Do mailed physician forms delay EDD SDI claim processing compared to online submission?

Yes, unfortunately mailing does take longer. When my doctor submitted online last year, my claim was processed in about 10 days. When I had to mail paperwork for an extension earlier this year, it took almost 3 weeks for EDD to just acknowledge they received it, and about 4-5 weeks total for processing. Make sure to check your SDI Online account daily - they'll update it when they receive your paperwork. If you don't see any updates after 10 business days, you might want to call to confirm they got it.

Ugh, 4-5 weeks?? I'm going to be in serious trouble if it takes that long. Do you know if there's a way to expedite it once they receive the paperwork? My doctor said he normally does it online but their system wasn't working with EDD for some reason.

i did paper form last summer it took like 2-3 wks longer then when my coworker did it online, kinda depends on mail service in ur area too

Thanks for sharing your experience. Mail service here is pretty reliable, so hopefully that won't add extra delays. 2-3 weeks feels like forever when you're waiting on money though!

The paper forms typically add 2-3 weeks to processing time in my experience helping clients with disability claims. Here's what happens: your mailed form needs to be 1) received in the mail room, 2) sorted, 3) scanned into their system, 4) matched to your claim, and 5) reviewed by a claims examiner. Each step can take 2-3 business days.\n\nOnline submissions skip steps 1-3 and go straight to matching and review. This is why EDD strongly encourages electronic submission whenever possible.\n\nIf you're facing financial hardship, make sure to note that when you speak with an agent. They can sometimes flag claims for expedited processing in hardship cases. Also, check that your doctor completed ALL required fields - incomplete forms are the #1 reason for delays.

This breakdown is super helpful, thank you! I didn't know about the hardship flag - that could really help my situation. Do I need to call them specifically to mention the hardship, or is there a way to note that online?

The EXACT same thing happened to me in January!!! My doctor's stupid electronic system was

Six weeks is definitely on the extreme end of processing times. While paper forms do take longer, typical processing is closer to 3-4 weeks for mailed forms, not 6. There might have been other issues with your claim beyond just the paper submission method.

I had a similar situation when I was on disability for my pregnancy last year. What helped me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach an actual EDD representative after my paperwork seemed to disappear into the void. They connected me with an agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own with no luck. The agent confirmed they received my paperwork and expedited my claim processing due to my financial situation. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd\n\nWorth it to get answers rather than stressing for weeks wondering if your paperwork is sitting in a pile somewhere!

does that service actually work? ive heard mixed things bout those call services

It worked for me - I got through to someone after trying on my own for three days straight. The key is that once you're connected, you need to be ready with all your claim information and know exactly what you need to ask.

FYI for future reference you can actually request that your doctor redo the online submission once their system is working again. Most people don't know this but EDD actually prefers this method because it reduces their paperwork backlog. I had to do this with my psychiatrist last month - first attempt failed, then we just tried again 2 days later and it went through fine. Saved me weeks of waiting!

I wish I knew this before! I'll definitely keep this in mind if I ever need to file again in the future. At this point the paper form is already in the mail, so I guess I just have to wait it out. Learning a lot from everyone's responses though!

Since you've already mailed it, here are some tips to potentially speed things up:\n\n1. If you have a copy of what was submitted, upload it to your SDI Online account under

These are fantastic suggestions! I do have a copy the doctor gave me, so I'll definitely try uploading that today. I've already completed my portion online right after my last day of work. I'll try calling in a few days to check on status too. Really appreciate all this advice!

my cousin works at edd she says mail is like the worst way to do anything with them lol they got huge piles of mail

You should ALWAYS send important paperwork via CERTIFIED MAIL with TRACKING!!! I learned this the hard way when EDD claimed they never received my forms and I had ZERO proof I sent them. Had to start the whole process over again and lost weeks of benefits. The system is DESIGNED to make us fail!!!

This is good advice. While regular mail usually works fine, certified mail with return receipt provides peace of mind for important documents. If you've already sent it regular mail, don't panic - the vast majority of mail does arrive safely. But tracking is always a good idea for future reference.

I definitely regret not doing certified mail now. Lesson learned for next time! I'm going to try some of the suggestions others mentioned about uploading a copy through the online portal too.

my doctor did paper forms for me last month and it only took 2 weeks so dont panic yet not always super slow

Update: I finally got through to EDD after calling repeatedly this morning! They confirmed they received my paperwork yesterday (took 8 days to arrive) and the rep said it should be processed within 10-14 business days. She also noted my account for financial hardship as someone here suggested, which might help speed things up. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Great news! The hardship note can definitely help. Keep checking your SDI Online account daily - sometimes claims are processed faster than the quoted timeframe. Glad you were able to get confirmation!

That's such a relief that they received it and you got the hardship flag added! 8 days for mail delivery isn't too bad either. I'm in a similar situation right now - my doctor had to submit paper forms last week because their online portal was down. Your post has been really helpful to see what to expect. I'm definitely going to try calling to check status and mention my financial situation too. Fingers crossed both our claims get processed quickly!

Thanks for sharing your experience with the whole process! As someone who might need to file for disability in the future, this thread has been incredibly educational. It's frustrating that the system makes paper submissions so much slower when sometimes that's the only option available due to technical issues on their end. The fact that you got the hardship flag added gives me hope that there are ways to work within the system when you're in a tough financial spot. Really glad everything worked out for you in the end!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - my doctor's office submitted my forms electronically but they got an error message, so now they're telling me I need to mail the paper version. Reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like I should definitely send it certified mail and call EDD after about a week to confirm they received it. The tip about uploading a copy to the online portal is brilliant too - I hadn't thought of doing both. It's reassuring to see that even with the delays, people are getting their claims processed eventually. Thanks for sharing your journey, Yara - it really helps to know what to expect!