I went through this exact situation when I had my hip replacement in October! The confusion about filing before surgery is so real - I spent days stressing about it until I finally got through to someone at EDD. Here's what I learned: You absolutely CAN file before your scheduled surgery, but only by calling, not online. The online system has this annoying limitation where it won't accept future dates, but the phone reps can process your claim to start on your surgery date. I called at 8:00 AM sharp on a Wednesday and got through after about 40 minutes. For your self-employment situation - definitely be honest about it! I had a similar setup (regular W-2 job plus some freelance consulting work). The rep explained that since I hadn't elected into SDI coverage for my freelance income, only my W-2 wages would count toward my benefit calculation. It didn't disqualify me at all, just meant my benefits were based on my regular job's income, which was totally fine. Make sure your neurosurgeon has completed their certification form with your surgery date and expected recovery timeline before you call. Having that ready made my phone appointment go super smoothly. Also, definitely ask for an email confirmation with your claim number - that documentation saved me later when I had questions. Good luck with your spinal fusion! The surgery recovery is tough, but getting the SDI sorted beforehand will be one less thing to stress about. You've got this! 🙏

Hey Isabella! I just wanted to chime in as someone who literally just went through this process last week for my rotator cuff surgery. All the advice you're getting here is spot-on - calling early Monday morning is definitely your best bet! One thing I'd add that might be helpful: when you call, have your Social Security number, employment details, and estimated weekly wage amounts ready to go. The rep will need all of this info to calculate your benefit amount on the spot. Since your benefits will be based on your W-2 income from the medical office (assuming you haven't elected SDI coverage for your billing business), it helps to know roughly what your weekly wages are from that job. Also, don't stress too much about the 7-day waiting period everyone mentioned - it sounds worse than it is. Your benefits will start on day 8 of your disability, but they'll backdate to cover everything from that point forward once your claim is approved. The spinal fusion recovery is no joke, but having your SDI claim filed and processed beforehand will give you such peace of mind during recovery. You're being so smart to get this sorted out now instead of trying to deal with it while you're in post-surgery brain fog! Sending you good vibes for both the phone call Monday and your surgery Tuesday! 🙏✨

I had this exact same E311 error a few months ago! Turns out my issue was that I had an old middle initial on file with EDD from when I first got hired years ago, but I've been using my full middle name everywhere else now. The system was looking for "Sarah J. Smith" but I was entering "Sarah Jane Smith." Try checking if you have any name variations in your employment records - even something as small as using your full first name vs. a nickname can cause this error. You might need to call and have them update your records to match what you're entering online.

Just wanted to add another possible cause for E311 errors - check if you have any recent address changes that might not be updated in EDD's system yet. I had this issue when I moved apartments but forgot to update my address with my employer's HR department. Even though I updated it with the post office and other places, EDD was still pulling my old address from my employer's records. Had to get HR to submit an updated form, then wait a few weeks for it to process in EDD's system. Worth checking if you've moved recently!

side question but does anyone know how long until i get my first payment once i can see my claim online? been waiting 2 weeks already

Just wanted to add my experience - I made the same mistake initially and kept trying to access my SDI claim through my UI account for about a week before figuring out they were separate systems. One thing that helped me was bookmarking both portals once I got them set up: UI Online and SDI Online have completely different URLs. Also, if you're planning to use direct deposit (which I highly recommend), you can set that up during the SDI Online registration process or add it later in your profile. Way faster than waiting for paper checks! The whole separate systems thing is definitely annoying but at least SDI Online is pretty user-friendly once you're in.

Quick update on the conditional payment - they typically process on the date promised, but it can take 2-3 banking days to actually appear in your account or on your EDD debit card. So don't panic if it's not there immediately on the processing date they gave you. Also, be sure to keep certifying for your benefits as normal during this review period. Sometimes people stop certifying because they think the review puts everything on hold, but you need to keep submitting those certifications.

I went through this exact situation last month! The "review required" notice is scary but it's usually just a standard verification process when there's a mailing issue. A few things that helped me: 1) Screenshot everything in your SDI Online account right now - dates, amounts, notices, everything. 2) When you get the interview call, they'll likely just verify your identity and ask about your address change. Have your ID and proof of current address ready. 3) My conditional payment came exactly when they said it would, but like others mentioned, give it 2-3 business days to actually hit your account. The interview was honestly pretty straightforward - they just wanted to confirm I was who I said I was and that I lived where I said I lived. Don't stress too much, this seems to be a common hiccup in their system!

I went through something similar earlier this year. A few things that helped me figure out what was going on: 1. Log into your SDI Online account if you haven't already - sometimes there are notices or requests for additional info that don't get mailed out 2. Check if your extension was actually processed - you should see it reflected in your claim status 3. Sometimes there's a waiting period between when your original benefits end and the extension kicks in, even if approved 4. Make sure your doctor used the most recent version of the form - they updated it a few months ago The good news is that if your extension gets approved, you should get back pay for any missed weeks. But yeah, the waiting and uncertainty is the worst part. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

I had a similar experience last year - my SDI payments just stopped out of nowhere even though I thought everything was filed correctly. Turns out there was a processing backlog and my extension was sitting in limbo for almost 3 weeks. What finally helped was sending a follow-up fax with copies of everything (the extension form, my doctor's notes, etc.) along with a cover letter explaining the situation. I know fax seems old school, but they seem to respond to those faster than online submissions. Also, if you have any documentation showing when you originally submitted the extension, include that too - it helps establish a timeline. The whole process is incredibly stressful when you're depending on those payments. Keep pushing and don't let them forget about your case!