Update: I had my hearing this morning and it went better than expected! The judge was very understanding about my late filing once I explained my depression and showed the medical records. She specifically said the documentation was helpful since it showed I had "good cause" for missing the deadline. Now they'll review the actual reason for my disability claim denial, and I should hear back in 7-10 business days. Fingers crossed! Thank you all for the advice and support - it really helped me prepare and feel less anxious going in!

So glad to hear your hearing went well! That's such a relief after all the stress you were going through. The fact that the judge understood your situation and accepted the medical documentation is really encouraging. It sounds like bringing those specific records was definitely the right call. Waiting 7-10 days is going to feel like forever, but you've done everything you can at this point. Hoping you get good news soon - you've been through enough already and deserve to have this resolved in your favor. Keep us posted when you hear back!

Pro tip: document EVERYTHING. Every call, every letter, every online status update. You never know when you might need that info later.

I'm currently going through this too! Filed my claim about 10 days ago and the waiting is killing me. From what I've read online and heard from friends, it seems like the timeline really varies - some people get their first payment in 2-3 weeks if everything goes smoothly, but others wait much longer if there are any issues with documentation or if EDD needs additional info. One thing that's helped my anxiety is setting up text alerts through the EDD portal so I get notified of any status changes. Also, make sure you're certifying for benefits every two weeks once that option becomes available - that's super important! Fingers crossed we both hear something soon 🤞

I just went through this exact situation last month! My payment was authorized on a Friday and I received the check the following Wednesday - so 5 business days total. The key thing I learned is that EDD actually batches their check printing and mailing, so even though it shows "authorized" immediately, the physical check doesn't get mailed until the next business day or two. Since you mentioned this is your first time on disability, here's something that really helped me: I set up text alerts through my bank so I'd know immediately when any check was deposited (even though you're getting paper checks, this will help for future payments if you switch to direct deposit). Also, if you're really worried about the timing, some banks will give you a provisional credit if you bring in the check stub or have proof of the authorized payment - worth asking about if you have a good relationship with your bank. Hope it arrives quickly for you! The waiting is definitely the worst part of the whole process.

I work at a local credit union and wanted to chime in about the timing. In my experience helping members with EDD disability checks, the average delivery time after authorization is about 5-6 business days, but I've seen it range from 3-9 days depending on mail routes. Since your payment was authorized today (Saturday), the earliest it would be processed for mailing is Monday, which means you're realistically looking at Thursday-Friday of next week at the earliest. For your rent situation, I'd definitely recommend being proactive with your landlord - most property managers are understanding when tenants communicate early about delays. One more tip: if you have a good banking relationship, some institutions will work with you on emergency situations like this. We sometimes offer small emergency loans or can expedite check clearing if you bring documentation of the authorized payment. Might be worth a conversation with your bank!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this nightmare multiple times! The partial payment thing is SO common but EDD never explains it clearly when you first apply. I've had disability claims for both a car accident and later for surgery recovery, and BOTH times my first payments were way less than expected. What I learned: always screenshot your payment breakdowns from SDI Online because sometimes the system glitches and you lose that detail view. Also, if you're dealing with overlapping work days (like your situation), make sure your employer isn't also paying you for any of those days or you could end up with an overpayment that EDD will want back later - trust me, that's even worse than a partial payment! The tax withholding thing catches so many people. I think the default selection during application makes it seem like you SHOULD withhold taxes, but honestly for most people it's better to handle that at tax time when you have more control over your finances. Hope your future payments are the full amount now that you've sorted out the withholding settings!

I went through the exact same thing last year with my maternity disability! Got my first payment and it was like $200 less than expected - I was SO stressed because I had bills due too. Turns out EDD had automatically enrolled me in tax withholding even though I didn't remember selecting it, plus they deducted for some overlap with my last work paycheck. What really helped me was calling my bank (BofA) and asking them to show me the exact deposit details - sometimes they can see more info about deductions than what shows up in your EDD account right away. Also, if you're really tight on rent money, some utility companies and even landlords have started offering payment plans specifically for people dealing with EDD payment issues since it's become so common. The good news is once you get the tax withholding sorted out (which you already did!), your future payments should be much more predictable. Just keep an eye on that overlap issue - if your employer pays you for any days that EDD also covers, that can cause problems down the road.

This is such a relief to read! I'm a newcomer here but dealing with a similar situation - my disability extension was approved but I've been waiting 2 weeks for payments with no explanation. Your update gives me hope that there might be a missing certification that just isn't showing up anywhere. I've been hesitant to keep calling because I didn't want to be a bother, but clearly persistence is key with EDD. Going to try the 8am call strategy tomorrow. Thank you for following up with the resolution - it's so helpful to know these system glitches are more common than I thought!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been through multiple disability extensions - the "missing certification" issue seems to be getting worse lately. I had three extensions last year and two of them had this exact problem where the form never appeared online or in the mail, but EDD's system was waiting for it anyway. What worked for me was calling and specifically asking them to check for "suppressed correspondence" - apparently sometimes their system generates a form but then doesn't actually send it out due to address issues or system glitches. The rep can see these unsent forms and manually process them on the spot. Also, if anyone is still having trouble getting through by phone, try calling the Spanish language line even if you don't speak Spanish - they can still help English speakers and the wait times are usually shorter. The number is 1-800-326-8937. Just be polite and explain you couldn't get through on the English line. So glad you got this sorted out @Noah! Your persistence definitely paid off and this thread will help a lot of people dealing with the same frustrating situation.