I'm sorry you're dealing with this stress while trying to care for your mom! I went through something very similar last year when transitioning from SDI to PFL for my newborn. The date confusion is SO easy to make when you're juggling everything. What helped me was creating a timeline document with all my exact dates before filing the appeal - my SDI start date, last payment date, recovery date, and when I needed PFL to begin. Having it all laid out clearly made the appeal process smoother. Also, don't forget that once your PFL gets approved (and it will!), you can use it intermittently if needed. So if your mom has good days where she needs less care, you can potentially stretch those 8 weeks over a longer period by taking partial days off work instead of full days. Hang in there - from everything I've read in these comments, your situation is totally fixable since it's just a clerical error. The system is frustrating but you're doing an amazing thing caring for your mom during her recovery.

I'm so sorry you're going through this while trying to care for your mom after her stroke. I had a very similar experience last year - made the exact same date error when transitioning from SDI to PFL and it felt like such a disaster at the time! Based on reading all these helpful responses, it sounds like you have a solid plan forming. I just wanted to add one thing that really helped me: when you do get through to an EDD representative (whether by phone or in person), ask them to email you a confirmation of your conversation with case notes. Some reps will do this, and having that documentation in your file can really help move the appeal along faster. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you have your mom's doctor fill out the care recipient portion of your PFL paperwork correctly - sometimes issues with that part can cause additional delays even after the date issue gets resolved. You're doing something really important caring for your mom during her recovery. The bureaucratic mess is temporary, but the time you're able to spend helping her heal is invaluable. This will get sorted out!

ugh im in the same boat. been waiting on my pfl payment for weeks now. this whole process is so stressful 😫

I went through something similar last month! For the wrong return-to-work date, I had to submit a corrected doctor's note through their online portal. It took about 3-4 business days to update in the system. As for payment timing, mine came exactly 8 business days after approval via direct deposit. Make sure your banking info is correct in your account - that can delay things if it's wrong. Keep checking your online account daily for updates!

Just joined this community and wow, reading through everyone's experiences makes me feel so much less alone in this EDD nightmare! 😅 I've been trying to get through for about 2 weeks now and it's been absolutely maddening. The strategies you all have shared here are incredible - I had no idea about the comma method or the specific timing tricks! It's honestly both hilarious and tragic that we've all become phone system hackers just to access basic services we've paid into. I'm definitely going to try the 8:03 AM timing that @29cbc50cabe1 mentioned, along with waiting through the entire "high call volume" message instead of hanging up immediately. That tip about not disconnecting right away is brilliant! It's wild that we need to celebrate small victories like "I didn't get hung up on immediately" but here we are. Thank you all for sharing your hard-won knowledge and creating such a supportive community. At least we're all suffering through this broken system together! Going to gear up for battle tomorrow morning with all my docs ready. Wish me luck! 🤞📞

Welcome to the EDD phone hell support group! 😅 I just joined after reading through all these amazing strategies you've all shared. I've been stuck in the same endless calling cycle for about 3 weeks now - that dreaded "high call volume" message has become the soundtrack to my mornings! Reading about the comma method, the 8:02-8:03 AM timing tricks, and @29cbc50cabe1's tip about waiting through the entire message instead of hanging up immediately has given me new hope. It's absolutely wild that we've all had to become phone system ninjas just to access basic services, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share these hard-won survival tactics! I'm definitely going to try the 1,,,2,,,1 variation tomorrow morning at 8:03 AM with all my documents ready. The fact that we're celebrating things like "I didn't get disconnected immediately" really shows how broken this system is, but at least we're all fighting this battle together! Thanks everyone for creating such a supportive space where we can share our telecommunications hacking skills. Here's to hoping one of these cheat codes finally works! 🤞📞

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something similar last year! My husband was on California SDI for about 6 months after a workplace injury, and I was also confused about the tax forms. What helped me was calling my tax preparer directly - they confirmed that SDI benefits don't get reported as income and explained that the EDD only sends 1099G forms for unemployment compensation, not disability. Also, if your partner paid into SDI through payroll deductions (which most CA employees do), those contributions were made with after-tax dollars, which is another reason why the benefits aren't taxed when you receive them. Hope this helps ease your concerns!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My sister has been on SDI since January after her knee surgery, and I've been helping her with paperwork. We were also waiting for tax forms that never came. After reading all these responses, I feel so much better knowing that SDI benefits aren't taxable. It's such a relief because we were starting to panic thinking we missed something important. The explanation about after-tax payroll deductions really helps it make sense too. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating all the confusing EDD stuff!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation! I mailed my DE 2501 forms about two weeks ago and have been checking my mailbox daily hoping to hear something back from EDD. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that I needed to wait for the Notice of Computation before trying to set up online access. I was actually planning to attempt creating an SDI Online account this week, but now I understand I could accidentally create a duplicate claim if I try too early. It's so frustrating that the EDD website doesn't clearly explain this transition process anywhere! The timeline everyone is sharing (2-3 weeks for paper processing) is really helpful to manage expectations. I'm definitely going to be patient and wait for that official notice in the mail before making any moves toward online access. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this kind of practical advice is exactly what you need when dealing with EDD but can never find in their official documentation!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Just submitted my paper DE 2501 forms about a week ago and was getting really anxious about the wait time. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea I needed to wait for the Notice of Computation before attempting to set up online access. I was literally going to try creating an SDI Online account this weekend, but now I understand that could potentially create a duplicate claim which would be a nightmare. It's amazing how many people have gone through this same paper-to-online transition successfully! The 2-3 week timeline everyone is mentioning really helps set proper expectations. I've been checking my mailbox obsessively every day, but at least now I know what specific document I'm waiting for. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of real-world advice is so much more valuable than the vague information on the official EDD website. Can't wait to get that notice and finally switch to the convenience of online certifications!