Emma, I'm currently going through something very similar - just settled my workers comp case for a knee injury last month and now applying for SDI for my chronic fatigue syndrome that's gotten much worse. A few additional tips from my recent experience: Make sure you have at least 3-6 months of recent medical records from your rheumatologist showing ongoing treatment and worsening symptoms. EDD really wants to see that you're actively being treated and that the condition is current, not just something from years ago. Also, when you meet with your rheumatologist, ask them to be very specific about your functional limitations in the letter - things like "cannot sit for more than 30 minutes" or "requires frequent breaks due to fatigue" rather than just general statements about being disabled. EDD loves specific, measurable limitations. One thing that caught me off guard - they may ask for records from your workers comp doctor too, just to verify that your conditions are truly separate. Having a letter from your rheumatologist stating she's been treating you independently of any work injury really helps here. The process is definitely stressful but it sounds like you're preparing well! Feel free to reach out if you run into any specific roadblocks during the application process.

Emma, I'm a disability advocate and see cases like yours frequently. Here's what I always tell clients in your situation: First, YES - you can absolutely apply for SDI for your autoimmune condition after your WC settlement. The key is keeping them completely separate in all documentation and communications. A few critical points everyone touched on but I want to emphasize: 1. **Timing is crucial** - Apply as soon as your doctor will certify you're disabled from the autoimmune condition. Don't wait unnecessarily as it won't improve your base period calculation. 2. **Medical narrative is everything** - Your rheumatologist's letter should tell a clear story: "Patient has had autoimmune condition since [date before work injury], condition worsened due to stress/other factors during [timeframe], current symptoms prevent all work activity due to [specific limitations]." 3. **Prepare for the review** - With a recent WC case, EDD will scrutinize your claim. Have a simple, consistent explanation ready: "I'm applying for disability benefits based on my autoimmune condition, which is separate from and unrelated to my resolved workers compensation claim for a back injury." 4. **Documentation checklist**: Medical records pre-dating your work injury, treatment notes during WC period showing ongoing autoimmune care, current functional capacity evaluation focused solely on autoimmune symptoms. The fact that you paid into SDI for years absolutely works in your favor. You've earned these benefits. Just keep everything focused on that autoimmune condition and you should be fine. Good luck!

I'm so happy to see you got this resolved! Your experience is a perfect example of why it's so important to check your SDI Online account first before panicking about denial notices. EDD's language can be really confusing - when they say "denied" they often just mean they're adjusting dates, not rejecting your entire claim. For anyone else reading this who might face a similar situation: the key takeaway is that the 7-day rule about being "under care" refers to when you FIRST saw a doctor for the condition, not necessarily when your disability actually started. So if you had consultations weeks before your surgery, that earlier date is what EDD uses for their calculations. The actual disability start date (surgery day) is what triggers your 7-day waiting period for benefit payments. Amara, I'm glad your claim is now effective from 3/18 and you don't need to appeal! Focus on your recovery and don't stress about the SDI stuff anymore. 💙

As someone who works in healthcare administration, I see these kinds of date confusion issues all the time! One thing that might help future readers is understanding that medical offices often have different staff handling different parts of the disability paperwork process. Sometimes the person filling out the DE 2501 form only has access to certain appointment records and might miss the full timeline of care. If you're ever in this situation again, when you're scheduling your initial consultation for a planned surgery, specifically mention that you'll be filing for SDI and ask them to make a note in your chart about the connection between that first visit and your upcoming disability claim. This can help ensure all the dates line up correctly on the paperwork. Also, for anyone reading this - most doctor's offices are happy to provide you with a copy of any disability forms before they submit them if you just ask. It takes 30 seconds and can save you weeks of headaches later! Glad everything worked out for you, Amara!

I'm going through something similar right now with my boyfriend who's on temporary disability. One thing that really helped us was contacting the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) directly - they were actually more helpful than I expected. They explained that while the support obligation continues, they can sometimes work with you on payment arrangements during periods of reduced income from disability. Also, make sure your partner keeps detailed records of all his disability payments and any partial payments he makes. If he can't pay the full amount, paying whatever he can afford shows the court he's making good faith efforts to meet his obligations. This can be really important if there are any enforcement actions later. The stress of this situation is real - I totally understand how overwhelming it feels when you're already dealing with a medical recovery. Hang in there!

I just wanted to add that timing is really crucial here. I made the mistake of waiting too long to file for my modification when I went on disability, and it created a huge mess. The arrears kept building up even though I was earning way less, and it took months to sort out. Also, if your partner's case is handled through the county child support office rather than directly through the courts, they might have different procedures. Some counties have streamlined processes for disability-related modifications. It's worth calling to ask about their specific requirements. One more tip: if he's getting any other benefits like workers' comp or social security disability in addition to SDI, make sure to include all of that information in the modification request. The court needs to see the complete financial picture. Hope his recovery goes smoothly and you can get this sorted out quickly!

Hey OP, make sure you double-check all your paperwork. I thought my claim was all good, but turns out I made a tiny mistake on one form and that held up EVERYTHING for weeks.

This is such a common issue unfortunately! I went through the same thing last month. My payment showed "processed" for almost a week before I actually got it. Here's what helped me: 1. Check if your bank info is correct in your account - sometimes there's a mismatch 2. Look for any pending "verification" requests you might have missed 3. When you call, ask specifically about "payment release holds" - they don't always mention these automatically Also, don't panic if it's only been a few days since it showed processed. The system is slow but it usually comes through. Keep us updated on how it goes!

So happy to see your update! This gives me hope for others dealing with similar issues. It's crazy how the system can create these "certification gaps" but then a knowledgeable rep can fix it in minutes. Your experience really shows why it's worth trying multiple approaches - the direct SDI number, the specific phone prompts, services like Claimyr, or even contacting assembly members. The key seems to be persistence and finding the right person who actually understands the system. Thanks for sharing your success story - it'll definitely help others who find this thread later!

This is such an important thread for anyone dealing with EDD payment delays! I'm a newcomer here but have been lurking and learning so much from this community. What really stands out to me is how the "certification gap" issue seems to be a common problem that EDD reps can actually fix quickly once you reach them - it's just getting through that's the challenge. For future reference, it might be helpful to screenshot or save the direct SDI number (1-800-480-3287) and those specific phone prompts that Emma Johnson shared. Also, the fact that GamerGirl99's doctor's extension being "received" in the system was key to proving ongoing medical eligibility is really good to know. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this kind of real-world advice is invaluable when you're dealing with bureaucratic nightmares!