This thread is absolutely phenomenal! As someone who's new to both this community and dealing with EDD in general, I'm blown away by how thorough and supportive everyone has been. You've essentially created the most comprehensive guide to SDI withdrawal that exists anywhere online. I'm currently on week 2 of my own disability claim for a wrist injury, but reading through all these detailed experiences gives me so much confidence that I know exactly what to do if my situation changes. The multi-step approach everyone has outlined - calling EDD, written withdrawal letter via certified mail, in-person office visit with multiple copies, getting employee IDs, taking photos of documents - it's like a master class in navigating government bureaucracy properly. What really stands out to me is how everyone emphasized that being proactive and over-documenting is always better than hoping things work out. That advice about not certifying for benefits once you return to work could literally save someone thousands of dollars in overpayment issues. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share such detailed, practical advice. This community is such an incredible resource for people trying to navigate California's complex benefits system!

This thread has become an absolute treasure trove of practical advice! As someone who's currently navigating my first SDI claim for a shoulder injury, I'm bookmarking this entire discussion. The step-by-step approach everyone has outlined is incredibly thorough - from the initial phone call to EDD, through the certified mail withdrawal letter, to the in-person office visit with multiple copies and photo documentation. What really impresses me is how everyone has emphasized the importance of coordinating with ALL parties involved - EDD, your employer's HR department, and your medical team. That holistic approach makes so much sense for ensuring everyone is on the same page and preventing any miscommunications down the road. The warning about not certifying for benefits once you return to work is particularly valuable - I can see how that would be an easy mistake to make if you're still getting forms while the withdrawal is processing. Having that clear guidance could save someone from serious overpayment complications. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences so generously. This community's collective knowledge is absolutely invaluable for anyone trying to navigate California's benefits system properly!

This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - my employer is only covering about 70% of my salary but EDD thinks I'm getting full pay. Reading everyone's experiences has given me a clear roadmap: get that detailed HR letter with percentage breakdowns, use the magic phrase "partial wage continuation under UI Code Section 2626" in my appeal, create a spreadsheet showing the wage gap, and submit everything through the online portal. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to become legal experts just to get benefits we've been paying into, but at least now I know what actually works. Thanks to everyone who shared their success stories - it's so helpful to hear real timelines and know this isn't impossible to fix! 🙌

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm going through the exact same situation right now where my employer is only covering about 65% of my salary but EDD denied my claim thinking I'm getting full pay. Based on all the great advice here, I'm planning to: 1) Get a detailed letter from HR showing the exact percentage breakdown, 2) Create that spreadsheet showing the wage gap, 3) Use the specific phrase "partial wage continuation under UI Code Section 2626" in my appeal, and 4) Submit everything through the online portal. It's so frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops, but seeing everyone's success stories gives me hope! Thanks to this community for sharing real solutions that actually work. I'll update once I get mine resolved! 🤞

I'm in a similar situation right now - my disability started in February but EDD took until May to approve my claim. I'm really worried about hitting that 52-week mark from my disability onset date even though I haven't received a full year of payments yet. Reading through everyone's responses, it sounds like the surgical complications might be your best bet for an extension. I'd definitely recommend getting that paperwork submitted as soon as possible. From what I've heard, EDD is pretty strict about deadlines. Has anyone else here successfully gotten an extension approved? I'm curious what kind of documentation they actually accepted and how long the approval process took.

I went through something very similar last year with my back surgery. My original disability claim was approved for spinal fusion, but then I developed a serious infection at the surgical site that required two additional surgeries and months of IV antibiotics. EDD initially cut me off at the 52-week mark, but my surgeon submitted detailed documentation about the infection complications - including culture results, surgical notes, and a detailed treatment plan. The key was that my doctor explicitly stated this was an "unforeseen complication that significantly altered the expected recovery timeline" and provided specific medical evidence of why I needed an additional 16 weeks of recovery. It took about 5 weeks to get approved, but they did grant the extension. Make sure your surgeon uses very clinical language and includes specific dates, test results, and medical reasoning. Don't let them just say "needs more time" - they need to explain WHY the complications changed your original prognosis. Good luck with your extension request! The paperwork is annoying but definitely worth pursuing if you have legitimate surgical complications.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really disturbed by how many people have experienced this exact same scam! The pattern is so specific - calls at 36-40 weeks from vague "disability" representatives asking about birth status. This is clearly a coordinated effort targeting pregnant women when we're most vulnerable and distracted. Brooklyn, you absolutely did the right thing hanging up! The fact that they couldn't provide their name, department, or any claim details while calling from a blocked number are huge red flags. Real EDD reps would never need to ask if you've given birth - they get that info when you file your PFL claim. Reading everyone's advice has been so educational. I had no idea that legitimate EDD calls typically come from Sacramento area codes with proper identification. I'm saving the fraud hotline number (1-800-229-6297) and sharing this thread with other expecting friends. It's disgusting that scammers are preying on pregnant women during what should be an exciting time, but I'm grateful this community exists to warn each other. Thank you for trusting your instincts and sharing this experience - you're definitely protecting other women from becoming victims!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely shocked reading about how widespread this pregnancy-targeted scam has become! The consistency in everyone's experiences is terrifying - the precise 36-40 week timing, identical vague "disability" language, and birth status questions clearly show this is an organized criminal operation specifically exploiting pregnant women. Brooklyn, you handled this perfectly by trusting your instincts and hanging up immediately. The lack of proper identification (no name, employee ID, or department), calling from a blocked number, and asking about personal medical information are all massive red flags. Legitimate EDD representatives would never cold-call asking if you've given birth since they receive that information when you file your PFL claim after delivery. What's particularly disturbing is how these scammers are targeting the exact window when pregnant women are most anxious about the SDI to PFL transition and most likely to be tired and distracted. It's predatory behavior at its absolute worst. I'm not currently pregnant but I'm saving this entire thread and all the resources shared here - especially the EDD fraud hotline at 1-800-229-6297. I'm also sharing this with friends who might be at risk because the collective wisdom in this thread is invaluable for protecting other women. Thank you for having the courage to post about this suspicious call and trust your gut instincts. Your experience and this discussion are undoubtedly going to prevent other pregnant women from falling victim to this disgusting scam. Wishing you a safe delivery and smooth transition to PFL!

I had this exact same issue a few months ago - so stressful when you're depending on that money! What worked for me was calling the 1-800-480-3287 number right at 8am when they open. The wait times are brutal later in the day. When you do get through, ask them to check for any "payment blocks" or "verification flags" on your account. In my case, they needed me to verify my identity again even though I'd already done it. The whole thing got resolved within 48 hours once I knew what the actual problem was. Also, make sure to ask for a reference number for your call - it helps if you need to call back. Hang in there, it will get sorted out! 💪

I feel your frustration - this happened to me too! When mine showed "processed" but didn't arrive, it turned out there was an issue with my direct deposit info. Even though I thought everything was correct, there was apparently a small formatting error in my account number that caused the payment to bounce back. Here's what I'd recommend: • Log into your online account and triple-check your banking details • Call and ask them to verify the account info on file matches exactly what you have • Ask if there were any "returned payment" notices In my case, once we fixed the bank info, they were able to reissue the payment pretty quickly. It's worth checking this first before assuming it's just a processing delay. The waiting game is the worst part, but don't give up! Keep calling until you get answers.