EDD SDI claim denied after pregnancy accommodation issues - approved on appeal but no payment for 3 months

congrats on winning ur appeal atleast! most ppl dont. i think theres a different dept that handles payments after appeals. did u try calling the main edd number and specifically asking for the 'post appeal payment processing' team? my brother had similar situation last year

You need to contact the EDD SDI Appeals Payment Resolution Unit directly. After an appeal is approved, your case gets transferred from the Appeals Board back to EDD but specifically to this specialized unit. The regular SDI claims adjusters can't help with post-appeal payment processing. Call the main EDD number (1-800-480-3287) but when the automated system asks why you're calling, say "Payment Status After Appeal" and you should get routed correctly. Also, yes, technically your employer has 20 days to file a counter-appeal to the judge's decision, but you would have been notified if they did. Make sure you're checking your SDI Online account daily too - sometimes they'll send requests for additional information there without calling you.

I went through something similar with my pregnancy partial disability claim in January. After winning the appeal, I still couldn't reach anyone for weeks. Kept getting hung up on or waiting for hours. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a specialist in minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The specialist told me that after appeals, your claim has to be manually reviewed and put back into payment status - it doesn't happen automatically even though you'd think it would! The person I finally talked to was able to release my payments within 48 hours after I reached them.

THIS IS WHY THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! You literally WON your case and they STILL won't pay you!!! I've been fighting with EDD for 8 months now over my pregnancy disability claim and it's RIDICULOUS. They denied me for some BS reason, I appealed, and now I'm waiting for a hearing date. Reading your post makes me feel hopeless - even if I win it sounds like I'll STILL have to fight to get paid!!! Did you try contacting your state representative's office? My friend did that when her SDI was stuck in limbo and they actually helped escalate it. They have special contacts at EDD that can move things along. Worth a try since nothing else is working.

went thru similar thing last yr with my disability. what worked 4 me was calling exactly at 8:00am when they open. i mean like dial at 7:59 and hit call exactly at 8. got thru after only 20 min wait that way. any later and forget it lol. also keep checking ur SDI online account, sometimes they update stuff there without telling u.

Important note: Make sure you're still certifying for benefits if your claim period is ongoing. Even though your initial appeal was approved, if you stopped certifying because you thought it was denied, you may only receive payments for properly certified periods. Also, be aware that for pregnancy-related partial disability claims like yours, you should have received an EDD DE 2501 form from your doctor specifically indicating the work restrictions and reduced hours. Make sure this form was properly submitted and is complete - this is often why pregnancy accommodation claims get stuck even after appeals. Lastly, document every call attempt with date and time. If you end up needing to escalate this to the state representatives or file a formal complaint, having this documentation is crucial.

i know this isn't exactly what you asked but your employer's behavior sounds illegal!! they can't just reduce your hours when you request pregnancy accommodations. that's pregnancy discrimination! you might want to talk to an employment lawyer about that separately. you could have a case against them beyond just the SDI claim.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! I took several of your suggestions - called right at 8:00 AM, and when that didn't work, I tried the Claimyr service that someone mentioned. Got connected to a claims specialist in about 15 minutes! Apparently, my claim was sitting in a special queue waiting for manual review after the appeal. The specialist explained they have a huge backlog of post-appeal claims. She was able to verify the judge's decision was in my file and said she'd expedite the payment processing. She estimated I should see payments within 7-10 business days. I'm cautiously optimistic but won't celebrate until I see the money in my account. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! I'll update again when/if I get paid.

For anyone else reading this thread who may be in a similar situation, I want to clarify a few important points about disability appeals and payments: 1. When an appeal is granted, there is indeed a required manual intervention step. The Appeals Board decision has to be implemented by an EDD SDI specialist. 2. Your employer can appeal the ALJ's (Administrative Law Judge) decision, but they must do so within 20 days of the decision. This appeal would go to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB). 3. For partial disability claims related to pregnancy accommodations, make sure your medical provider clearly documents work restrictions and reduced earning capacity on the DE 2501 form. 4. Post-appeal payments typically take 2-3 weeks to process once a specialist has reviewed your claim, though backlogs can extend this timeline. 5. If you're experiencing a hardship due to delayed benefits, specifically mention this when you speak with a representative - they have procedures for expediting payments in hardship cases. This information applies specifically to California's State Disability Insurance program and may differ from other states' disability programs.

FINAL UPDATE: The money arrived! Almost exactly 8 days after speaking with the specialist, all my back payments were deposited to my EDD debit card. Total was $5,890 for the weeks I had reduced hours. For anyone else dealing with post-appeal payment issues, definitely be persistent and try all the methods suggested in this thread. What ultimately worked for me was: 1. Using Claimyr to get through to a real person 2. Specifically mentioning I had an approved appeal waiting for payment processing 3. Having all my documentation ready (appeal case number, judge's name, dates of decision) Thanks again to everyone who offered advice! This community was so helpful when I felt completely stuck.