Have you tried reaching out to your local assembly member's office? They can sometimes help speed things up with EDD. Worth a shot if you're having trouble.

I switched mine about 6 weeks ago and it took roughly 3 weeks to go into effect. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure to screenshot or save confirmation of your direct deposit info submission because their system doesn't always keep good records. Also, don't throw away any checks you receive during the transition period until you're 100% sure direct deposit is working. The timing can be a bit unpredictable, but once it kicks in, it's so much more convenient than waiting for checks in the mail!

Welcome to the community! I'm also relatively new here but have found everyone to be incredibly helpful and supportive. The first time going through the SDI process is definitely stressful - I remember feeling so lost with all the paperwork and waiting periods. One thing I learned that might help while you're waiting for your determination: make sure to keep copies of everything you submit and note down any reference numbers. If you need to follow up later, having all that info organized will save you so much time and stress. This thread is a perfect example of how valuable this community is - seeing real experiences with payment timelines takes away so much of the uncertainty. Hope your claim gets approved quickly and smoothly! Feel free to ask questions along the way - everyone here really does want to help each other navigate this system.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm also waiting on my first SDI payment (authorized yesterday) and the anxiety is real. It's reassuring to see that 3 business days seems to be the standard timeline for most people. One thing I wanted to add that helped me while waiting - I called my bank's customer service line and they were able to confirm my direct deposit information was set up correctly for government payments. It only took 2 minutes and gave me peace of mind that there wouldn't be any routing issues when the payment comes through. Also, for anyone else in this boat - I found it helpful to screenshot the "payment authorized" notification from EDD just in case I need it for reference later. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is such a lifeline when you're navigating SDI for the first time! 🙏

I'm so sorry to hear about your breast cancer diagnosis, but you're absolutely asking the right questions. As someone who went through this process with my lymphoma treatment in 2022, I can tell you that yes, you are definitely eligible for SDI benefits during chemotherapy. Here are some key things that helped make my process smoother: 1. **Apply immediately once you have your treatment schedule** - Don't wait until your last day of work. You can file online through SDI Online, and the 7-day waiting period starts from when you file, not when you stop working. 2. **Be very specific with your doctor about job duties** - Since you work retail, make sure your oncologist details how chemo side effects (fatigue, nausea, immune suppression, "chemo brain") specifically prevent you from standing for long periods, handling money accurately, lifting inventory, and safely interacting with customers. 3. **Ask for extended certification upfront** - Try to get your oncologist to certify you for the full 4+ months of treatment initially, rather than having to recertify every few weeks. 4. **Document everything** - Keep copies of all forms, screenshot your online claim status, and save any correspondence with EDD. Most cancer-related SDI claims are approved within 7-14 days since the medical necessity is clear. You'll receive about 60-70% of your wages, backdated to when your disability began (minus the waiting period). Also check with your retail employer's HR about any employee assistance programs or supplemental disability benefits - many companies have resources they don't always advertise. You've got this! Focus on your treatment and healing - the financial support will be there. That's exactly what SDI is designed for. Sending you strength! 💪❤️

I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you're definitely eligible for SDI during cancer treatment. I just went through this process myself last year with ovarian cancer. Here's what really helped me: 1. **Apply online through SDI Online as soon as you know your chemo start date** - don't wait until your last workday. The 7-day waiting period begins when you file, and early filing can help avoid income gaps. 2. **Have a detailed conversation with your oncologist about your retail job** - make sure they understand you'll need to stand for long shifts, handle cash, lift inventory, and interact with customers. Ask them to specify in the medical forms how chemo side effects (severe fatigue, nausea, immune suppression, cognitive issues) make these tasks impossible or unsafe. 3. **Request certification for your full treatment period upfront if possible** - I got approved for 6 months initially, which saved me from constantly having to recertify every few weeks while dealing with chemo. 4. **Keep detailed records of everything** - save all forms, take screenshots of your claim status, document any phone calls with EDD. Most cancer claims get processed within 1-2 weeks since the medical necessity is clear. You'll get about 60-70% of your wages backdated to when your disability began (minus the 7-day waiting period). Also definitely check with your store's HR about employee assistance programs - many retail chains have emergency funds or additional support for employees facing medical crises. You've got this! Focus on your treatment and healing - that's what SDI is there for. Sending you strength during this difficult time! 💪❤️

I just want to thank everyone who shared their experiences here! I had my IME this morning and came home in a complete panic after the doctor spent maybe 2 minutes with me total. Reading through all these comments has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It's wild how consistent everyone's experience has been - these rushed "examinations" that feel completely inadequate, yet so many people still got approved. I'm trying to focus on the fact that my treating physician has been documenting everything thoroughly since my injury started in February. For anyone else going through this - this thread is proof that we're definitely not alone and that these joke IMEs seem to be standard practice unfortunately. I'll try to be patient and wait for my claim status to update, though I know I'll be checking my EDD portal constantly! Thanks again to everyone for sharing - it really helps knowing others have walked this same stressful path.

I'm new to this community but just had to jump in after reading your post and all these comments - what a relief to find this thread! I had my IME two weeks ago and had the EXACT same experience. The doctor walked in, asked my name and what my disability was, I started to explain my back injury and he literally cut me off mid-sentence and said "okay, that's all I need" and walked out. The whole thing was maybe 90 seconds. I was absolutely convinced I'd be denied because it felt like such a sham, but reading everyone's stories here has given me so much hope. It's incredible how consistent these rushed appointments are - clearly this is just how these IME mills operate unfortunately. My claim status updated to approved yesterday (exactly 14 days after the IME) so I wanted to add another positive outcome to this thread for anyone else going through this stressful process. Like others have mentioned, my treating physician had been documenting everything thoroughly since my injury began, and that seemed to be what actually mattered. For anyone still waiting - hang in there! These joke IMEs really do seem to be standard procedure rather than a red flag. The real evaluation happens through your medical records, not that brief face-to-face meeting.

Just wanted to jump in as another newcomer dealing with this exact same nightmare! I've been battling E316 and E318 errors for over a week now and was starting to lose hope until I found this thread. The amount of detailed, actually helpful advice here is incredible - way more useful than anything I've gotten from EDD directly. I'm planning to try the multi-pronged approach everyone's recommending: calling the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 right at 8 AM, using the specific language about "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits," immediately asking for Tier 2 support, and trying the incognito browser/password reset combo. It's honestly insane that we need a whole community playbook just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful you all are sharing what actually works instead of giving up. The persistence and problem-solving skills in this thread are amazing! I'll definitely report back with my results - hopefully I can add another success story to help others who are still stuck in this broken system. Thank you everyone for not letting EDD defeat us! 💪

I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the same E316/E318 nightmare that everyone's describing! I've been locked out for almost a week now and was getting really discouraged until I found this thread. The collective wisdom here is incredible - you all have figured out more solutions than EDD's entire support team! I'm going to try the comprehensive approach based on everyone's advice: calling the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 at 8 AM sharp, using the specific phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits," immediately requesting Tier 2 support, and trying the incognito browser method with the password reset trick. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole community strategy guide just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing what actually works instead of the generic "try again later" responses. The persistence and problem-solving skills in this community are inspiring! I'll definitely report back with my results - hopefully I can add another success story to help others still stuck in this broken system. Thank you all for not giving up and for turning this frustrating experience into a collaborative effort to beat the system! 🙏