I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - just started my SDI claim for a back injury and was totally confused about the timing differences from UI! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my doctor's office: they said to make sure I follow up with them about a week before my estimated return date, even if I'm feeling better. Apparently EDD sometimes requires a "return to work" clearance form from your doctor before they'll officially close your disability claim, and you don't want any delays in transitioning back to work or potentially back to UI if you don't have a job to return to. Also, for anyone worried about the phone lines - I actually had luck calling right at 8am when they open. Took about 45 minutes on hold but I got through without needing to use a third-party service. Though having that backup option definitely gives me peace of mind! Hope your carpal tunnel surgery goes smoothly and you heal up quickly!

I'm going through my first SDI claim too and this thread has been incredibly informative! Just wanted to add my experience so far - I filed for a wrist fracture last week and the initial approval process was much faster than I expected compared to UI. One thing I noticed is that the SDI online portal is way more user-friendly than the UI system. The status updates are clearer and it's easier to find information about your claim. I haven't done my first certification yet (still waiting for the notification) but based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should expect payment pretty quickly once I do. The reduced benefit amount is definitely an adjustment - it's about 65% of what I was making, but knowing that payments process so much faster than UI makes the budgeting easier. At least I won't be sitting around wondering when money will show up! Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and tips. Feeling much more confident about navigating this process now. Fingers crossed my recovery stays on track!

Has anyone tried reaching out to their local representative about this? Maybe if enough of us complain, they'll actually do something to fix the system.

I've been having the exact same issue! The callback system worked perfectly for me last month, but this week it's been a total disaster. I answer within the first ring and just hear silence or a dial tone. Really frustrating when you're already dealing with disability claim stress. I noticed it seems to happen more during busy hours (10am-2pm), so I'm going to try Amelia's suggestion about calling early morning. Has anyone had luck getting through to report this as a technical issue to EDD directly?

As someone who just went through this exact situation 2 months ago, I completely understand your stress! I also mailed my SDI claim when my computer crashed right before the deadline, and the waiting was absolutely nerve-wracking. Here's what I learned: Paper claims are definitely taking 4-6 weeks right now vs 1-2 weeks online. I didn't hear anything for almost 3 weeks, but when I finally got through to EDD (called right at 8am), they confirmed they had received it and it was just waiting in the data entry queue. The silver lining is that your doctor already submitted the medical certification electronically - that's actually perfect timing! Once your paper claim gets entered into their system, it will automatically match with your doctor's submission, so you won't have any delays on that end. My advice: Don't panic about the 8 days of silence - that's totally normal for paper claims. Try @Charlie Yang's registration trick to monitor when it hits their system, and definitely don't file a duplicate claim online (I've seen that cause major headaches). If you're really stressed, call at exactly 8am after day 10 just to confirm receipt. The wait is brutal but you WILL get through this, and the backpay will cover everything from your start date. Hang in there!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Mailed my SDI claim 6 days ago and have been refreshing my phone constantly waiting for that confirmation text that apparently never comes reliably anyway. This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had NO idea paper claims took 4-6 weeks vs 1-2 weeks online. EDD's website definitely makes it sound like they're processed the same way. Just tried @Charlie Yang's registration trick and got the "no existing claim" error too, so mine definitely hasn't been entered into their system yet. At least now I have a way to check progress without having to call and wait on hold for hours! Really kicking myself for not just waiting for my internet to come back online, but what's done is done. Planning to call at exactly 8am next week if I still don't see any movement. It's somewhat comforting to know I'm not alone in this - seems like a lot of us made the same mistake of choosing mail when our internet/computers failed us at the worst possible time! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and especially the practical tips. This community is a lifesaver during such a stressful process.

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now too! My chronic pain condition flared up after trying to return to work for just 5 days. Reading through everyone's advice here has been a lifesaver - I had no idea about the 90-day rule or that specific wording on the DE 2501 form could make such a difference. The distinction between "failed work attempt" vs just going back on disability is something EDD really should explain better on their website. I'm planning to use all the terminology mentioned here when I call them: "recurrence of original disability after failed work attempt." It's so reassuring to see that this is actually a common situation that the system is designed to handle, even though they make it unnecessarily confusing. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's making what felt like an impossible situation seem manageable!

I went through almost the exact same thing with a herniated disc last fall - returned to work after 7 weeks on SDI but had to stop after just 6 days when the pain became unbearable. What really helped me was keeping detailed records of everything: the dates I worked, when the pain flared up, and all my doctor visits. When I called EDD (finally got through using that callback feature others mentioned), I told them it was a "failed work attempt due to recurrence of disability" and they immediately understood. The rep actually thanked me for being so clear about the situation! One thing I'd add to all the great advice here - make sure your doctor notes not just that it's a recurrence, but also documents that your symptoms worsened compared to your baseline. This helped show EDD that my attempt to return wasn't premature but that my condition genuinely deteriorated. Also, don't stress too much about the 8 days you worked - EDD sees this all the time and as long as you're honest on your certification, they handle it routinely. The whole process took about 2 weeks from submitting the new medical form to getting my first payment, and they backpaid everything I was owed. You're definitely on the right track!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been struggling with the same issue for my pregnancy disability claim - been calling for 6 days straight with zero success getting through to anyone. Reading all these responses has been like finding a treasure map! I had no idea about the 8:03am timing strategy, entering your SSN first in the automated system, or that there were specific menu sequences that might have shorter wait times. Also definitely need to verify my doctor used the DE 2501FP pregnancy-specific form rather than the standard one. It's honestly mind-blowing that this community thread contains more actionable information than the entire official EDD website. The fact that we all have to become phone system hackers just to access benefits we've already paid for is completely ridiculous, but I'm so grateful everyone is sharing their real-world strategies. I'm going to try the Tuesday-Thursday morning approach with all my documentation ready and will definitely report back with results. Thank you all for turning this frustrating experience into something manageable!

I'm going through this exact nightmare right now! Been calling for 8 days straight for my SDI claim and getting absolutely nowhere. This thread has been more helpful than hours of searching the EDD website - thank you everyone for sharing actual strategies that work! I'm definitely going to try the 8:03am timing tomorrow (avoiding the 8:00 rush), enter my SSN first in the automated system, and use that 1-1-7 menu sequence. Also planning to verify with my doctor that they submitted all the correct paperwork and check with my employer about their portion. It's honestly insane that we have to become phone system experts just to access benefits we've paid into, but at least this community is helping each other figure it out. I'll report back if these strategies actually get me through - fingers crossed!