Does anyone know if gig work counts towards SDI calculations? I do some freelancing on the side and I'm not sure if that's included.

Thanks for posting this question! I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been super informative. One thing I'd add is that the base period they use for calculating your benefits is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim starts. So if you file in February 2025, they'd look at earnings from October 2023 through September 2024. Also, make sure all your employers have been properly reporting your wages to EDD - I had an issue where one of my part-time jobs wasn't showing up and I had to provide pay stubs to get it corrected.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone new to this community - I've been lurking here for a few days while dealing with my own EDD disability claim issues. This thread has been incredibly helpful! I tried the Spanish queue trick this morning after reading Logan's success story, and while I didn't get through today (still got disconnected after 40 minutes on hold), the fact that I actually made it to a hold queue gives me hope that this approach works better than what I was doing before. For anyone else trying this method, make sure you have your claim number and all relevant info ready because when you do get through, you want to make the most of that call. I'm going to keep trying with the 8am Spanish queue approach. Thanks to everyone who shared their strategies - it's amazing how this community has figured out workarounds that EDD should just tell people about directly!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently dealing with my first SDI claim that's been stuck in pending status, and I was completely lost on how to actually reach someone at EDD until I found this discussion. Reading through Logan's journey from complete frustration to success using the Spanish queue trick at 8am is exactly the kind of real-world guidance I needed. It's honestly shocking that we have to develop these elaborate strategies just to access basic information about our own benefits, but I'm so grateful everyone here shares what actually works. I'm definitely going to try the Spanish queue approach combined with the early morning timing tomorrow. The fact that multiple people have had success with this method gives me hope after my own failed attempts this week. Thank you everyone for creating such a supportive community where we can share these workarounds - it makes dealing with EDD's broken system so much less isolating!

I'm in a similar situation right now - filed my SDI claim on March 10th after shoulder surgery and it's been stuck on "waiting period" for over two weeks too. Reading through this thread gives me hope that it might just be a system glitch or documentation issue. I'm going to try calling my HR department first to make sure they submitted everything on their end, and then look into that Claimyr service if I still can't get through to EDD directly. It's so frustrating when you're already dealing with recovery and then have to stress about whether your benefits will come through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know I'm not alone in this!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my SDI claim on March 15th after carpal tunnel surgery and it's been stuck on "waiting period" for almost 2 weeks. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there could be so many hidden issues that don't show up in the online portal. Based on what everyone's shared, I'm going to: 1. Call my HR department tomorrow to verify they submitted their portion 2. Contact my doctor's office to double-check they didn't mark any uncertain boxes about return-to-work dates 3. Try that Claimyr service if I can't get through to EDD directly It's so reassuring to know this is a widespread issue and not something I did wrong. The stress of not knowing what's happening while you're already dealing with recovery and medical bills is just awful. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this community is a lifesaver!

Hey Michael! I was in a similar situation last year - mailed my SDI application and felt completely lost without a reference number. Here's what worked for me: Call the SDI customer service line at 1-800-480-3287 first thing in the morning (like 8 AM sharp). Have your Social Security number and the approximate date you mailed your application ready. Even without a reference number, they should be able to look up your application by SSN. Also, if you have a copy of your mailed application or any receipts from certified mail, keep those handy. The wait times are brutal, but don't give up - persistence is key with EDD! You got this! 💪

I feel your frustration! I went through this exact same thing a few months back. Here's what I learned: EDD processes mail applications in batches, so even though they received it 3 weeks ago, it might not be entered into their system yet. When you do get through on the phone (and you will eventually!), ask them to check if your application has been "scanned into the system" - that's the magic phrase. Also, don't panic about the timeline - SDI applications can take 14-21 business days just for the initial review, and that clock doesn't start until it's actually in their computer system. Keep your chin up and keep calling! 📞✊

Hi Logan! I'm currently going through a very similar situation - 28 weeks pregnant and on SDI for pregnancy complications. This thread has been incredibly helpful! Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like the consensus is to expect a 1-2 week processing gap even when everything goes smoothly, but that EDD will backdate payments to cover that period. The most valuable tips I'm taking away are: 1) File PFL claim 8-10 days before SDI ends, 2) Make sure your doctor puts specific end dates (not "until further notice") on disability forms, 3) Set aside money from current SDI payments to cover the potential gap, and 4) Have all documentation ready to upload immediately when filing. I'm planning to have a conversation with my OB about the importance of precise timing on the forms since several people mentioned doctor wording causing issues. It's so reassuring to hear from people who have actually navigated this transition successfully! Thanks for starting this discussion - the real-world experiences shared here are way more helpful than trying to decipher the EDD website alone.

Hi Logan! I just went through this exact transition last month and wanted to share my experience. I was on SDI for pregnancy complications starting at 30 weeks and successfully transitioned to PFL after giving birth with only a 10-day payment gap that was fully backdated. Here's what worked for me: I filed my PFL claim 9 days before my SDI was scheduled to end, made sure my doctor put the exact end date on my disability certification (not just "cleared for work"), and had all my documentation ready to upload immediately through the SDI Online portal. The key thing that saved me stress was setting aside about $500 from my SDI payments specifically for the potential gap period. Even though I eventually got all the money back, having that cushion meant I wasn't panicking about bills during the processing time. Also, I called EDD about 3 days after filing my PFL claim just to confirm they received everything correctly. The representative was super helpful and confirmed my claim was processing normally, which gave me peace of mind. One important note: make sure your doctor understands that the end date of your disability needs to align perfectly with when you want your PFL bonding leave to start. My OB initially wanted to extend my recovery longer than necessary, which would have delayed my bonding time with my baby. The system isn't perfect, but if you file everything correctly and on time, it does work! Feel free to ask if you have any specific questions about the process.