Hey Isaiah! I totally understand your stress - I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and it was awful waiting for money I desperately needed. Here's what ended up working for me: First, log into your EDD portal and check EVERY section - not just the main dashboard. Look under "History," "Inbox," "Notifications," and "Claim Summary." Sometimes there's a small verification request or pending task hiding there that's blocking your payment. Second, double-check that your direct deposit info is still accurate - my payment got delayed once because my bank had updated my account number and I didn't realize it. Third, if you don't find anything obvious online, use the secure messaging system through your EDD account rather than trying to call. It's slower but you'll actually get a real response from a person. And finally, if it's been more than a week, definitely contact your assembly member's office like others have mentioned - they have staff specifically trained to help with EDD issues and can often get things moving way faster than the normal channels. I know the waiting is torture when you need the money for bills, but try to stay positive. Most of these delays do get resolved, even though the system is incredibly frustrating. Keep checking your account daily and don't give up! You've got this! 💪

I'm going through the exact same thing right now and it's so stressful! My payment was supposed to come through 4 days ago and I keep checking my account obsessively. Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful though - I had no idea about checking all the different sections of the EDD portal or that assembly members could help with these issues. I've just been staring at the main dashboard getting more frustrated. Going to try logging in and doing a deep dive through the History and Inbox sections like everyone suggested. It's weirdly comforting to know this is such a common problem, even though it shouldn't be. Thanks for posting this question Isaiah - you're definitely not alone! 🤞

Have you checked your mail? Sometimes they send updates through snail mail that don't show up online. I know, it's like we're living in 1995 or something 🙄

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this nightmare recently. I actually had success using a combination of the strategies mentioned here. First, I tried calling right at 8am when they open (thanks @Nathaniel Mikhaylov for that tip!), but when that didn't work after a few days, I sent a detailed email to the address @Eva St. Cyr shared. In the email, I included my claim number, social security number, and a clear timeline of my situation. Got a response in 4 business days with my claim status. Also, don't sleep on contacting your local assembly member's office - they have caseworkers who can help navigate EDD issues. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops, but hang in there! The system is broken but there are ways to work around it.

I've been through this exact situation! For your forms, definitely use May 14th as your return-to-work date since that's what your surgeon specifically stated. For the recovery date, if your surgeon didn't give you a separate date for "full recovery," it's completely fine to use May 14th for both - it just means that's when you'll be recovered enough to safely return to work. Here's what I found most helpful: When you submit your claim, include a note that says something like "Dates based on surgeon's letter dated [insert date of letter]" - this makes it super clear where your information is coming from. Also, upload that surgeon's letter to your EDD portal if you can, and keep the confirmation number they give you. If you need to call them (and I'd recommend doing so just to confirm they received everything), try calling right at 8 AM when they open. Ask the agent to confirm they can see the surgeon's letter in your file and request that they add a note about it. Having that verbal confirmation gives you peace of mind! Keep copies of everything you submit - trust me, you'll want them for your records. The whole process can feel overwhelming, but having that surgeon's letter is really your best asset here. You're on the right track! 👍

I'm new to this whole disability claim process and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like documentation is absolutely critical. I'm currently waiting for my doctor to send me a similar letter with specific dates, and now I know exactly what to ask for and how to handle it when I get it. The tip about calling right at 8 AM and asking agents to confirm they can see documents in your file is something I never would have thought of. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to navigate the EDD website alone! Definitely saving this thread for reference when I submit my claim 📝

OP, any updates? Did you manage to get through to them?

I had a similar issue last month! My doctor's office submitted my medical certification online and I had the receipt number, but SDI kept saying they couldn't find it in their system. What worked for me was having my doctor's office call SDI directly and reference the receipt number while I was on a three-way call. Turns out there was some kind of technical glitch where online submissions weren't properly linking to claim files. The rep was able to manually locate and attach the form to my claim on the spot. Might be worth asking your doctor's office if they can make that call with you - sometimes they have better luck getting through than we do!

UPDATE: I finally got through to BofA EDD card services! For anyone with the same problem, here's what worked: 1. I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended above - got connected in about 25 minutes instead of endless busy signals 2. Selected option 2 for "lost or stolen card" even though mine was just expired 3. Had to verify my identity (SSN, address, date of birth) 4. They're sending me a new card via expedited shipping (paid $10 for 3-day delivery) 5. Set up direct deposit for future payments so I won't have this problem again The rep confirmed my funds are safe and will be available once I activate the new card. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great to see you got it resolved! For future reference to anyone else reading this thread, I want to emphasize that the direct deposit setup is crucial. I've been on SDI for over a year now and switched to direct deposit after my first card expired. It's been so much smoother - payments go straight to my checking account within 1-2 business days of being issued by EDD. Also, keep in mind that if you ever need to update your direct deposit information, you have to do it through the BofA EDD card website, not through EDD directly. The systems don't communicate with each other, which is confusing but important to remember. Hope your situation stays smooth from here on out!