This thread has become absolutely amazing - like a comprehensive survival guide for SDI phone hell! I'm currently dealing with my own claim that's been stuck for 3 weeks after my shoulder surgery, and reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and incredibly helpful. The general information line trick is such a clever workaround - I never would have thought to try a different queue to bypass the main disability line bottleneck! And I had no idea about assembly member and senator offices being able to help with EDD issues. That's such valuable backup information that should be widely known but somehow isn't. It's honestly both impressive and ridiculous that this community has had to reverse-engineer all these solutions just to access benefits we've paid into our entire careers. This thread contains more practical advice than anything on the official EDD website, which really says something about how broken the system is. Going to try the 8am general info line strategy tomorrow morning, and I've already looked up my local representative's contact info just in case. Will definitely update with my results to keep adding to this incredible resource everyone has built together. Thanks to everyone for sharing what actually works - this kind of community support is exactly what people need when they're stressed about finances while trying to recover from medical procedures!

This thread is absolutely incredible! I've been dealing with my own SDI claim stuck for 2 weeks after my hernia surgery and was going crazy trying to get through on the phone. Like everyone else, I keep getting that awful "call capacity" recording no matter what time I call. The general information line trick sounds like pure genius - I would never have thought to try a different queue to bypass the main disability line! And learning about assembly member offices being able to help is such a revelation. It's crazy that we need these "insider secrets" just to access benefits we've been paying into forever. This community has basically created the ultimate SDI phone survival guide through everyone sharing what actually works. It's both amazing and infuriating that a forum thread is more helpful than the entire official EDD website! Definitely going to try the 8am general info line approach tomorrow morning, and I've already looked up my assembly member's contact info as backup. Will report back with results to keep building this awesome resource. Thanks everyone for sharing real solutions instead of just venting - this gives me actual hope after weeks of frustration!

Just to follow up on this thread - make sure that when you file your SDI claim, you accurately report the last day you worked AND the first day you were disabled (which sounds like yesterday in your case). The DE 2501 form has specific questions about this. Your doctor will need to certify this date as well. As long as these dates are consistent with your UI certifications, you should be fine. If there's any discrepancy, EDD may investigate and potentially determine there was an overlap in benefits.

That sounds like you handled it perfectly! Having your doctor clearly document the disability start date and keeping records of your UI certifications was smart. Just one more tip - when you submit your SDI claim, consider including a brief written statement explaining the timeline (injury 3 weeks ago, able to work until yesterday when doctor determined disability). This proactive documentation can help prevent any future questions from EDD about the transition. Wishing you a smooth claims process and speedy recovery!

I went through this exact same transition about 8 months ago when my arthritis got so bad I couldn't type or sit for long periods. Here's what worked for me: I called EDD first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) and got through to close my UI claim properly. The rep was actually really helpful and walked me through the process. My rheumatologist filled out the DE 2501 form with very specific details about my joint pain, range of motion limitations, and how many hours per day I could realistically work (which was basically zero on bad days). The key was having objective medical evidence - X-rays showing joint damage, lab results, medication records, etc. Not just "patient reports pain." I got approved in about 12 days and they backdated it to the date my doctor said I became disabled. The weekly amount was actually slightly higher than my UI benefits because I had good earnings in 2024. Just make sure there's no overlap between your last UI payment and your disability start date, or you might have to pay some back like others mentioned. The hardest part was honestly the anxiety of having no income for those two weeks while waiting for approval, but it all worked out. Hang in there!

I'm going through something similar right now with chronic back pain that's made it impossible to work at a desk job. From what I've learned researching this, the most important thing is timing - you absolutely cannot collect both UI and SDI at the same time, even for a single day. What's helped me prepare is creating a timeline with my doctor showing exactly when my condition became severe enough that I couldn't work anymore. We're documenting not just the pain levels, but specifically how it prevents me from performing essential job functions like sitting for extended periods, lifting, concentrating through pain, etc. One tip I got from a friend who went through this: when you call EDD to close your UI claim, ask them to note in your file that you're closing due to a medical condition that prevents you from working. This creates a clear paper trail that shows you're not just giving up on job searching, but legitimately unable to work. The financial gap is scary, but it sounds like if you have solid medical documentation and follow the process correctly, most people are getting decisions within 2-3 weeks. I'm planning to have some savings set aside to cover that waiting period. Good luck with your doctor appointment next week!

I'm in the exact same situation! Just submitted my disability extension 5 days ago and got that supplementary certificate text yesterday. I was totally freaking out thinking I did something wrong with my application, but reading everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief! The 2-3 week timeline most people are sharing sounds way more manageable than what I was imagining. I've already started following the advice about continuing to certify weekly and keeping detailed records - almost made the mistake of thinking certifications didn't matter during the waiting period. It's so frustrating how vague that initial text is, but knowing this is just their standard verification process for disability claims makes me feel so much better. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real timelines and practical tips - this community is honestly a lifesaver when the official EDD info is so confusing! 🙏

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Got my supplementary certificate text about 8 days ago and have been checking my account obsessively ever since. Reading through all these experiences has been such a relief - I was convinced something was wrong with my application when I saw that text. The consistent 2-3 week timeline everyone's sharing gives me so much hope that I should hear something soon! I've been following all the great advice here about continuing to certify weekly (almost skipped a week thinking it didn't matter during the wait) and keeping detailed logs of everything. It's amazing how much anxiety this process creates when you're relying on these benefits, but this community has been a total game-changer for my stress levels. Thank you to everyone for sharing your real timelines and experiences - it makes such a difference to know we're all navigating this together! 🙏

Just wanted to jump in as someone who's been lurking in this community for a while and finally decided to create an account after seeing so many people going through this exact same frustrating situation! I went through the SDI "pending physician certification" nightmare about 4 months ago and it was absolutely maddening. What I learned from my experience (and wish I had known from the start) is that EDD's medical review process is completely separate from their regular claims processing, and it's been severely backed up since 2020. My claim sat in "pending physician certification" for almost 3 weeks despite my doctor submitting everything correctly on day one. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Had my doctor call EDD directly to verify receipt and get a confirmation number 2. Asked them to resubmit via both fax AND their online portal (if they have access) 3. Made sure my claim number was clearly written on every page of the medical paperwork The most important thing I learned is that the physician certification review happens in a completely different department than regular claim processing, so even calling the main EDD number won't give you much insight into where your medical paperwork actually is in their system. @Nadia Zaldivar so glad to see your claim finally moved to processing payment! That first deposit will be such a relief. And to everyone else still stuck in this limbo - I know how incredibly stressful it is when bills are due and you're counting on that money. The system is broken but it does eventually work, just unfortunately not on their advertised timeline. Hang in there! 💪

Just wanted to chime in as another newcomer who's unfortunately dealing with this exact same situation! Filed my SDI claim about 10 days ago and have been stuck on "pending physician certification" for the past week, despite my doctor assuring me they submitted everything immediately after my appointment. Reading through this entire thread has been both incredibly helpful and anxiety-inducing - it's amazing how many of us are going through this identical experience right now! The range of timelines people are sharing (from 9 days to 5+ weeks) really shows how unpredictable EDD's processing can be. @Nadia Zaldivar huge congrats on finally getting to processing payment status! That must be such a relief. Your original post perfectly captured the stress we're all feeling when bills are due and we're counting on these payments. I'm definitely going to implement the strategies everyone has shared here - having my doctor double-check the fax number, call EDD directly for confirmation, and possibly resubmit via online portal if available. The tip from @Chloe Martin about timing fax submissions outside peak hours is brilliant, and @Dylan Campbell's tracking sheet idea will definitely help me feel more organized through this process. It's frustrating that in 2025 we're still dealing with such an unreliable system, but this community has been invaluable for setting realistic expectations and providing concrete action steps. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - makes this bureaucratic nightmare feel much less isolating! 🙏