


Ask the community...
Hey Mateo! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation but for regular SDI (not pregnancy related). My employer also submitted paper forms and I've been tracking the process closely. From what I've observed, the paper submission definitely adds time but here's what I've learned: The 14-day timeframe EDD mentions is business days, not calendar days, and that's just for initial review - doesn't include the back-and-forth with paper processing. When employers submit electronically, EDD gets the info instantly. With paper, it has to be physically received, scanned, and manually entered into their system. One tip that might help: if you have your employer's mailing receipt or tracking info, you can roughly estimate when EDD received it. From there, expect about 5-7 business days for them to process and enter the information, then another few days for your status to update online. Also, don't be afraid to call if you hit the 3-week mark with no status change. Sometimes papers get stuck in processing queues and a quick call can nudge things along. The key is being persistent but polite when you do get through to someone. You're smart to file early - even with the slower paper processing, you should definitely have everything resolved before your due date. Hang in there!
Thank you Zara! That's really helpful to know it's business days, not calendar days - I was getting confused about that. The breakdown of the paper processing steps (physical receipt, scanning, manual entry) makes so much sense and helps me understand why it takes longer. I really appreciate the tip about using tracking info to estimate timelines. My employer said they were mailing it yesterday, so if I can get tracking from them, I can at least know when EDD receives it and start counting from there. The 3-week rule is good to know too - I'll mark that on my calendar so I know when it's appropriate to start calling if I don't see any movement. I've been reading horror stories about people never getting through, but it sounds like persistence pays off. Thanks for sharing your experience even though you're dealing with regular SDI - the paper processing issues seem to be the same regardless of the type of claim. Hope your situation gets resolved soon too! 🤞
Hi Mateo! I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now - 35 weeks pregnant and waiting on my employer's paper form submission too. The anxiety is SO real when you're this close to your due date! I wanted to share something that might help ease your worries a bit. I called EDD last week after reading all the horror stories about never getting through, and I actually got connected after about 45 minutes of waiting (called right at 8 AM). The rep told me that pregnancy disability claims are typically prioritized since they're time-sensitive, especially when you're in your third trimester. She also confirmed that the benefits are absolutely backdated to your original filing date, and that paper processing usually adds 2-3 weeks but they're aware of the urgency with pregnancy claims. Since you filed May 14th and your due date is June 8th, you should definitely have everything sorted in time. One thing that's helped my peace of mind is setting up text alerts on my phone to remind me to check my SDI account every morning. That way I'm not obsessively checking it throughout the day but I'm still staying on top of any status changes. Also, if your employer used certified or priority mail, you might be able to track when EDD actually receives the form. That gives you a better idea of when to start the countdown for processing. You've got this mama! The waiting is the absolute worst part, but you're doing everything right by filing early and staying on top of it. 💪
Thank you so much CosmicCadet! It's such a relief to connect with someone who's literally at the same stage as me - 35 weeks is so close! The fact that you actually got through to EDD and they confirmed pregnancy claims are prioritized is HUGE news. I had no idea about that but it makes total sense given the time-sensitive nature. I love the text alert idea for checking the account - I've definitely been obsessively refreshing it multiple times a day which is probably not helping my anxiety levels. Setting up a once-daily reminder sounds much healthier! 45 minutes on hold actually sounds pretty reasonable compared to some of the stories I've been reading about people trying for days. I'm going to try calling next week if I don't see any status changes by then, and I'll definitely call right at 8 AM like you did. Thanks for the reassurance about the timeline too - hearing it directly from an EDD rep that they're aware of the urgency with pregnancy claims makes me feel so much better. I'm going to follow up with my employer tomorrow about certified mail and tracking so I can have that peace of mind about when it actually gets delivered. This whole process is so stressful when you're already dealing with third trimester anxiety, but it helps so much to know others are going through the same thing. Good luck with your claim - hope we both get good news soon! 🤞
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who responded to this thread! As someone who was really anxious about mixing online and paper submissions, all of your experiences and advice have been incredibly reassuring. The consistent message seems to be: yes, the hybrid approach works fine, but success really depends on being proactive about the paper portion. I'm definitely going to follow the roadmap that's emerged from everyone's advice: 1. Submit my portion online first 2. Print the pre-filled physician form with my receipt number 3. Hand-deliver it to my doctor's office (with that genius sticky note tip!) 4. Ask about faxing instead of mailing 5. Follow up regularly to ensure it actually gets sent 6. Make sure my doctor uses black ink and includes specific dates/diagnosis codes It's amazing how many people have dealt with this exact same situation! Really shows that old-school medical offices mixing with modern online systems is super common. I feel so much more confident about the whole process now. Thanks again everyone - this community is incredibly helpful! I'll update after my surgery and claim process to pay it forward for the next person in this situation.
This thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm actually in the same boat - about to have surgery and dealing with a doctor's office that only does paper forms. I was so worried about the mixed format causing delays, but reading everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease. The step-by-step roadmap you've outlined is perfect - I'm definitely saving this for reference. It's incredible how consistent the advice has been across so many different people's experiences. The sticky note tip and the black ink requirement are the kinds of details I never would have thought of but could make all the difference. Thanks for asking this question and bringing everyone together to share their knowledge! Looking forward to your update after you go through the process.
I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago with my knee surgery! You're absolutely fine to do your part online while your doctor handles the paper certification - it's actually really common and works great when you follow the right steps. Here's what I learned that made all the difference: 1. After submitting online, immediately print the physician form from your SDI account (it'll have your claim number pre-filled) 2. Take that printed form directly to your doctor's office - don't let them use their own blank form 3. Ask them to fax instead of mail it (cuts processing time from weeks to days) 4. Write your receipt number on a sticky note and attach it to the form for extra visibility 5. Follow up after 3-4 days to make sure they actually sent it The key thing everyone's mentioned about that receipt number is so true - that's how EDD matches everything up. My claim processed in about 6 days total because I stayed on top of the paper portion. One more tip: when you talk to your doctor about filling it out, mention that you need specific dates (not "several weeks") and make sure they use black ink only. These little details can prevent delays. Don't stress about the mixed format - it's super standard! Just be proactive about managing the paper side and you'll be fine. Good luck with your surgery!
I had the exact same issue last month! Turns out my employer hadn't submitted the complete wage verification forms. I had to call HR and make sure they resubmitted everything properly. Once they did, it took about 2 weeks for the rest of my payments to come through. Definitely worth checking with your employer first before spending hours on hold with EDD. Also, keep all your documentation - I had to provide proof of my leave dates multiple times. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! This is really helpful. I'm going to contact my HR department first thing Monday morning to check on the wage verification forms. Two weeks seems reasonable to wait once everything is properly submitted. Did you have to do anything special to track the resubmission, or did HR handle everything on their end?
I went through something similar earlier this year! In my case, it was because there was a discrepancy in my leave start date between what I reported and what my doctor's certification stated. Even though it was just a one-day difference, it caused the system to only process payment for the overlapping period. I had to get my doctor to submit a corrected form with the exact dates, and then it took about 3-4 weeks for the additional payments to process. Check your medical certification forms carefully - sometimes the smallest date errors can cause these issues. Also, when you do get through to someone, ask specifically about "benefit period discrepancies" - that's the magic phrase that helped me get answers faster!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I just checked my paperwork and you're absolutely right - there's a one-day discrepancy between my leave start date and what's on the doctor's form. I had no idea such a small difference could cause this big of a problem. I'm going to contact my doctor's office tomorrow to get a corrected certification submitted. Thank you so much for the tip about using "benefit period discrepancies" when I call - that could save me a lot of time! Did you have to pay anything to get the corrected form from your doctor?
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently going through a similar situation - injured my shoulder at work 6 weeks ago and finally got my specialist to submit the SDI paperwork last week. I was really worried about the gap between my injury date and when the paperwork was filed, but reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that EDD will backdate to my actual injury date as long as my doctor certified that correctly. I kept all my initial ER visit records and follow-up appointments, so I should be able to document the entire timeline if they ask. It's such a relief to know that specialist wait times are common and EDD generally understands these delays aren't the patient's fault. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community has been way more helpful than trying to get through to EDD on the phone!
I'm so glad this thread helped you too! Six weeks is definitely a longer gap than some of the other cases mentioned here, but it sounds like you have excellent documentation of your medical timeline which should really help if EDD has any questions. The fact that you went to the ER right after your injury and have all the follow-up appointments documented shows a clear medical trail - that's exactly what they want to see. Shoulder injuries can be tricky and often do require specialist care, so the wait time makes total sense. Hopefully your claim processes smoothly! It's frustrating that getting information from EDD directly is so difficult, but at least we can help each other out here.
I just wanted to share my recent experience that might help others with similar timing concerns. I had a workplace injury last month where there was a 4-week gap between my injury date and when my orthopedic surgeon finally submitted my SDI paperwork. I was really stressed about whether EDD would question the delay, but they approved my claim with full backpay to my injury date without any issues. The key was that my doctor properly documented the original injury date on the DE 2501 form and I had kept all my initial urgent care records. What really helped was that I proactively included a brief note with my claim explaining that the delay was due to specialist referral wait times, not because I wasn't seeking treatment. EDD processed my claim in about 10 days and I received backpay for all the weeks I was off work (minus the 7-day waiting period of course). For anyone dealing with similar gaps - don't panic! As long as your medical provider certifies the correct disability start date and you have documentation showing you sought initial treatment promptly, EDD seems pretty understanding about specialist appointment delays. The healthcare system is backed up everywhere right now and they know it.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Simon! This is incredibly reassuring to hear. I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - injured my wrist at work about 5 weeks ago and just got my specialist to submit the paperwork this week. I was really worried about that gap, but your experience gives me hope that EDD will understand the specialist wait times. I love the idea of including a brief note explaining the delay - that's such a smart proactive approach that I hadn't thought of. Did you just attach it as a separate document when you submitted your claim, or did you include it somewhere specific in the online application? I have all my initial urgent care records too, so hopefully I'll have a similar smooth experience. It's such a relief to know that 4 weeks wasn't an issue for them!
Max Knight
I'm going through this same situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My doctor submitted my DE 2525XX extension electronically 5 days ago and I've been anxiously checking my SDI account with no updates yet. Reading everyone's experiences here really helps understand that 8-10 business days is normal - I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong. I had no idea about asking for the confirmation number until reading through all these comments. Definitely calling my doctor's office tomorrow to get that for peace of mind. My original 6-week approval after hip surgery ends in 10 days, so the timing should work out based on everyone's shared timelines, but the uncertainty is still stressful when you're already dealing with recovery. The retroactive payment information has been really reassuring too - takes some of the pressure off worrying about missing payments if it processes right at the deadline. It's frustrating that EDD doesn't provide any visibility into their process, but this community knowledge is invaluable. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences and timelines!
0 coins
GalaxyGlider
•@Max Knight I m'in almost the exact same situation! My doctor submitted my extension 4 days ago and I ve'been doing that same anxious account checking routine. This thread has been such a lifesaver for understanding what s'actually normal - I had no clue about the confirmation number either until everyone here mentioned it. 5 days is still well within that 8-10 business day window everyone s'talking about, so you re'definitely not at panic time yet. The fact that you have 10 days left gives you a good buffer too. I m'calling my doctor tomorrow as well to get that confirmation number - seems like it s'the only way to have real peace of mind that it went through properly. Hope your hip recovery is going smoothly and that your extension processes soon! The waiting game is brutal when you re'already stressed about health stuff.
0 coins
Andre Moreau
I'm currently going through this exact process too! My doctor just submitted my DE 2525XX extension electronically yesterday and I'm already feeling that familiar anxiety about whether it went through properly. Reading through all of your experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that 8-10 business days was the normal processing time or about getting a confirmation number from the doctor's office. I'm recovering from rotator cuff surgery and my original 8-week approval ends in 18 days, so based on everyone's shared timelines here, I should be in good shape. But the lack of transparency from EDD is so frustrating when you're already dealing with health issues and financial stress. It's crazy that we have to rely on community knowledge like this thread to understand their actual process! @StellarSurfer really hope your extension comes through soon - the retroactive payment stories here are encouraging. And thanks to everyone else for sharing their real experiences and timelines. This community support makes such a difference when navigating EDD's confusing system. Definitely calling my doctor tomorrow to get that confirmation number for peace of mind!
0 coins
Vincent Bimbach
•@Andre Moreau Welcome to the club of anxious EDD waiters! 😅 You re'definitely in a great position with 18 days left - that s'way more buffer than most of us had. I just went through this process last month and can confirm that getting the confirmation number from your doctor s'office is absolutely worth doing. It s'literally the only way to know for sure the form made it into their system. One day into waiting is nothing to worry about yet - I was checking my account obsessively starting day 2, but this thread taught me that s'completely normal! The 8-10 business day timeline seems pretty consistent based on everyone s'experiences here. Hope your rotator cuff recovery goes smoothly and definitely keep us updated when your extension processes!
0 coins