Welcome to the community! As someone who just started their first SDI claim this week, I can't tell you how relieved I am to read all these responses! I was absolutely dreading having to deal with bi-weekly certifications like unemployment while trying to recover from a wrist surgery. I actually called EDD yesterday in a panic thinking I had missed some kind of certification deadline, but the representative confirmed what everyone here is saying - once your doctor submits the paperwork, you just wait for approval and then payments come automatically. No weekly check-ins required! One thing that helped ease my anxiety was creating a simple folder (physical and digital) to keep copies of everything related to my claim - the initial paperwork my doctor submitted, my claim confirmation, any EDD correspondence, etc. Even though the process is much simpler than unemployment, having everything organized gives me peace of mind. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here. It's so helpful to hear from people who've actually been through this process. Hope your back recovery goes smoothly and you're back to full strength soon!

As someone who just went through my first SDI claim a couple months ago for a herniated disc, I can definitely confirm what everyone else is saying - it's SO much easier than unemployment! I was terrified it would be like the unemployment system where you're constantly stressed about missing deadlines or making mistakes. With SDI, once my doctor submitted the initial paperwork electronically, I literally just waited. No bi-weekly certifications, no job search requirements, no website crashes to worry about. The payments started automatically after about 10 days and came weekly for the entire certified period. One thing I wish I had known upfront - make sure to ask your doctor about realistic recovery timelines when they're filling out the initial form. My doctor was a bit optimistic with the first timeline, and I ended up needing an extension. It wasn't a big deal (just one additional form), but it would have been smoother if we'd been more conservative from the start. Also, definitely set up that SDI Online account if you haven't already - being able to check your claim status and payment history online really helped with my peace of mind during the waiting period. The whole system actually feels like it's designed to help you recover rather than create additional stress. Hope your back heals up quickly!

As someone who just went through the SDI extension process after rotator cuff surgery, I wanted to add a few things that helped me navigate this successfully. First, when you call your doctor's office about the Supplemental Medical Certificate, ask to speak directly with whoever handles their EDD/disability paperwork - often there's one specific person who knows the process inside and out. Second, I found it helpful to send my doctor's office a brief email with my SDI claim number, current benefit end date, and the specific form name (DE 2525XX) so they had everything in writing. This prevented any miscommunication about what was needed. Also, if you're like me and tend to overthink things during recovery (pain meds don't help with anxiety!), set up text or email alerts through your SDI Online account - seeing those confirmation notifications when forms are received really helped my peace of mind. One last tip: if you're dealing with any cognitive fog from pain medication or just the stress of recovery, don't hesitate to have a trusted family member help you double-check all your paperwork before submission. Fresh eyes catch mistakes you might miss when you're not feeling 100%. Hope this helps and that your back surgery recovery goes smoothly!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently dealing with my first SDI extension after carpal tunnel surgery and was completely lost until I found this discussion. The amount of detailed, practical advice here is incredible - from understanding the dual responsibility (both patient and doctor need to submit forms) to the timing considerations and potential processing delays. I particularly appreciate the tips about checking whether your doctor's office does electronic vs. paper submissions, keeping detailed records with dates, and continuing to certify for benefits even while the extension is processing. As someone who's never navigated this system before, it's reassuring to know there are people who've successfully gone through multiple extensions and are willing to share their hard-earned knowledge. The stress of recovery is enough without worrying about benefit interruptions, so having this roadmap from people who've actually been there makes such a difference. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences!

I just went through this same process last week! Here's what I learned: definitely try the online portal first at edd.ca.gov - log into UI Online and check under Profile > Contact Information. For some people it works instantly, but for others (like me) the phone number field is locked. If the online method doesn't work, calling is your only option. I called at exactly 8:00am on a Wednesday and waited about 50 minutes, which honestly wasn't as terrible as I was expecting based on all the horror stories! The rep was able to update my number in under 3 minutes once I verified my identity with SSN and claim info. One thing to note - make sure you get a confirmation number or some kind of verification that the change went through. The rep gave me a reference number which made me feel more confident it actually got updated. Hope this helps and fingers crossed the online portal works for you! 🤞

Hey Carmen! I just went through this exact situation a couple months ago when I switched carriers. Here's what I'd recommend: definitely start with the online portal first - log into UI Online at edd.ca.gov and check under Profile > Contact Information. Some people get lucky and can update it instantly there. If the phone field is grayed out (like it was for me), then you'll need to call 1-800-300-5616. I called at 8:05am on a Thursday and waited about an hour, but it was totally worth it to get it sorted. The rep updated my number in literally 2 minutes once I verified my SSN and claim number. Make sure to ask for a confirmation number when they're done - that way you know for sure it went through! Don't stress too much about it, just tackle it first thing in the morning when wait times are shorter. You got this! 👍

I've been lurking on this thread for weeks while dealing with my own EDD nightmare, and I finally have some good news to share! After being stuck in "pending" status for 8 weeks (yes, 8 WEEKS!), I finally got through last Friday using the combination approach that so many of you have had success with. I sent a fax Thursday afternoon using @Sadie Benitez's exact format, then called Friday morning at 7:02 AM using @Diez Ellis's overpayment transfer method. After about 90 minutes on hold, I reached an incredibly helpful rep who discovered my claim was flagged because my doctor's office had submitted incomplete wage information - something that took her literally 45 seconds to override in their system. She was so apologetic about the wait times and explained that they're processing 60% more claims than usual with the same staffing levels from before the pandemic. I should see my backpay and regular benefits deposited by Wednesday. This community literally saved my life during the darkest financial period I've ever experienced. To anyone still struggling: the combination method WORKS, document everything, and don't give up. The system is broken but we're not, and we're all here to help each other through it. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge - you're heroes for helping strangers navigate this mess!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to follow! I'm currently on week 3 of my disability claim being stuck at "pending" and was starting to feel completely hopeless until I found all of these success stories and practical solutions. Reading about everyone's experiences - from @Muhammad Hobbs getting through with the silent SSN method to @Scarlett Forster's recent success with the combination approach after 8 weeks - gives me so much hope that there's light at the end of this tunnel. I'm planning to try the fax + phone combination method first thing Monday morning using @Sadie Benitez's format and @Diez Ellis's overpayment transfer trick. It's both inspiring and heartbreaking how we've all had to become experts at navigating a broken system just to access benefits we've already paid into. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their methods and updates - this community is proving that when the system fails us, we don't fail each other. I'll definitely update once I try these approaches!

This thread is absolutely incredible! I just spent the last hour reading through everyone's experiences and strategies, and I'm feeling so much more hopeful about my own situation. I've been stuck trying to get through to EDD about my disability claim for almost 3 weeks now with zero success. The collective knowledge shared here is amazing - from @Justin Trejo's insider timing tips to @QuantumQuasar's brilliant pre-opening call strategy and @Sean Matthews' two-phone backup method. It's like having a complete playbook for navigating this broken system! I'm particularly grateful for all the details about the Medical Services department from @Miguel Ortiz and others. My issue is also certification-related (doctor submitted but not showing in my account), so knowing there's a specialized department that can actually access those records gives me so much hope. Reading the success stories from @Serene Snow, @StarSeeker, and others proves these methods really work when executed properly. The name/data mismatch issues seem incredibly common - I'm definitely going to double-check with my doctor's office about exactly how they submitted my information. I'm planning to try the 7:58am Tuesday approach tomorrow with everything pre-organized and ready to go. This community support has been a lifesaver during such a stressful time - thank you all for sharing your hard-won knowledge and keeping each other's spirits up! 🙏

I've been following this thread for days and finally decided to create an account just to share my experience and thank everyone for the incredible advice! Like so many others here, I was completely lost trying to navigate the EDD system for my disability claim. After reading through all the strategies shared here, I tried the 7:58am pre-opening call method on a Wednesday morning (combining @QuantumQuasar's timing trick with @Justin Trejo's Tuesday-Thursday window). I got through after just 18 minutes on hold! When the rep answered, I immediately asked to be transferred to Medical Services as @Miguel Ortiz suggested, and that made all the difference. The Medical Services specialist found my certification right away - turns out my doctor's office had submitted it with my middle initial, but my original claim didn't include it. She fixed the mismatch on the spot and said my payments should start processing within a week. Such a relief after weeks of stress! A couple of additional tips from my experience: I had my claim number, Social Security number, and doctor's information written on a sticky note right next to my phone so I could answer questions immediately. Also, when I was transferred to Medical Services, the hold music stopped completely for about 2 minutes - I almost hung up thinking I was disconnected, but then the specialist came on the line. This community has been absolutely invaluable. The detailed strategies, success stories, and moral support made all the difference in finally getting through this nightmare. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and helping each other navigate this broken system! 🙏