Update: My doctor's office submitted the extension paperwork yesterday! They said they included detailed notes about why I can't return to construction work yet. Now I'm just waiting to see if/when it gets approved. Thanks everyone for your help - I would have been completely lost without your advice!

Great to hear you got the paperwork submitted! Just a heads up - you might want to call EDD's SDI customer service line in about a week if you don't see any updates in your online account. Sometimes extension requests get stuck in the system and a phone call can help move things along. I know the wait times are brutal, but it's worth it to avoid any potential gaps in your benefits. Also, make sure you continue doing your bi-weekly certifications even while the extension is pending - you don't want to miss any certification periods. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! As someone who's never dealt with disability benefits before, I was honestly pretty anxious about the whole process. But reading through everyone's experiences and practical advice has made me feel so much more prepared and confident. The biggest takeaways for me are: apply March 5th-6th for my March 15th surgery, definitely choose direct deposit over the debit card, check my wage history thoroughly before applying, and budget for 7 weeks of payments rather than 8. I had no idea about things like the 7-day waiting period, the potential for wage reporting errors, or how important the timing of the application could be. I'm going to work through that checklist someone shared, contact my surgeon's office about their medical certification timeline, and use the benefit calculator tool this week. It's such a relief to know that other people have successfully navigated this process and that the anticipation is worse than the actual experience. Thank you all for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences. This community is amazing, and I feel so much better prepared for both the application process and my recovery period now!

I went through the SDI process for my herniated disc surgery about 6 months ago, and I want to share something that really caught me off guard - the potential for appeals if your benefit amount seems wrong. After reading through this thread, I realized I should have checked my wage history more carefully before applying. My calculated benefit was lower than expected, and it wasn't until after I was already receiving payments that I discovered my previous employer had under-reported my overtime wages from my highest quarter. You CAN appeal the benefit determination, but it's much easier to catch and fix wage reporting issues BEFORE you submit your initial application. So definitely take everyone's advice seriously about thoroughly reviewing your wage history in the SDI Online system and comparing it to your actual pay stubs and W-2s. Also, since you mentioned this is surgery-related, make sure your doctor is very specific about your work restrictions on the medical certification. Vague language like "limited activity" can sometimes cause delays, while specific restrictions like "no lifting over 10 pounds, no prolonged standing" get processed faster in my experience. One more thing - if you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can use those funds for medical expenses during your recovery without any tax penalty, which can help stretch your reduced income further. Just thought that might be helpful for your financial planning!

Friendly reminder to take care of yourselves while dealing with this stress, folks. Don't let EDD drama consume your life. Remember to breathe, stay hydrated, and maybe scream into a pillow once in a while. We're all in this together! 💪

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my PFL claim about 5 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "pending" ever since. The phone system is absolutely ridiculous - I've probably spent 20+ hours on hold just to get disconnected. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like contacting my assembly member might be the way to go. Has anyone had luck with specific assembly offices being more responsive than others? Also really considering that Claimyr service that @Sofia Peña mentioned, even though $20 feels steep just to talk to someone who should be accessible for free 😤 Thanks for starting this thread - at least we know we're not alone in this nightmare!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm actually in a very similar situation right now - my SDI benefits are supposed to end next week but my physical therapist says I need at least another month before I can return to my desk job due to ongoing back issues. I've been calling EDD for days with no luck getting through, and I had no idea about the DE 2525XX form or that I could download it myself. This community is amazing - you've all provided more helpful information in one thread than I could find anywhere on EDD's website! I'm printing out that form right now and scheduling an appointment with my doctor for this week. Thank you especially to everyone who shared the direct link and specific tips about electronic submission. It's frustrating that we all have to become EDD experts just to get our legitimate benefits, but at least we can help each other navigate this broken system!

I'm just joining this community after struggling with my own SDI extension issues, and wow - this thread has been incredibly helpful! I went through almost the exact same situation about two months ago where my doctor kept asking for some form that never arrived in the mail, and I spent weeks in panic mode thinking I'd lose my benefits. What finally worked for me was downloading that DE 2525XX form directly from the EDD website (thanks for sharing that link earlier!) and pushing my doctor's office to submit it electronically through SDI Online. The electronic submission made such a huge difference - I got confirmation within 48 hours instead of waiting weeks wondering if a paper form got lost in the mail again. One tip I'd add: if your doctor's office seems hesitant about electronic submission, ask to speak with their billing department or medical records staff. They're often more familiar with insurance and disability systems than the front desk. My doctor's office initially said they "didn't do electronic submissions" but it turned out their billing coordinator had been using SDI Online for years! Sienna, it sounds like you're all set for your appointment now with the form and all this great advice. The stress is so real when you're caught between EDD's bureaucracy and medical needs, but you're handling it exactly right by being proactive. Hope everything goes smoothly and you can focus on recovery instead of paperwork stress!

Hey Miguel! I just want to add one more thing that might help - if you're having trouble getting through on the phone, try calling right before lunch time around 11:30am or mid-afternoon around 2:30pm. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I've noticed the hold times are sometimes shorter during those "off-peak" hours when fewer people think to call. Also, if you do get through to someone, don't hang up until you get a case number or reference number for your correction request - that way you can reference it if you need to call back. I made a similar mistake on my claim (put my old job instead of current one) and it felt like the end of the world at the time, but honestly these things happen and they have processes in place to fix them. You've got this! Keep us updated on how it goes.

I've been following this thread and just wanted to share my recent experience that might help! I made a similar mistake on my PFL claim about 3 months ago - accidentally entered my own birthdate in the care recipient section instead of my father's. What ended up working best for me was a combination approach: I submitted a message through the SDI Online portal first (like others mentioned), then followed up with calls using the specific SDI number (1-877-238-4373) that Isabella shared. The portal message created a paper trail, and when I finally got through on the phone, they could reference it immediately. It took about 6 tries calling over 2 weeks, but I found Tuesday around 8:20am worked best for me. The rep was actually really understanding and said these care recipient mix-ups are among the most common errors they see. The whole correction process took about 4 weeks once they made the change. Hang in there Miguel - you're definitely not alone in this, and it's absolutely fixable! The system is frustrating but the people behind it do understand that mistakes happen, especially when you're dealing with stressful family situations.