That's awesome that you got your first payment so quickly! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - while Victoria got her payment in 5 days, it can sometimes take up to 10-14 days depending on when your claim gets processed and if there are any verification issues. Don't panic if it takes a bit longer! Also, once you're in the system, those biweekly payments are pretty reliable. Make sure to keep all your paperwork and stay in touch with your doctor about recertification deadlines. Wishing you a speedy recovery with your back injury!

Great to see your update Victoria! That's fantastic timing on getting your first payment so quickly. For anyone else dealing with back injuries like herniated discs, just wanted to share that physical therapy really does help - I went through something similar with my L5-S1 a couple years ago and it took about 12 weeks of PT but I was eventually able to return to full duty. The key is not to rush back too early even when you start feeling better. EDD is pretty good about extending certification if your doctor recommends it and you're making progress but still need more time. Keep up with your treatment plan and don't hesitate to ask your doctor questions about realistic timelines for recovery!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this stress on top of your injury! The "Pending Medical Forms" status is unfortunately one of EDD's most frustrating quirks - their system basically sits there saying "pending" even after they've received everything, until a human examiner actually looks at your file. At 11 days since your doctor submitted the forms, you're actually still in the normal timeframe (most people here have seen 14-20 business days). The key thing is making sure your orthopedic surgeon used the correct DE 2501 form and didn't just send a general medical note. When you call them tomorrow, ask specifically: 1) Did they submit the DE 2501 Medical Certification form? 2) Was it submitted through SDI Online provider portal? 3) Can they verify your SSN, birthdate, and claim ID were all correct on the form? Also, check both your claim status AND payment history tabs daily - sometimes one updates before the other. I know the financial pressure is crushing when you're already dealing with medical bills from a construction accident, but based on everyone's experiences here, your claim will likely be backdated to cover the full eligible period once it's finally approved. Hang in there!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my SDI claim on June 12th after a workplace ankle injury, and my doctor submitted all the medical forms electronically on June 13th. It's been 22 days now and I was starting to panic that my claim was lost in the system, but reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring that this seems to be totally normal with EDD's broken system. The "Pending Medical Forms" status is apparently their default message even when they have everything they need - it just sits there until a human examiner actually reviews your file. I followed the advice from this thread and called my doctor's office yesterday to verify they used the DE 2501 form correctly and had all my personal information accurate, and thankfully everything checked out. I've also been checking both the claim status AND payment history sections daily since apparently they don't sync up properly. The financial stress is absolutely brutal when you can't work and have medical bills piling up, but it's comforting to know from everyone's timelines that most claims get approved in that 14-20 business day range (even if the website doesn't reflect it right away). Thank you all for sharing such detailed advice and experiences - this thread has been more helpful than EDD's actual website! Hoping all of our claims get approved soon so we can focus on recovery instead of bureaucratic stress.

I work at a medical office and deal with EDD fax submissions regularly. Just want to confirm that (855) 341-6574 is correct - we've been using it since January 2025 with good success. One thing I'd add is to have your doctor's office send the fax during business hours (8am-4pm) if possible. We've noticed better delivery rates during peak staffing times. Also, if your doctor's office has a multi-function printer, make sure they're using "Fine" resolution mode - we had issues with EDD rejecting forms that were too blurry from standard resolution faxes.

Just wanted to add my recent experience - I had my doctor fax forms to (855) 341-6574 about two weeks ago and EDD processed them within 5 business days, which was much faster than I expected! One thing that really helped was that my doctor's office called me right after faxing to give me the confirmation number from the fax machine. I wrote it down and when I called EDD to follow up, having that confirmation number made the whole process smoother. The rep was able to locate my forms immediately in their system. So definitely ask your doctor's office to save that confirmation sheet and give you the details!

I'm currently going through the exact same situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! My doctor just put me on 6-week disability and my HR department gave me the same confusing runaround about PTO requirements. After reading everyone's experiences here, I filed my SDI claim online this morning - the process was actually much more straightforward than I expected. The system clearly asks about concurrent benefits and I indicated I'd be using some PTO alongside SDI, which seems to be the recommended approach based on what everyone shared. One thing I noticed during the application process that might help others: there's a really helpful FAQ section on the EDD portal that explains how SDI works with employer benefits. It basically confirms everything people have said here - that these are separate systems that can work together, not sequential steps. I'm planning to use my vacation time during the 7-day waiting period since SDI doesn't pay for that first week anyway, then supplement the SDI payments with remaining PTO to get closer to my full salary. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community provided clearer guidance than my actual HR department! Hoping for smooth processing and quick recovery for all of us dealing with this.

I'm also navigating this confusing process right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My employer gave me similar mixed messages about SDI timing, but reading everyone's experiences here has cleared things up significantly. One thing I'd add that I learned from calling EDD directly - they confirmed that the 7-day waiting period starts from your first day of disability, not from when you file the claim. So filing early doesn't "waste" any of that waiting period. This was a huge relief because I was worried about timing the application perfectly. Also, for anyone still hesitating about filing while using PTO - I spoke with an EDD representative who explained that California specifically designed SDI to work alongside employer benefits, not replace them entirely. The system expects people to coordinate these benefits, so being upfront about PTO usage actually helps ensure smooth processing. The hardest part really is just getting past the initial confusion from HR departments who aren't familiar with state disability programs. Once you understand that SDI is your legal right regardless of company PTO policies, the whole process becomes much less stressful. File that claim today and don't look back!

I'm in the exact same boat and this thread has been a lifesaver! After reading everyone's strategies, I'm going to try the 7:54 AM calling approach combined with the email documentation method tomorrow. The tier 2 specialist tip is something I never knew about - definitely asking for that if I get through to someone who can't help. It's both heartbreaking and comforting to see how many of us are struggling with this broken system. We shouldn't need a PhD in phone warfare just to access our benefits! But seeing all these success stories gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. Quick question for those who've gotten through - when you ask for a tier 2 specialist, do you need to give a specific reason or can you just say the first person couldn't resolve your issue? Also, has anyone tried the callback feature recently or is that still basically non-existent? Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and keeping each other motivated. This community support means everything when dealing with such a frustrating system! 💙

I've been lurking on this thread for days and finally decided to create an account to share my experience! I was in the exact same situation as everyone here - trying to reach SDI for weeks with no luck. After reading all these amazing strategies, I tried the 7:53 AM calling method (going even earlier based on the success patterns) combined with the constant redial approach. It took 42 redials and about an hour of persistence, but I FINALLY got through yesterday! The key was immediately asking for a tier 2 specialist when the first rep said they couldn't help with my specific issue. The specialist was incredibly helpful and resolved my claim in one call. What really made the difference was having everything organized beforehand - case numbers, documents, timeline of issues, all written down and ready. Also, staying polite but firm about needing to speak with someone who could actually help. This community has been such a source of hope during this frustrating process. Seeing everyone support each other and share strategies that actually work gives me faith in humanity. For anyone still fighting this battle - don't give up! The persistence really does pay off eventually. You've got this! 💪✨