Confused about EDD SDI maternity benefit payment schedule - only received one payment after approval

Yes, this is actually normal! The 7-day waiting period starts from your disability date (April 4th), so you don't get paid for the first week. After that, payments can be a bit irregular at first. The system sometimes sends out a single day payment first, then moves to the regular biweekly payment cycle. Your first full payment should include all benefits owed from after the waiting period up until the end of the first payment cycle. Most people receive their first full payment within 10-14 days after claim approval. The payment system can be confusing but this sounds like the normal process to me!

this happened to me too!! got a random 1-day payment and freaked out lol. took about 2 weeks after that to get my first full payment. the system is weird but it'll catch up

The EDD system is DELIBERATELY DESIGNED to confuse people and delay payments!!! I had the EXACT same problem last year with my pregnancy disability. Got ONE random payment then nothing for almost THREE WEEKS!!! When I finally got through to them (after calling 47 TIMES), they said it was "normal" and "in process" but couldn't explain WHY they do it this way. It's all about delaying payments to save the state money. Your full payment will eventually come but don't count on it being consistent or on time EVER. Document EVERYTHING and check your payment history obsessively because they WILL make mistakes!!!

I think ur confusing SDI with PFL maybe? With Paid Family Leave you get the full 8 weeks after birth for bonding but with SDI disability for pregnancy its different. My sister just went through this and said SDI is before birth and then switches to PFL after. Did you apply for the right one?

I had a baby in January and went through the same thing. After the waiting period, I got one random payment for like $100 something and then nothing for almost 2 weeks. Then suddenly a big payment showed up that covered everything I was owed. After that initial weirdness, the payments came regularly every 2 weeks. Hang in there!

If you need to speak with an EDD representative right away, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). When I was on maternity disability last year, I couldn't get through for weeks until another mom told me about this service. They connect you with an EDD agent usually within 30 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. It really helped me sort out some payment issues I was having with my maternity SDI claim.

Here's a detailed breakdown of how the payment schedule typically works for EDD SDI maternity claims: 1. First 7 days = unpaid waiting period 2. Sometimes a single-day payment is issued first as the system processes your claim 3. First full payment usually arrives 10-14 days after claim approval (includes all back benefits) 4. After that, regular bi-weekly payments start The timing can be affected by weekends, holidays, and processing backlogs. You can check your payment history on UI Online under the "Payment Activity" section to see if there are any pending payments in the system. If nothing shows up in the next few days, it might be worth trying to contact EDD for clarification.

when my sister was on maternity disability last year she said the payments were always weirdly timed. never came on the same day even though they were supposed to be every 2 weeks. sometimes early sometimes late. EDD is a mess lol

For what it's worth, the initial payment irregularity is actually by design in the EDD system. Your claim gets approved, then they often issue a small initial payment while the full calculation for back benefits is processed. Once that's complete, you'll receive the lump sum for all days owed, and then the system switches to a regular biweekly schedule. I recommend setting up direct deposit if you haven't already - it's typically 2-3 days faster than waiting for paper checks. Also, make sure you continue to certify your claim every two weeks, even if payments seem delayed. Missing a certification can cause further delays.