I'm currently going through this exact situation! I'm 33 weeks and just had to stop working due to severe morning sickness that never went away plus some blood pressure issues. My doctor told me the same thing - file immediately after your last day of work. I submitted my claim last week and it's already been approved! The key things I learned: 1) Your doctor needs to be very specific about WHY you can't work (not just "pregnancy complications" but actual symptoms like nausea preventing you from performing duties, blood pressure requiring bed rest, etc.), 2) File online if possible - it's faster than paper, 3) Check your claim status daily online, and 4) Don't stress about the 7-day waiting period - that's automatic and built into the system. One tip: when I called my doctor's office to make sure they got the medical certification request, I asked them to fax it that same day rather than mailing it. This sped things up by almost a week! Hope this helps and congratulations on your little one!

I just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through this exact situation last month! I had to stop working at 35 weeks due to pregnancy-induced hypertension and was so confused about the timing too. Here's what I learned: You absolutely CAN file on February 16th and list that as your first day of disability - don't wait! The 7-day waiting period is automatic, so you won't get paid for that first week but it still counts toward your claim. The most important thing is getting your doctor to be super detailed in the medical certification about WHY you can't work (specific symptoms, restrictions, etc.) rather than just saying "pregnancy complications." I also recommend calling your doctor's office a day or two after filing to confirm they received the medical form from EDD and ask them to prioritize submitting it. My claim was approved within a week because I stayed on top of the medical paperwork. Don't stress too much about the early timing - as long as your doctor medically justifies the need to stop working before your due date, EDD handles pregnancy complications all the time. Good luck and take care of yourself!

After your pregnancy SDI ends, you might also be eligible for Paid Family Leave (PFL) for bonding with your newborn before returning to UI. PFL gives you up to 8 weeks of partial wage replacement benefits. You can transition directly from SDI to PFL without a waiting period, which is a nice benefit many people don't realize exists.

I hadn't even considered PFL! That would be really helpful. So the order would be: UI → SDI for pregnancy → PFL for bonding → back to UI if needed? That sounds like the best approach to maximize my benefits.

Update: I was able to get through to EDD this morning! I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended here and got connected to a representative after about 30 minutes. They updated my return to work date in the system and gave me a confirmation number like someone suggested. Thanks everyone for your help!

Congratulations on getting through and handling this properly! For anyone else reading this thread in the future - Sofia's experience shows that persistence pays off. The key takeaways seem to be: 1) Call right at 8am when they open, 2) Consider using services like Claimyr if regular calling isn't working, 3) Always get a confirmation number when you report changes, and 4) Keep documentation of your attempts to contact them. It's frustrating that there's no online option for something this basic, but at least there are ways to get through eventually.

I know EDD says they process claims within 14 days but that's rarely the case anymore. From what I've seen lately (I work in medical billing), it's taking more like 3-4 weeks for most patients. You should file immediately, but also prepare financially for a delay. The SDI payment will be retroactive to the end of the waiting period, but that doesn't help with immediate bills. One thing that can speed up processing: if her doctor submits the medical certification electronically through SDI Online rather than mailing a paper form. Ask her doctor's office if they do electronic submission for EDD.

I went through this exact situation with my husband when he had colon cancer surgery last year. A few additional tips that might help: 1. Keep copies of EVERYTHING - your wife's claim confirmation, doctor's notes, any correspondence from EDD. I had to resubmit paperwork twice because they "lost" it. 2. If your wife works for a large employer, check if they have an HR person who handles disability claims. Some companies have staff who can help walk employees through the EDD process. 3. The EDD debit card usually arrives about a week after your first payment is processed, so don't panic if you don't see it immediately. 4. For the medical certification, some oncology offices are slow with paperwork because they're focused on patient care (understandably). Don't be afraid to call and politely follow up after a few days. Sending positive thoughts for your wife's recovery. The financial stress is real, but the disability benefits will help bridge the gap while she focuses on getting better.

Just went through this exact situation last month! The waiting period definitely applies regardless of how long your claim processing took - it's based on your actual disability start date. Since you mentioned your disability started on June 2nd, you've already completed the waiting period. One thing I learned the hard way: even after setting up direct deposit, sometimes the first payment still goes to the card if it was already in processing. But don't panic if that happens - you can instantly transfer from the card to your bank account through the Money Network app (despite all the complaints about it, the transfer feature actually works pretty well). After that first payment, everything should go straight to your bank account. Hope you see that payment soon! The financial stress while waiting is honestly the worst part of the whole process.

Hey Olivia! Congrats on getting approved - that's such a relief after 3 weeks of waiting! I just went through this same process a few months ago. Since your disability started June 2nd, you've definitely already served your waiting period, so payment should come through pretty soon now that you're approved. Smart move setting up direct deposit! I made that switch right after approval too and it was seamless. One heads up though - sometimes the system is a bit slow to update, so if your first payment does end up going to the Money Network card, don't stress. You can transfer it to your bank instantly through their app (despite all the horror stories, the transfer feature actually works fine). The whole financial uncertainty while waiting is honestly the hardest part. You're so close to the finish line now! Keep us posted when that first payment hits - we're all rooting for you! 🤞