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I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it might help others in similar situations. I just went through the SDI application process after being at my current job for only 6 months when I needed surgery. Like many of you, I was really worried about my benefit amount being too low. The good news is that the system worked exactly as everyone described - they automatically included wages from my previous job where I had worked for over 4 years. My weekly benefit ended up being based on my highest-earning quarter from that previous job, which was a huge relief. One thing I'd add is that when you create your SDI Online account, you can actually see your wage history that EDD has on file, which helped me verify that all my previous earnings were properly recorded. The whole process took about 3 weeks from filing to receiving my first payment, and having all my employment information ready definitely helped speed things along. Don't let the fear of low benefits stop you from filing - the base period system really does protect workers who change jobs!
Welcome to the community and thank you for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who just went through this process successfully. The tip about being able to see your wage history in the SDI Online account is fantastic - I had no idea that was available! That would definitely give peace of mind to verify everything is recorded correctly before filing. Your timeline of 3 weeks from filing to first payment is also really useful information. It sounds like having all your employment details ready really does make a difference in processing time. I'm feeling so much more confident about this whole process after reading everyone's experiences in this thread. Thanks again for taking the time to share your story!
This thread is so reassuring! I've been stressing about this exact situation for weeks. I was injured at my new job (only been there 4 months) and my doctor says I need at least 6 weeks off. My previous job paid almost double what I'm making now, and I was terrified I'd only get benefits based on my current low wages. Reading about the base period system and seeing so many success stories from people in similar situations has given me so much hope. I especially appreciate the former EDD worker's explanation - it really helps to understand how the system actually works behind the scenes. I'm definitely going to file my claim this week and not wait any longer. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice!
Hey Malik! I went through this exact same nightmare about 4 months ago and I totally feel your panic - seeing that $0 is absolutely terrifying! But I promise you this is fixable. Here's what worked for me after dealing with this for weeks: when you call, the magic phrase to use is "I need a comprehensive wage audit for my base period." This gets you to someone who can actually dig deep into the system rather than just looking at the surface level. Also, before you call, write down EVERY possible variation of your name, SSN formatting, and employer names that might be in their system. My wages were hiding under my employer's parent company name instead of the subsidiary I actually worked for - took 3 calls to figure that out! One super important thing: ask them to check for "pending wage adjustments" or "employer wage corrections" on your account. Sometimes employers submit corrections or additional wage reports that get stuck in processing limbo. The whole process took me about a month total, but once they found my wages (they were there the whole time, just misclassified), I got every penny of my backdated benefits. You've got all your documentation ready which puts you way ahead of most people dealing with this. Stay persistent, be super polite to the reps, and don't let them close your case without a specific action plan and timeline. You've absolutely got this! 💪
This is exactly the kind of detailed, actionable advice that gives me hope! The "comprehensive wage audit" phrase sounds so much more official and specific - I'm definitely using that when I call. Your point about writing down every possible name variation is so smart, especially the employer name variations. I never would have thought about parent company vs subsidiary names causing issues, but that makes total sense. The "pending wage adjustments" tip could be a game changer too - sounds like there are so many places wages can get stuck in their system. A month feels long but knowing you got every penny backdated makes it totally worth the wait. Thanks for sharing such specific steps and keeping it real about the timeline. Really appreciate the encouragement! 🙏
OMG this thread is SO helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same $0 wages issue and was freaking out until I found all these amazing tips. I'm writing down all the key phrases everyone mentioned - "comprehensive wage audit," "wage verification review," "unprocessed wage reports" - before I call tomorrow. The advice about checking name variations and employer names is brilliant, and I love the timeline document idea. It's such a relief to know this is actually a common issue that gets resolved. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and specific steps! Definitely keeping this thread bookmarked for reference. Wish me luck! 🤞
I'm new to this community and just stumbled across this incredibly helpful thread! I'm currently at week 9 of my SDI claim, so reading everyone's experiences with the 12-week qualification review has been eye-opening. I had absolutely no idea this was even a thing that happened! It's so frustrating that EDD doesn't communicate any of this upfront. Like so many others have said, a simple explanation that routine reviews happen at 12 weeks would save everyone from this unnecessary panic. @Katherine Hunter your detailed breakdown of why these reviews are required was incredibly informative - it makes sense from a regulatory standpoint, but the lack of transparency is just awful. I'm definitely saving this thread for reference when my time comes in a few weeks. The practical tips everyone shared - checking early morning, using the message center, keeping screenshots for timing, and most importantly knowing that 3-5 business days is the normal timeframe - are all invaluable. @Mikayla Brown thank you for starting this discussion, and to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and help others through this stressful process. This community is filling such an important gap in EDD's terrible communication. I'll be sure to update with my own experience when I hit the 12-week mark!
Welcome to the community @Malik Robinson! I just joined this community recently too and this thread has been absolutely invaluable. Like you, I had no clue about the 12-week review process until I found this discussion. It's crazy how many of us are going through the exact same experience with that terrifying "qualification" status appearing out of nowhere! You're really smart to read through everyone's experiences ahead of time - I wish I had found this community before my own review hit. The lack of communication from EDD is seriously unacceptable when you consider how much anxiety this causes people who are already dealing with health issues. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone starting an SDI claim! Looking forward to hearing about your experience when you hit your 12-week mark.
I'm brand new to this community and this thread has been absolutely incredible! I just started my SDI claim last week and had no idea about any of these processes. Reading through everyone's experiences with the 12-week qualification review has been so educational and honestly a bit scary - I can't imagine how panicked I would have been if that status suddenly appeared without any context. It's really eye-opening to see how many people go through this exact same stress every 12 weeks, and how EDD provides literally zero explanation about it. @Katherine Hunter your detailed explanation about the regulatory requirements makes perfect sense, but like everyone else has said, EDD's communication is just terrible. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and will be prepared when my turn comes around in about 11 weeks. The practical advice about checking early morning, using the message center, and knowing that 3-5 business days is normal processing time is invaluable. Most importantly, just knowing this is routine and not a sign that something's wrong will hopefully save me from the panic that everyone else experienced. Thanks to @Mikayla Brown for starting such an important discussion and to everyone who shared their experiences to help others. This community is doing what EDD should be doing - actually explaining their processes clearly!
Hey Ana! I just wanted to jump in here since I went through something similar recently. I had to correct my address on my SDI application after submitting and was worried sick about delays. Here's what worked for me: I called the SDI customer service line first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) and was honest about the mistake right away. The representative was super understanding and said these corrections happen more often than you'd think, especially when people are dealing with medical stress. She was able to update my information immediately over the phone and gave me a confirmation number. The whole process took less than 10 minutes once I got connected. My advice would be to call ASAP, have your SSN and any application confirmation numbers ready, and don't worry too much - they handle these situations all the time. Your benefits timeline shouldn't be affected if you get it corrected quickly. Hang in there! 💪
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really comforting to hear from so many people who've been through this. The fact that your address correction took less than 10 minutes once you got through gives me hope that my date fix will be just as quick. I'm definitely calling first thing tomorrow morning with all my info ready. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their stories - this community is amazing! 😊
Don't panic! I made a similar error on my SDI application last year - accidentally put the wrong end date for my previous job. I was so stressed thinking it would mess everything up, but it turned out to be no big deal at all. I called the SDI office and they corrected it over the phone in literally 5 minutes. The rep told me that minor errors like dates, addresses, or employer names are super common and they fix them all day long. My benefits weren't delayed at all. Just make sure to call as early as possible (right when they open) to avoid the long wait times, and have your confirmation number and SSN ready. You'll be fine! 😊
Miranda Singer
ugh im so tired of EDD's broken website. why cant they just hire some decent programers and fix this mess???
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Cass Green
•Probably because all the good programmers are making bank in Silicon Valley instead of working for the government 🤷♂️
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Zadie Patel
I'm dealing with the exact same address issue! It's so frustrating. I found that sometimes if you log out completely, clear your browser data, and then log back in during off-peak hours (like 6-7 AM), the fields become editable again. Also, for the phone number issue, I had to mail in a form to get it corrected - it's form DE 4581. You can download it from the EDD website. Takes forever but it's the only way they'll accept phone number changes if the online system won't let you do it. Hang in there! 💪
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