After doctor completes EDD SDI medical certification form - when will my first payment arrive?

mine took like 2 weeks after dr submitted but i know people who got it faster

Several factors affect this timeline: 1. How quickly your doctor completes the medical certification (sounds like 48 hours in your case) 2. EDD's current processing volume (which fluctuates seasonally) 3. Whether your claim has any issues requiring additional review In my experience, once the doctor submits their portion, it typically takes 7-14 days for EDD to process the claim if everything is in order. Then payment is usually issued within 24-48 hours of approval. Don't forget there's a mandatory 7-day waiting period for SDI that isn't paid. So your first payment will cover the period starting on the 8th day of your disability. I'd recommend checking your SDI Online account daily after your doctor submits their certification. The status will update to show if they've received all required documentation.

Nobody can tell u exactly cuz EDD is sooooo inconsistent!!! I got mine in 5 days after my dr submitted but my coworker waited almost a MONTH for the same exact situation!!! Its totaly random and depends on who processes ur claim and how backed up they are. Good luck!!!

I've been through this process three times in the last four years, and the most frustrating part is definitely the waiting and uncertainty. In my experience, they're telling people 7-14 days for processing after your doctor submits, but the REALITY is more like 2-4 weeks right now. They're totally understaffed and overwhelmed. And if there's ANY small issue with your claim (doctor uses wrong code, dates don't exactly match, etc.), it can add WEEKS to the process with zero communication from EDD. You'll just be sitting there wondering what's happening. You should 100% be calling them if it's been more than 10 business days and you haven't seen a status change online. But good luck getting through their phone system... I spent 14 hours across 3 days trying to get a human on the phone last time.

For getting through on the phone, I highly recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that connects you directly to an EDD agent, usually within 15-20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd I was skeptical at first but used it when my SDI claim had an issue with the medical certification dates. Saved me so much frustration and the agent was able to fix the problem immediately once I got through. Regarding your timeline question - from my experience, once your doctor submits the certification, it typically takes 10-14 calendar days for processing if everything is correct. You'll get your first payment about 2-3 days after approval. The EDD website will update to show when the payment is issued and the amount.

Is this your first time filing for SDI benefits? Make sure you've set up your payment preference (EDD Debit Card or direct deposit) in your SDI Online account! I didn't realize I needed to do this my first time and it added another week to actually getting my money - they defaulted to sending a debit card which took forever in the mail. Also, something no one mentioned yet - if your doctor actually uses electronic certification (some still use paper), it's usually faster processing. Ask your doctor's office if they're submitting electronically or by mail, because that makes a huge difference in timeline.

One thing to clarify - the 7 day waiting period starts from your first day of disability, not from when you file. So if you've been off work already for 7+ days before filing, you won't have an additional waiting period. Lots of people get confused about this!

Quick update for anyone who finds this thread later: My doctor submitted the certification electronically yesterday (so quick!). My SDI Online account now shows my claim as "Medical Certification Received" but still says "Pending" for the claim status. I set up direct deposit and will update again when I see movement on the claim. Thanks everyone for your help!

Don't get too excited yet... "Medical Certification Received" is just step one. Now you get to wait for them to actually REVIEW it. Then they might decide they need additional information for some random reason they don't tell you about. Then you wait some more. Just be prepared that "pending" can stay "pending" for quite a while with ZERO explanation.

Since your doctor submitted electronically and you're seeing "Medical Certification Received" already, that's a very good sign! Electronic certification typically speeds up the process significantly. Based on current processing times, you're likely looking at 7-10 more days until approval if there are no issues with your claim. I recommend checking your SDI Online account each morning as status updates typically appear in the system overnight. Once your status changes from "Pending" to "Paid," you can expect the funds within 1-2 business days if you selected direct deposit, or 5-7 business days if you're receiving an EDD debit card. The fact that everything has moved smoothly so far is encouraging!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see you're going through the same process! I filed my SDI claim about 3 weeks ago and my doctor submitted the medical certification electronically within 24 hours. My timeline was: Day 1 - filed claim, Day 2 - doctor submitted cert, Day 3 - status showed "Medical Certification Received", Day 12 - status changed to "Paid", Day 14 - money hit my bank account via direct deposit. So about 2 weeks total from filing to getting paid. The waiting was stressful but it sounds like you're on the right track with electronic submission and direct deposit already set up. Good luck with your claim!

Hey Benjamin! I just went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. My timeline was pretty similar to what others have shared - doctor submitted electronically within 2 days, then it took about 10 business days for EDD to process and approve. The key thing that helped me was setting up text alerts in my SDI Online account so I got notified immediately when my status changed from "Pending" to "Paid." One tip I wish someone had told me: if your claim gets approved, your first payment will likely be larger than expected because it covers multiple weeks (depending on how long you've been disabled). So don't panic if the amount seems off - it's probably correct! Also, since you mentioned rent being due in 3 weeks, you should be fine timing-wise based on your current progress. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I went through this process last year and wanted to share some additional tips that helped me! Since you already have your medical certification submitted electronically and direct deposit set up, you're in great shape. One thing that really helped reduce my anxiety during the waiting period was understanding that EDD processes claims in batches, usually on Tuesday and Thursday nights. So if your status doesn't change on a Wednesday, don't panic - check again Friday morning. Also, make sure you're logging into your SDI Online account from the same device/browser you used to file. I had issues where the status wasn't updating when I switched between my phone and laptop. For budgeting purposes, your weekly benefit amount should be listed in your claim details, and your first payment will cover from day 8 of your disability period through the week they process your claim. So it could be 2-3 weeks worth of benefits in that first payment. Sounds like you'll definitely make your rent deadline based on your current timeline! The electronic submission really does make a huge difference in processing speed.

One more thing to keep in mind - make sure you keep checking your mail even though you set up direct deposit! EDD sometimes sends important notices or requests for additional information by mail that could delay your claim if you miss them. I almost missed a form they needed me to sign and return within 10 days. Also, if you're feeling anxious about the timeline (which is totally normal!), try calling your doctor's office to confirm they submitted everything correctly - sometimes there are small errors in dates or codes that can cause delays. Better to double-check now than find out later there was an issue. Hang in there, it sounds like you're doing everything right!

Just wanted to add my recent experience to help with your timeline expectations! I filed my SDI claim in January and my doctor submitted the medical certification electronically within 36 hours. My status showed "Medical Certification Received" on day 4, then stayed "Pending" for exactly 11 business days before switching to "Paid." The money hit my direct deposit account 2 days after that. One thing that really helped me stay sane during the waiting period was setting up a simple spreadsheet to track the timeline - it made me feel more in control when I could see the progress day by day. Also, don't stress if your online account doesn't update over weekends - they typically only process updates Monday through Friday. Based on your current progress with electronic submission already received, you're looking really good for making your rent deadline. The fact that you got the "Medical Certification Received" status so quickly is a great sign that everything is moving smoothly through their system!

I'm going through this process right now too and the waiting is so nerve-wracking! Reading everyone's experiences here has been really helpful. My doctor submitted my medical certification electronically 5 days ago and my status just changed to "Medical Certification Received" yesterday. Based on what everyone is sharing, it sounds like I'm looking at another 1-2 weeks before approval if everything goes smoothly. One thing I learned from calling EDD directly (after spending 3 hours on hold!) is that they recommend checking your account between 6-8 AM since that's when overnight batch updates typically appear in the system. The representative also mentioned that electronic submissions are currently processing about 30% faster than paper ones, so that's encouraging for those of us whose doctors submitted digitally. For anyone else going through this - definitely set up those text alerts if you haven't already! It beats obsessively checking the website 10 times a day.

I just went through this exact process about 2 months ago and wanted to share what helped me manage the anxiety while waiting! My doctor submitted electronically and it took 9 business days from "Medical Certification Received" to "Paid" status. A few things that really helped me during the wait: 1. I called my doctor's office 3 days after they said they submitted it, just to confirm everything went through properly on their end 2. I set my phone alarm for 6:30 AM to check my account during that early morning update window someone mentioned 3. I calculated my expected benefit amount ahead of time using the EDD calculator online so I knew what to expect The hardest part was the uncertainty, but once I had realistic expectations based on everyone's experiences here, it became much more manageable. Your electronic submission and direct deposit setup puts you in a really good position timeline-wise. You should definitely make your rent deadline based on your current progress! Also - keep an eye on your email! I got an automated notification when my payment was issued, even before the website updated. That was a nice surprise.

I'm currently going through this same process and the uncertainty is definitely stressful! My doctor just submitted my medical certification electronically this morning, so I'm right at the beginning of the waiting period. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like electronic submission really does make a difference in processing time. One thing I'm curious about - for those who had smooth processing timelines, did you have to submit any additional documentation beyond the initial claim and medical certification? I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that could cause delays. My doctor mentioned they included all the necessary diagnostic codes and dates, but I'm wondering if there are other common issues that pop up during review. Also, thanks to everyone who shared specific timelines and tips! The batch processing schedule and early morning check recommendations are exactly the kind of insider knowledge that makes this whole process less intimidating. I'll definitely be setting up those text alerts and checking my account at 6:30 AM starting tomorrow.

I just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been through this process twice in the past two years. The first time I filed (2022), it took almost 3 weeks from medical certification to payment because there was a small discrepancy in the dates my doctor listed. The second time (early 2024), everything went smoothly and I got paid in exactly 8 business days after the medical cert was received. The key difference was being proactive the second time around. Before my doctor submitted anything, I had them walk through the form with me to make sure all dates matched exactly what I had on my original claim. I also made sure they understood my work restrictions clearly so they could describe them accurately on the medical certification. One thing that might help ease your anxiety - EDD has actually improved their processing times significantly over the past year. The electronic submission system is much more reliable now, and they've added more staff to handle the medical review process. Your timeline of having the medical cert submitted within 48 hours and using electronic submission puts you in a really good position. Also, don't forget to save some documentation of your claim number and submission dates in case you need to reference them later. Having everything organized really helped when I had to call EDD during my first claim. Good luck with your claim!