend calling right at 8:00 AM when they open - I got through in about 45 minutes that way. The whole situation resolved within 48 hours once they fixed whatever was stuck in their system. Don't let this stress you out too much - it's definitely a known system glitch and not something you did wrong! Keep us posted on what works for you. 🤞

Great to see you got everything submitted so quickly! Just wanted to add one more tip - if you need to extend your disability beyond the initial 6 weeks your doctor estimated, make sure to have them submit a continuation claim (DE 2525C) before your current certification period expires. Don't wait until the last day because there can't be any gaps in coverage. Also keep all your medical records and documentation organized in case EDD requests additional proof later. Hoping for a smooth approval process for you!

As someone who's been through the SDI process a few times, I wanted to add that you should also notify your employer about your disability claim even though it's not work-related. They can't legally retaliate against you for filing, and some employers have supplemental disability policies that might provide additional benefits. Also, make sure you understand that SDI benefits are taxable income - they don't withhold taxes automatically, so you might want to set aside some money for tax season or request voluntary withholding when you file. The ankle fracture should be pretty straightforward for approval since it's an obvious physical limitation that prevents you from performing normal work duties. Good luck with your recovery!

I'm really grateful for all the detailed information shared here! I went through SDI last year for recovery from surgery and can confirm everything mentioned about the process. One small addition - if you move during your claim period, make sure to update your address with EDD immediately through the SDI Online portal or by calling them. I had a friend who missed her DE 2500A form because it went to her old address, and it caused a temporary payment delay while she sorted it out. Also, keep in mind that if you have any other income during your disability (like vacation pay or sick leave from your employer), you need to report that when you get the continued claim form. The key really is just staying organized and not overthinking it - the SDI system is much more straightforward than unemployment once you understand the basics. Wishing you a smooth recovery!

As someone who just started my own SDI claim process for a work-related back injury, I can't thank everyone enough for all this detailed information! I was completely in the dark about what happens after approval and was honestly dreading having to deal with weekly certifications like I had to do with unemployment years ago. Learning that SDI works so differently is such a relief. I'm especially grateful for all the practical tips - setting calendar reminders, signing up for Informed Delivery, keeping all documentation, and staying in touch with my doctor about recovery timelines. The advice about watching for the DE 2500A form around the halfway point and being proactive about reporting any changes is invaluable. It's clear this community really understands the challenges of navigating the system while trying to focus on healing. I'm bookmarking this entire thread as my SDI reference guide. Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences - it's made what felt like an overwhelming process seem much more manageable!