I'm dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I had an SDI claim last year for a chronic condition that ended in November 2024, and now I'm having another flare-up. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to file a new claim online using my existing account. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - if you're dealing with a chronic condition that tends to recur, it might be worth asking your doctor to document the ongoing nature of your condition in your medical records. My doctor mentioned that having a clear medical history of recurring episodes can sometimes help with future claims processing. Also, for anyone hesitant about filing "too early" - I called EDD's automated line and they confirmed that filing up to 7 days before you actually stop working is totally fine and often recommended. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's made me feel much more confident about navigating this process again!

Based on everyone's experiences here, it's clear you'll need to file a completely new claim - no reactivation option exists unfortunately. Since your claim ended in October 2024 and you're still within the 90-day window, you should qualify to skip the waiting period which is great! I'd recommend filing online using your existing SDI account (don't create a new one), and make sure your doctor specifically notes this as a "recurrence" or "continuation" of your previous back injury on the medical certification. File as soon as possible - even a few days before you stop working is fine and actually recommended. Keep your old claim number handy when filling out the application since they'll ask about previous claims. The process should be smoother the second time around since you know what to expect and there's already medical history on file. Good luck with your claim!

I get paid on Fridays. Usually, I’m the direct deposit it sent on Thursdays however, this Thursday was Thanksgiving. I haven’t received direct deposit yet and it’s Saturday.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My payment period also ends around Christmas and I've been really worried about delays. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful - it sounds like the timing really matters. Since your period ends on the 24th rather than the 25th (the actual holiday), you'll probably be okay based on what others have shared. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about checking SDI Online on the day my period ends to see the payment status. It's such a relief to find a community where people actually share real experiences with EDD instead of just the confusing official information. Thanks for asking this question - the responses have helped me too!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been on SDI since August for chronic pain management after a car accident, got my first DE 2525XX form in October when I had to switch pain specialists, and just received another identical form in the mail yesterday. I was completely freaking out thinking they were going to deny my claim or that something was wrong. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - I had no idea this was standard procedure that happens every 3-4 months for ongoing conditions. It's really frustrating that EDD makes these forms seem so urgent and official without any explanation that it's just routine verification. A simple note saying "quarterly medical recertification - standard process for ongoing claims" would save so much unnecessary stress! I'm calling my pain management doctor tomorrow morning to schedule an appointment to get this completed ASAP. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to ask them to prioritize it and see if they can complete it the same day rather than having me drop it off and wait for processing. Thank you all for sharing your timelines and experiences - this community thread has been more helpful than anything I could find on EDD's website or get from their phone system. At least now I know what to expect going forward and won't panic when the next one arrives in a few months!

I just want to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences in this thread! I've been lurking in this community for a while but had to create an account to respond because I'm going through the exact same situation. I started my SDI claim in July for a rotator cuff surgery, switched to a new orthopedic surgeon in September, got my first DE 2525XX form in October, and just received another one this week. Like everyone else here, I was completely panicked thinking something was wrong with my claim or that they were going to cut my benefits. Reading through all your timelines and explanations has been incredibly reassuring. It's clear this is just EDD's standard quarterly verification process, even though they do a terrible job of explaining that. The fact that so many of us have almost identical timelines really proves this is just routine bureaucracy, not any kind of red flag. I'm scheduling with my surgeon tomorrow to get the form completed. Based on all the great advice here, I'm going to ask them to prioritize it and complete it during my appointment, and I'm definitely going to start keeping better records of everything I submit to EDD. This community is amazing - you all provided more clarity in one thread than I could get from hours of trying to navigate EDD's website or phone system. Thank you for helping reduce the stress of this confusing process!

One more tip that saved me a lot of stress - if you're planning to have someone help you during recovery (family member, friend, etc.), make sure they understand the EDD process too. When I was recovering from my surgery, I was too out of it from pain meds to follow up on my claim status, but my sister was able to call and check on things for me. She knew my claim number and what to ask about. Also, consider setting up text or email alerts through your SDI Online account if that's an option - that way you'll get notifications about your claim status without having to actively check the website when you're not feeling well. Recovery is hard enough without having to stress about whether your paperwork is being processed correctly!

I went through this exact same process last year and I wish I had known about all these details beforehand! One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist to track everything. I wrote down: 1) Create SDI Online account, 2) Get direct contact info from doctor's office disability specialist, 3) Bring job description to pre-op appointment, 4) Confirm which doctor fills out forms (important if multiple doctors involved), 5) Ask about office turnaround time, 6) Schedule follow-up appointment to review forms before submission. Having it all written down made sure I didn't forget anything during a stressful time. Also, don't underestimate how much the waiting period and potential delays can affect your finances - I ended up needing to use credit cards for a few weeks because everything took longer than expected. Plan for the worst case scenario timeline-wise!

Just wanted to add that if you're still unsure about your specific situation, you can always double-check by logging into your EDD online account. It should clearly show whether your payments came from the SDI program or another source. I was in a similar boat last year - had both UI and SDI at different times and was confused about which forms I needed. The online account breakdown really helped me sort it out. Also, if you used a tax preparer before, they're usually pretty familiar with CA disability benefits and can confirm you don't need to report SDI income.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - was on SDI for mental health reasons for about 6 weeks last year and have been stressing about missing tax documents. Reading everyone's experiences here really put my mind at ease. It's frustrating how the EDD website doesn't make this clearer - would save so many people from unnecessary worry. I'm definitely going to file my taxes this weekend now that I know I don't need to wait for anything from the disability payments. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge!