Just saw your update about finding the email in your spam folder - that's great! Make sure you respond with exactly what they're asking for, and be very specific. If they asked about employment dates, provide the precise dates with documentation if possible. Also, call them tomorrow after submitting the information to confirm they received it and ask how long until processing. Sometimes a follow-up call can move things along faster once you've provided the missing information.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - applied for SDI in early February and still stuck on "pending" status. One thing that helped me was setting up email notifications in the SDI Online portal if you haven't already done that. Go to your account settings and make sure all notification options are checked. Also, I've found that calling around 2-3 PM sometimes has better luck than the morning rush - fewer people seem to call during lunch hours. The wait times are still brutal but I've gotten through twice that way. Keep us posted on how it goes with the employment dates clarification!

To summarize for you since there's a lot of information here: 1. If this is a work injury, you need WORKERS' COMPENSATION first - talk to your employer 2. If workers' comp is denied or doesn't apply, then you can apply for SDI 3. For SDI, everything is done online at SDI Online - no need to visit an office 4. Your doctor provides the medical certification (DE 2501) for SDI claims 5. There is indeed a 7-day waiting period before SDI benefits begin Hope this helps clear things up!

I actually went to the EDD office in San Diego last year thinking the same thing! The office I found was at 303 A Street in downtown, but they just redirected me to do everything online. Waste of a trip and parking $$. Do what everyone else said and handle it online or through your employer for workers comp. Good luck with your injury!

I went through something similar a few months ago. When you call, just be straightforward about it - tell them it was a one-time payment from your employer to help with living expenses, not regular wages or benefits. They'll probably ask if it's taxable income (it likely is) and whether you expect any more payments like this. The key is being honest and having your documentation ready. Also, heads up - they might adjust your benefits for that certification period, but it shouldn't affect future weeks as long as it was truly a one-time thing. Hope this helps!

I went through almost the exact same thing a few months back! When I called EDD, I just explained it as "supplemental assistance from my employer during a difficult time" - they understood pretty quickly. The rep asked me if it was a regular occurrence (it wasn't) and whether I had any documentation showing what it was for. I had an email from HR explaining it, which helped a lot. They did reduce my benefits for that one certification period, but everything went back to normal after that. Just be honest and clear about what it was - they deal with these situations more often than you'd think. You've got this! 💪

UPDATE: The money just showed up on my old unemployment card! It took exactly 2 business days after the payment was issued according to the SDI Online portal. No new card needed! Thanks everyone for your help, this community is amazing!

That's awesome news! Thanks for updating us - this is exactly the kind of info that helps other people in similar situations. It's great to know that for someone who had UI end in 2021, the old card still worked for SDI payments in 2025. This thread is going to be super helpful for future reference!

Just a heads up - if you're also getting any other benefits (like workers comp), make sure to report that. It can affect your SDI amount and you don't want to deal with overpayment issues later!

Thanks for starting this thread! I'm in the same boat - just got my Notice of Computation yesterday and it's like reading a foreign language. The amount they calculated seems way different from what I was expecting based on my previous earnings. From what I can tell, they're using some quarters from way back when I was making less money instead of my recent higher-paying job. Is that normal? I thought they'd use the most recent quarters where I was earning more. Really hoping someone here can shed some light on how they actually pick which quarters to use for the calculation! 🤞