The expedited appeal form is actually DE 6305, and you're absolutely right that it can significantly speed up the process in cases of financial hardship. OP should definitely include this with their appeal package.

Thank you both for this information! I just downloaded the DE 6305 form and will include it with our appeal. The facility director is also writing a letter explaining their certification status and documenting other patients who have received SDI benefits. This whole system is so unnecessarily complicated!

Just to add another warning - watch out for calls from people CLAIMING to be from Money Network or EDD asking for your info to "help" with your card issues. My friend got scammed this way during her pregnancy disability. Only call the official numbers listed on the EDD website!

I went through this nightmare last year with my disability payments after my surgery. After weeks of getting nowhere with Money Network, I found contacting my state assembly member's office was incredibly helpful. They have dedicated staff who handle EDD issues and can often get results when we can't. Might be worth trying if you hit dead ends with the regular channels.

To follow up on my earlier comment - I've used the State Rep route too for a previous claim issue (before I knew about Claimyr). In my experience, it took about 12-15 business days from when I submitted all my info to when the issue was resolved. The key is making sure you provide them with EVERYTHING - claim number, exact dates, copies of all documents, detailed timeline of your attempts to resolve it, etc. The more organized your information is, the faster they can help.

This is really helpful - I just sent them my claim number and basic info, but I should probably send a more detailed timeline and copies of everything. I'll put that together tonight and email it over. Thank you!

Just want to clarify something important - pregnancy disability leave in California offers job protection similar to FMLA/CFRA. If your company has 5+ employees, they generally cannot terminate you while you're on pregnancy disability leave without facing significant legal consequences. The fact that they put you on SDI 9 weeks early due to work conditions makes their position even more precarious legally. However, this protection doesn't necessarily extend after your disability leave ends. That's when the question of unemployment vs. quitting would become relevant.

UPDATE: I consulted with an employment attorney today (free consultation) who confirmed I'm in a protected status while on pregnancy disability leave. The attorney is sending a letter to my employer reminding them of my legal protections. I'm going to stay on SDI, document everything, and follow the advice here about not quitting. Thank you everyone for your help - this forum has been incredibly supportive and informative during such a stressful time.

Sometimes the 1st payment is weird because of the month ending. Sept 29 was the last day of the month maybe thats why? My husband had disability last year and his payments were always split weird at month end. But he got all his money eventually lol

Just to clarify after reading all the responses: The 7-day waiting period doesn't necessarily start on your disability date - it depends on when you filed. If your payment activity shows benefits for 9/27-9/28, then your waiting period might have been completed earlier, possibly from a previous claim or based on when your doctor actually certified your disability. The month-end processing that others mentioned is also a common explanation. EDD's fiscal reporting often results in payments being split at month-end. In this case, 9/29 would appear on your next payment. Definitely call to confirm, but don't panic yet. Your next payment will likely include that Friday plus the next full benefit period.