EDD SDI for post-surgery recovery: retroactive pay & approval timeline questions

my advice USE THE SICK PAY... edd is taking FOREVER these days. i applied 5 weeks ago after ankle surgery and still pending. better to have something IN UR POCKET now than wait for edd to maybe approve you later.

I went through this last year after my shoulder surgery. To answer your specific questions: 1. Yes, SDI is retroactive to your first day of disability (your surgery date), BUT there is a mandatory 7-day unpaid waiting period. So if your surgery was 3 weeks ago, you'd be eligible for payment starting from day 8 after surgery. 2. Processing time varies widely. For me, once my doctor submitted the medical certification, I was approved in about 12 days and received my first payment 3 days later via the EDD debit card. Many claims are taking longer now though - early 2025 has seen increased processing times. 3. If you're in a financial emergency, you might consider using sick pay for immediate needs while your SDI processes. When SDI is approved, it won't conflict with sick pay you've already used. Make sure your doctor submits the medical certification promptly - that's often the biggest delay factor. Also, when you file, be very careful about your last day worked and first day disabled - any discrepancies between your application and your doctor's certification will cause delays.

First day of disability is typically the first full day you couldn't work due to your medical condition. If your doctor authorized you to be off work for those pre-op appointments, then that would be your first day of disability. Make sure whatever date you use matches exactly with what your doctor puts on their certification form. One thing to consider - your weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings in the base period. For 2025 claims, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,620. So depending on your income, SDI might pay more than your sick pay would. Also, if you're really struggling while waiting, you can check the box for "financial hardship" when you submit your claim, which sometimes (not always) expedites processing.

If you're having trouble reaching EDD to check on your claim status or ask these questions directly, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was in a similar situation last month after my surgery and couldn't get through on the phone for days. Claimyr connected me to an EDD rep in about 25 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Their website is claimyr.com - it's much better than spending hours redialing EDD yourself. The rep I spoke with was able to expedite my claim when I explained my financial hardship.

i dont know why everyone is making this so complicated. u get paid from when ur doctor says ur disabled but u dont get paid for the first 7 days thats the waiting period. ive been on disability 3 times (broken leg, covid, and pregnancy) and it ALWAYS took at least 3-4 weeks to get first payment. And u cant be on disability AND unemployment at the same time, thats totally different programs. unemployment is for when ur able to work but cant find a job. disability is when u cant work cuz ur sick or injured.

One more thing - make sure you're using SDI Online to file your claim, not the paper form. Online claims generally process faster. And double-check that your doctor knows they need to complete their portion electronically too. Many doctors still try to submit paper forms which causes major delays. The retroactive nature of SDI is actually why many people use sick pay first while waiting for SDI to kick in. That way you have income now, and then when SDI is approved, you'll get a lump sum payment for those weeks (minus the waiting period).

Just wanted to add my experience from January 2025 - I filed for SDI after my gallbladder surgery and it took EXACTLY 14 days from the day my doctor submitted the certification to get approved. First payment came 2 days later via direct deposit. So not as fast as some, not as slow as others. BUT!!!! The most important thing is making sure your doctor submits their part CORRECTLY and PROMPTLY!!!! My doctor's office initially submitted incomplete info and it caused a 1-week delay until I called and got them to fix it. So stay on top of your doctor's office!!!

Based on everything here, I'd recommend a hybrid approach: 1. File for SDI immediately (today if possible) 2. Use some sick pay to cover immediate needs (maybe 1-2 weeks) 3. Keep some sick pay in reserve in case of SDI delays 4. Call your doctor's office tomorrow to confirm they know to submit the medical certification electronically 5. If you don't see progress on your claim within 10 days, consider using a service to reach EDD directly With back surgery recovery, you'll likely qualify for the full SDI period your doctor certifies. And remember - if you need an extension beyond the initial certification period, your doctor can submit additional certifications to extend your SDI benefits. The maximum benefit period is 52 weeks.

Hey Javier, I went through something similar after my knee surgery last fall. One thing I didn't see mentioned here is that you should also check if your employer offers any short-term disability insurance through a private carrier (like Aflac or MetLife) in addition to the state SDI. Some people don't realize they might have both options. Also, when you file your SDI claim online, take screenshots of every page and save your confirmation number! I had a technical glitch during my application and having those screenshots saved me from having to restart the whole process. One more tip - if your doctor gives you a return-to-work date that turns out to be too optimistic (which happens a lot with back surgeries), don't wait until the last minute to request an extension. Start that conversation with your doctor at least a week before your current certification expires. Extensions are totally normal but they need to be submitted before your current period ends to avoid gaps in payment. Hope your recovery goes smoothly!

Just wanted to share my recent experience that might help with your timeline expectations. I filed for SDI in February 2025 after carpal tunnel surgery and here's how it went: - Filed online on a Tuesday - Doctor submitted medical certification 2 days later (Thursday) - Got approval notification the following Tuesday (8 days total) - First payment hit my EDD debit card 3 days after approval Total time from filing to payment: 11 days The key things that helped speed up my process: 1. Made sure my doctor's office knew exactly what forms they needed to submit electronically 2. Double-checked that my last day worked matched what my doctor put on the certification 3. Applied for the EDD debit card right when I filed (don't wait for approval) My advice would be to go ahead and file tonight like others suggested, but also use 1-2 weeks of sick pay to bridge the gap. Even if SDI processes quickly, there's still that 7-day waiting period plus processing time. Better to have cash flow now than stress about bills while waiting. Also - and this is important - make sure you understand how much SDI will pay you vs your sick pay. SDI replaces about 60-70% of your wages up to the maximum, so depending on your salary, your sick pay might actually be more money per week. Good luck with your recovery!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're having severe financial hardship while waiting for SDI, you might also want to look into local food banks, utility assistance programs, or even ask your hospital's financial assistance office if they have any resources for post-surgery patients. Many hospitals have social workers who can connect you with emergency assistance programs. Also, just want to echo what others said about staying on top of your doctor's office. I work in medical billing and I see SO many SDI claims get delayed because the doctor's office either forgets to submit the certification or makes errors on the forms. Don't be afraid to call them every few days to confirm they've submitted everything correctly - it's your money on the line, not theirs! One last thing - if your employer has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), they sometimes offer short-term financial counseling or even small emergency loans. Might be worth checking with HR about that too while you're asking about private disability insurance. Hope you heal up quickly and get your financial situation sorted out soon!

Hey Javier! I just went through this exact situation in December 2024 after my hernia surgery. Here's what I learned that might help: The retroactive pay DOES go back to your surgery date (minus the 7-day waiting period), so you'd get paid starting from day 8 after surgery. That's actually really good news for you since you're already 3 weeks out! My processing timeline was about 16 days from when I filed to first payment, but here's the key - I used 1 week of sick pay immediately while waiting, then when my SDI kicked in, I got that nice retroactive lump sum that covered the gap. It felt like getting paid twice for the same period (in a good way). One thing that helped me was calling my doctor's office THE DAY AFTER I filed my claim to make sure they knew to expect the medical certification request. I literally said "I filed SDI yesterday and you should get an electronic form soon - please prioritize this because I'm in financial hardship." They submitted it within 24 hours. Also, definitely check your employer's benefits portal for any private short-term disability - mine had coverage through Lincoln Financial that I didn't even know about, and it stacked with SDI for almost my full salary. My advice: File tonight, use 1 week of sick pay to cover immediate needs, keep the rest in reserve, and stay on your doctor's office like glue. You've got this! Feel better soon - back surgery recovery is no joke but the financial stress will ease up once everything processes.