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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I just went through this process a few months ago and completely understand your anxiety! Unfortunately, you really do have to wait for that first letter with your claim number before you can access anything through SDI Online. The system can't match your account to a claim that hasn't been assigned a number yet. In my experience, it took about 14 business days to get that initial letter (not counting weekends). Since you're at day 10, you're getting close! Once you do get the claim number, registering for SDI Online is pretty straightforward - just make sure all your personal info matches exactly what you put on your DE 2501 form. Given that you're on bed rest due to complications, your claim might need a bit of extra review since it's starting before the standard 4-week window, but that doesn't necessarily mean delays if your doctor documented everything clearly. Try to hang in there - I know the financial stress is overwhelming, especially when you're dealing with pregnancy complications. The process does work, it's just painfully slow!
Thank you so much @Lucas Turner! Your timeline is really helpful - 14 business days gives me a realistic expectation. I'm trying to stay patient but it's hard when you're worried about finances and already dealing with pregnancy stress. It's reassuring to hear from someone who recently went through this successfully. I'm hoping my doctor was thorough enough with the documentation since I had to stop work earlier than usual due to complications. Just need to make it through a few more days of waiting! Thanks for the encouragement.
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just mailed my pregnancy disability claim 6 days ago and have been checking my mailbox obsessively every day. Reading all these responses is both reassuring and frustrating - it sounds like we really are stuck waiting for that initial letter with the claim number before we can do anything online. The financial anxiety is so real when you're already dealing with pregnancy complications and unable to work. I'm also on modified bed rest due to complications that started earlier than the typical 4-week window before delivery. Really hoping my OB was detailed enough on the medical certification forms because it sounds like that can make or break the processing time. Thank you to everyone who shared their timelines - it helps to know that 10-14 business days seems to be the norm for getting that first letter. The waiting is torture but at least now I have realistic expectations instead of checking the mail hoping for something that wasn't going to come yet anyway!
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I've been struggling with the exact same issue for over a month now! Reading through all these strategies has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the early morning calling tactics or the assemblymember contact option. What really stands out to me is how many people have found success with the 7:50-8:00 AM window combined with persistent redialing. I'm definitely going to try the multi-pronged approach tomorrow: calling at 7:52 AM, sending a documented email to sdi@edd.ca.gov, and reaching out to my local representative's office. The tier 2 specialist tip is gold - I never knew to ask for that when the first person can't help. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole battle plan just to access benefits we're entitled to, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real strategies that actually work. For anyone feeling defeated by this process - these success stories prove that persistence really does pay off eventually. We shouldn't have to fight this hard, but at least we're not fighting alone! 💪
This whole thread has been such an eye-opener! I'm new to navigating the SDI system and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the hoops we have to jump through. The 7:52 AM strategy plus the multi-pronged approach sounds like solid advice - it's amazing how this community has basically created a survival guide for dealing with a broken system. I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread and try these strategies. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping each other motivated. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this struggle! 🙏
I've been dealing with this exact same frustration for weeks! The system is absolutely broken and it's infuriating that we have to become professional phone warriors just to access benefits we're legally entitled to. After reading through all these incredible strategies, I'm going to try the ultra-early calling approach (7:50 AM) combined with the constant redial method and simultaneous email documentation. The tier 2 specialist tip is something I never knew about - definitely asking for that if I can ever get through to someone. What really strikes me is how this community has essentially crowd-sourced a survival guide for navigating government bureaucracy. It's both heartbreaking that we need this and inspiring how everyone is supporting each other through such a broken system. One question for those who've had success - when documenting your call attempts for the email, what specific details have you found most helpful to include? I want to make sure I'm as strategic as possible with this approach. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and keeping each other motivated. Knowing I'm not alone in this nightmare makes it a little more bearable! 💪
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I'm facing this exact same issue right now! My first name is 16 characters and I was really stressing about potentially delaying my claim over this. This thread has been incredibly helpful - it's so reassuring to see that this is actually a super common problem and that EDD is used to handling it. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to use the first 12 characters of my name in the field, write my full legal name clearly in the margins with an arrow, and include a detailed note in the additional comments section. I'm also planning to call after I submit to have them add a note to my file like some people suggested. It's honestly frustrating that these forms haven't been updated to handle longer names, especially since America is such a diverse country with people from all different backgrounds. But this community is amazing for sharing actual solutions that work! Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - you've all helped me feel so much more confident about handling this. 🙏
I just went through this same exact situation last month! My first name is 14 characters and I was having the same stress about it. I ended up doing exactly what you're planning - used the first 12 characters in the field, wrote my full legal name in the margins with an arrow, and added a detailed explanation in the additional comments section. When I called a few days after submitting (great idea btw!), the rep told me they see this issue constantly and said my documentation was perfect. My claim went through without any delays or complications. It's really reassuring to see how this community comes together to help each other navigate these bureaucratic challenges. Your approach sounds spot-on and I'm confident it'll work out smoothly for you! 💪
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My first name is 14 characters and I've been sitting here for the past two hours trying to figure out what to do. This whole thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea this was such a common problem! Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the consistent approach that works is: use an abbreviation or the first 12 characters in the field, write your full legal name clearly in the margins with an arrow pointing to the field, and add a detailed explanation in the additional comments section. Some people also mentioned calling after submitting to have a note added to their file, which seems like a smart extra step. It's honestly mind-boggling that in 2024 we still have government forms that can't accommodate the full diversity of people's names, but I'm so grateful for this community where we actually help each other find real solutions instead of just venting about the problems. Thank you to everyone who shared their successful experiences - you've turned what felt like a major roadblock into something totally manageable! 🙏
I'm so glad you found this thread! I just joined this community because I'm dealing with the exact same situation - my first name is 15 characters and I was honestly starting to panic about messing up my SDI application. It's incredible how many of us are facing this same challenge! Reading through everyone's success stories has been such a huge relief. The approach you outlined is exactly what I'm planning to do too - it seems like the tried and true method that consistently works for people. It's really frustrating that we have to come up with workarounds for something as basic as our legal names fitting on official forms, but this community is amazing for sharing actual solutions that work in practice. Thanks for adding your experience to this helpful discussion - it's comforting to know there are others going through this right now! 😊
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I'm currently 8 months pregnant and this whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the DE 2525XX form or that doctors need to submit supplementary certificates for extensions. My OB never mentioned any of this during our birth plan discussions. I'm definitely going to bring this up at my next appointment so we're prepared. It sounds like the EDD system is pretty confusing to navigate, especially when you're dealing with postpartum recovery. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world info that you just don't get from the official EDD website!
You're so smart to ask about this ahead of time! I wish I had known to have this conversation with my doctor before delivery. Definitely ask your OB's office if they're familiar with EDD forms and the DE 2525XX specifically. Some practices have staff who handle these all the time, others might need you to walk them through it. Also ask if they prefer fax or mail for submitting to EDD - my doctor's office said fax is faster and they get confirmation it went through. Having this conversation now will save you so much stress later when you're sleep-deprived with a newborn!
I'm going through this exact situation right now! Had my C-section 2 weeks ago and my doctor also extended me beyond the standard recovery period. I was getting so confused by that "continued claim certification" message too - I kept looking everywhere in my SDI Online account for where to submit something. Reading through everyone's responses here, it sounds like I need to have my doctor submit the DE 2525XX form instead of me doing anything online. This is such a relief to know I'm not missing some obvious button somewhere! Going to call my OB's office first thing Monday morning. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver when EDD's own instructions are so unclear!
Savannah Vin
I'm so glad I found this thread! I was in almost exactly the same boat a few months ago - doctor put me on disability, HR gave confusing info about having to exhaust PTO first, and I was totally lost about the timing. Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: SDI and your company's leave policies are completely separate things. Your employer can't prevent you from filing for SDI, period. It's a state benefit you've been paying into through every paycheck, so it's YOUR money. My advice: File your SDI claim TODAY online. Use some of your 3 weeks of PTO during that first week (the waiting period) since SDI doesn't pay anything anyway. Then once SDI kicks in at 60-70% of your salary, you can use your remaining PTO to supplement and get closer to your full income. The online portal will ask about concurrent benefits - just be honest that you're using some employer PTO alongside SDI. This actually helps them coordinate everything properly rather than causing problems. Don't let your HR department's confusion cost you money or delay benefits you're legally entitled to. File first, sort out the company coordination afterward. You've got enough to worry about with your health - don't let bureaucratic confusion add to your stress! Wishing you a smooth recovery! 🙂
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Natalie Chen
•This is such a perfect summary of everything I needed to know! Your approach of filing immediately and handling the company coordination separately really makes sense - I've been overthinking this whole process when it's actually pretty straightforward. The way you broke down the timeline (use PTO during waiting period, then supplement SDI afterward) is exactly the strategy I'm going to follow. It's so frustrating that HR departments seem to consistently give confusing or incorrect information about SDI timing, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share real experiences. Your point about it being OUR money that we've already paid into really drives home why we shouldn't let employer confusion delay our applications. Filing my claim today and not looking back! Thanks for the encouragement and the clear action plan. 😊
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StarStrider
I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! My doctor just put me on 4-week disability and my HR department told me I "have to use all sick time before SDI will approve my claim" - which based on everything I'm reading here sounds completely wrong. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening about how SDI actually works versus what employers think it does. I had no idea that these were separate systems that could run concurrently rather than sequentially. My company made it sound like there was some kind of official requirement to exhaust PTO first, but it's clear now that's just their internal policy preference, not a legal requirement. I'm definitely going to file my SDI claim today after reading all these experiences. The strategy of using PTO during the 7-day waiting period and then supplementing SDI payments afterward makes so much financial sense. Why did my HR person not explain any of this properly? Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this community has been more helpful than my actual employer! Going to get that application submitted and then have a much more informed conversation with HR about their actual policies versus my legal rights.
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Giovanni Rossi
•Welcome to the community! Your HR department is definitely giving you incorrect information - that's unfortunately a really common theme we've seen throughout this thread. The requirement to "exhaust sick time before SDI will approve" is absolutely not a state law requirement, it's just some companies' internal policy preference. You're making the smart move by filing your SDI claim today! The strategy everyone has outlined here - using PTO during the waiting period and supplementing afterward - really is the most financially sound approach. It's frustrating that so many HR departments seem to misunderstand how state disability works, but at least you found this thread before it cost you any benefits. When you have that follow-up conversation with HR, you might want to reference some of the legal codes mentioned earlier in this thread (like California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 2626) to clarify your rights. Your employer can have policies about PTO coordination, but they cannot override your right to file for state benefits you've already paid into. Good luck with your 4-week recovery! The hardest part really is just getting through this initial confusion and paperwork phase.
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