Hey Sofia! I just went through this exact same situation last month. I requested my callback on a Tuesday morning and ended up waiting until the following Monday - so about 6 business days total. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you see all these different experiences ranging from hours to months! One thing I wish I had known is that they sometimes call from numbers that look like regular local numbers, not just official government lines. I almost missed my callback because I thought it was a telemarketer! Also, when they do call, they might not identify themselves as EDD right away - they'll usually ask for you by name first and then explain who they are. Since you requested yours Wednesday morning, I'd say you're still well within the normal timeframe. Most people I've talked to hear back within 3-7 business days, so don't panic yet! Keep that phone close and stay positive - you've got this! 💪

I'm in the exact same situation right now! Requested my callback Tuesday afternoon and I'm going crazy refreshing my phone every five minutes 😅 Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring and anxiety-inducing at the same time. It sounds like there's really no rhyme or reason to their callback timing - some people get lucky with same-day calls while others wait weeks or months (my heart goes out to everyone who's been waiting that long!). I've already implemented some of the great tips from this thread: set up a special ringtone for unknown numbers, gathered all my documents, and I'm answering every single call no matter how suspicious it looks. The hardest part is definitely the uncertainty - not knowing if you should keep waiting or try calling directly again. Sofia, since you requested yours Wednesday morning, hopefully we'll both hear back soon! Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and keeping the rest of us sane during this stressful process 🤞

I just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through this exact same situation! I had submitted my SDI application for stress/anxiety about 6 weeks ago and got it returned for a missing signature too. The frustration of dealing with bureaucracy while already stressed is just awful. I ended up using the "Convert paper application to online" feature that several people mentioned here, and it was honestly a lifesaver. The process was so much smoother than I expected - I had my application ID from the return letter, plugged it into the online system, and everything transferred over automatically. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to screenshot your confirmation page when you submit online AND save the confirmation email to a special folder. I'm naturally anxious about these things and having multiple copies of proof that I submitted really helped my peace of mind. My psychiatrist completed the electronic certification within 48 hours and said she much preferred it to paper forms. The whole thing processed in 9 days from when I submitted online vs what probably would have been weeks more with mail delays. Mary, you're absolutely doing the right thing seeking help for your anxiety. The system is frustrating but you have so many good options now thanks to everyone's advice. The dual approach sounds smart if it gives you peace of mind! Hang in there - you've got this! 💙

I'm new to this community and going through my first SDI application for anxiety/depression, so reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly valuable! Mary, your situation sounds so stressful but it looks like you've gotten amazing advice from this community. The "Convert paper application to online" feature that multiple people have mentioned sounds like it's exactly what you need - especially since it automatically handles the duplicate claim issue. I wanted to share something that might help with the anxiety around the process itself: I found that the EDD website has a detailed FAQ section specifically for mental health disability claims that helped me understand what to expect. It covers things like what documentation is needed and typical processing times, which really helped calm my nerves about whether I was doing everything correctly. Also, after reading all these success stories with doctors preferring the electronic certification system, I'm definitely planning to go the online route for my claim too. The email notifications at each step sound like they'd be so helpful for managing that "did it actually go through?" anxiety we all seem to have! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made this whole process feel so much less overwhelming knowing others have navigated it successfully. Mental health support shouldn't be this complicated, but at least we have each other to help figure it out! 💙

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My doctor cleared me to return Monday and I've been sitting here staring at my certification form for the past hour trying to figure this out. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - sounds like the consensus is clear that I should certify through today (Sunday) since Monday is my official return date. It's honestly mind-boggling how EDD makes something this straightforward so confusing on their website. I was terrified of accidentally committing fraud or losing out on benefits I'm entitled to. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread should honestly be pinned somewhere because I bet tons of people run into this same confusion when doing their final certification!

I just went through this exact same situation last month and can definitely confirm what everyone else is saying - you certify through your last day of disability (6/9), NOT your return-to-work date (6/10). I was equally confused when I first saw the certification form, but the rule is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it: disability benefits cover you up until the day before you're cleared to return to work. I made the mistake of calling EDD to ask about this and spent 2 hours on hold just to get the same answer that's already been given here multiple times. Save yourself the headache and just submit with 6/9 as your final day. I did mine correctly and got my final payment within about 5 business days with no issues. Also, definitely submit it today like others have mentioned - don't wait! I learned from reading forums like this that any delay in submitting your final certification can cause unnecessary complications with your final payment. You've got all the information you need now, so go ahead and get it done!

I'm currently going through my first SDI claim too and this thread has been SO helpful! I submitted my certification 4 days ago and have been checking my account obsessively (oops 😅). It's really reassuring to see that most people get their first payment within that 7-10 day window. One question for everyone - I noticed my claim status still shows "pending" but I can see my certification went through successfully. Is that normal, or should I be seeing some kind of status change by now? I'm trying to figure out if "pending" just means they're processing it or if there might be an issue I need to follow up on. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here - it really helps to know what to expect when you're navigating this for the first time! 🤞

Just want to share my recent experience to add another data point! I certified for my first SDI payment about 10 days ago after a minor surgery, and my payment hit my bank account yesterday morning (so 9 business days total). The status in my SDI Online account changed from "pending" to "paid" about 2 days before the money actually showed up in my checking account. One thing that really helped manage my anxiety during the wait was setting up account alerts with my bank so I'd get a text notification as soon as any deposit came through - that way I wasn't constantly logging into both my bank account AND the EDD portal multiple times a day! For budgeting purposes, I'd definitely plan for the longer end of the timeline (10-14 days) just to be safe, especially since this is your first claim. The uncertainty is definitely the hardest part, but it sounds like your paperwork went through smoothly so you should be all set. Wishing you a speedy recovery! ✨

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!