Bruh, I feel u. been waiting 3 months now. this whole thing is wack af. stay strong tho, we gonna get through this 💪

Hey Connor, I've been through this exact same nightmare! Here's what finally worked for me: I called the disability determination services office directly (not the main EDD line) and explained my situation. They were able to see that my case had been sitting in a queue for weeks without being touched. The rep escalated it internally and I got a decision within 5 days. Also, double-check that you've submitted ALL the required medical documentation - sometimes one missing form can hold up everything. Don't give up, you've got this! 💪

I went through this exact same situation about 2 months ago after my ankle surgery! The document submission process is definitely confusing at first, but everyone here has given such great advice. I wanted to add one more tip that saved me - if you're mailing backup copies, I recommend using a bright colored pen (like red or blue) to write your claim number on each page instead of black ink. The red ink made it super easy for me to verify that EDD was looking at MY documents when I called to follow up, since I could ask them to confirm the claim number was written in red. It's a small thing but gave me extra peace of mind that they had the right paperwork. Also, after reading through all these responses, I'm so glad this community exists - navigating EDD alone is incredibly stressful, especially when you're already dealing with recovery from surgery or medical issues. Everyone's shared experiences make such a difference!

I'm currently waiting for my SDI claim to be approved after submitting documents last week. This thread has been incredibly helpful! I used the dual submission method that everyone recommends - uploaded through SDI Online and mailed certified copies. One thing I learned that might help others: when you're preparing your documents, take photos with your phone of everything BEFORE you submit so you have backup copies of exactly what you sent. I also created a simple spreadsheet tracking what I submitted, when, confirmation numbers, and follow-up dates. This helped me stay organized and gave me talking points when I called EDD. The waiting is nerve-wracking but knowing I followed all the best practices from this community gives me confidence. For anyone just starting this process - don't panic! Follow the detailed advice here and you'll get through it. This group has turned what seemed impossible into a manageable checklist.

Update: I finally got through to EDD today! After trying the Claimyr service that someone recommended, I was connected to a representative in about 15 minutes. The agent explained that my claim was denied because my doctor checked "patient can return to work with restrictions" instead of "patient cannot perform regular work" on the medical certification form. Since I was technically still working from home during my hospitalization (checking emails from my hospital bed), this created confusion in my claim. For anyone with a similar issue: make sure your doctor clearly indicates that you cannot perform your REGULAR work duties, even if you're able to do some modified work. The agent advised me to have my surgeon be very explicit about my complete inability to work during the post-surgery recovery period on the new certification. Thank you all for your help and advice! I feel much more prepared for my upcoming claim.

This is such valuable information for everyone dealing with EDD SDI! I'm a newcomer here but have been lurking because I'm facing a similar situation with a chronic autoimmune condition. Your update about the specific wording on the medical certification form is incredibly helpful - I never would have thought that distinction between "work with restrictions" vs "cannot perform regular work" would make or break a claim. It's frustrating that EDD doesn't make these requirements clearer upfront, but I'm so glad you were able to get through to someone who could explain exactly what went wrong. The Claimyr service sounds like a game-changer for actually reaching a human being at EDD. Best of luck with your upcoming surgery and recovery! Your experience is going to help so many people in this community navigate their own claims more successfully.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it might help others! I just went through the exact same "other last names" verification error last week. Like everyone else here, I had never changed my name and was so confused why the system kept rejecting my "NO" answer. After reading through this thread, I tried the workaround of selecting "YES" and entering my current name exactly as it appears on my Social Security card, and it worked immediately! What's interesting is that I also encountered the address verification issue that @Mohamed Anderson mentioned. I had the same problem with addresses being rejected even though I had documentation proving I lived there. I ended up having to format my addresses exactly as they appeared on my old tax returns rather than how I normally write them (like using "Avenue" instead of "Ave"). It's really frustrating that we have to become detective work to figure out these system bugs, but I'm so grateful for threads like this. The EDD website has zero helpful information about these verification errors, so community solutions are literally the only way to get unstuck. Thanks to everyone who shared their workarounds - you're helping way more people than you probably realize!

As someone who just joined this community after dealing with EDD issues myself, I'm amazed at how helpful this thread has been! The collective problem-solving here is incredible - you've essentially created an unofficial user manual for EDD's buggy 2025 system update. I'm dealing with a different EDD issue (overpayment dispute) but reading through all these verification workarounds gives me hope that there are community-driven solutions for most of their system problems. It's ridiculous that we have to crowdsource fixes for a government agency's broken technology, but I'm so grateful for people like @Max Reyes who share their struggles and everyone who jumped in with solutions. This thread should honestly be pinned or turned into a guide for others facing similar verification errors. EDD really needs to acknowledge these widespread bugs and provide official guidance instead of leaving claimants to figure it out themselves!

This thread has been absolutely amazing to read through as someone completely new to dealing with EDD! I had no idea that they could automatically deduct from disability payments for old unemployment overpayments - that seems like such a critical piece of information that should be clearly communicated upfront. What really stands out to me is how Keisha's experience shows the importance of this community. Without the specific advice about "conditional offset waivers" and the proper phone numbers to call, she might have continued paying double for months without knowing she had the right to stop it. That $800 deduction during pregnancy would have been devastating for most budgets! I'm taking notes on all the practical advice shared here - calling the Collections Division directly instead of general EDD numbers, using specific terminology like "conditional offset waiver," getting confirmation numbers, and documenting everything. It's concerning that EDD's internal systems don't communicate properly, but at least knowing that helps you prepare. The recommendation about Claimyr also seems really valuable for actually getting through to someone who can help. The regular EDD phone system sounds like a nightmare from what I'm reading. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge, especially Oliver for the detailed technical explanations. This thread is going to help so many people avoid the stress and confusion that Keisha initially went through!

This entire thread has been such a valuable resource! As someone completely new to navigating EDD, I had no idea that automatic benefit offsets were even possible, let alone that they could happen without clear advance notice. Reading about Keisha's initial shock at discovering the $800 deduction really highlights how unprepared most people are for these situations. What I find most concerning is how the burden falls on individuals to know specific legal terminology like "conditional offset waiver" just to receive fair treatment. It seems like the system is designed to automatically take money first and require people to fight back with insider knowledge to stop it - especially problematic when dealing with vulnerable populations like pregnant women or people with disabilities. The community response here has been incredible though! Oliver's detailed explanations about the legal requirements and proper procedures were game-changing. The fact that EDD legally cannot collect through both payment plans AND benefit offsets unless explicitly agreed to is crucial information that should be much more widely known. I'm definitely saving all the practical tips shared here - the specific phone numbers, the importance of requesting confirmation numbers, and the recommendation about using services like Claimyr to actually get through to someone who can help. It's unfortunate that navigating government benefits requires this level of strategy, but I'm grateful this community exists to share these hard-won insights. Thanks to everyone who contributed their knowledge - this thread is going to help countless people avoid the financial stress and confusion that these automatic deductions can cause!