EDD SDI waiting period confusion - when will I receive my first payment?

the waiting period is normal. its 7 days that you dont get paid for. after that they should send payment but it takes time sometimes. i had to wait like 5-6 weeks for my first payment for my back injury. just keep checking the website

I had a similar experience with my maternity disability claim in March. After submitting everything, I waited about 4 weeks for the first payment. The waiting period (those 7 days) is separate from the processing time. Basically, EDD doesn't pay benefits for that first week of your disability - it's like a deductible. Then the actual payment processing starts after your claim is submitted. Have you checked if your claim shows as "approved" or is it still "pending"? That makes a big difference in timeframe.

The 7-day waiting period is standard for all SDI claims - it's the unpaid period at the beginning of your claim as others mentioned. What's concerning is that after 3+ weeks, your claim is still pending. This typically means one of three things: 1. Your medical provider's certification is incomplete or has discrepancies 2. EDD needs additional verification from your employer 3. There's a backlog and they simply haven't processed it yet Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to speak with an EDD representative directly. Have you tried calling the SDI office? I know it can be extremely difficult to get through.

If ur claim is still pending after 3+ weeks u definitely need to talk to someone! when my husband had his knee surgery last year his claim got stuck in pending for a month and turned out they needed some extra form that nobody told us about!! by the time we found out we were already behind on rent :/

I had success using Claimyr to reach an EDD rep when my disability claim was stuck in pending for weeks. It got me through to an actual person within 20 minutes after I'd been trying for days on my own. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The rep told me my doctor had filled out a section of the form wrong and they couldn't process it until it was fixed. Once I knew the actual problem, I got it resolved in a couple days. Much better than wondering what's going on!

To properly understand your timeline: 1. Your waiting period was April 28 - May 4 (this is the standard 7-day unpaid period) 2. You filed on May 12 (about a week after your waiting period ended) 3. It's now been 3+ weeks since filing (so we're in early June 2025) The normal processing time for a straightforward SDI claim is 7-14 days after filing. Since you're well beyond that, something is definitely holding up your claim. If your claim is still showing "pending" on SDI Online, you absolutely need to speak with a representative. At this point, I'd recommend: 1. Continue calling the main SDI number (800-480-3287) first thing when they open at 8:00 AM 2. Check your SDI Online account for any messages or requests for additional information 3. Verify with your doctor that their certification was fully completed and accepted If you can't get through by phone after multiple attempts, using a service to connect with a representative might be worth considering, especially if you're facing financial hardship due to the delay.

One thing I just thought of - did you check both the SDI Online system AND your BPO (Benefit Programs Online) account? Sometimes messages appear in one but not the other. Also, have you received anything in regular mail? EDD still sends some notices only through postal mail, not electronically.

EDD is a disaster since COVID!!! My claim from January took NINE WEEKS to process and I almost got evicted waiting for them!!! The people who answer phones (if you even get through) barely know anything and give different answers every time. The whole system needs to be rebuilt from scratch!!!

UPDATE: You're not going to believe this, but I finally got through this morning after trying the 8:00 AM call time. The rep told me they needed additional information from my employer about my last day worked, and they sent a request letter... to my employer's old address! So my claim has been sitting there waiting for information that was never going to come. The rep helped me update the employer contact info and said they'll expedite the verification process now. She estimated I should see payment within 7-10 days if my employer responds quickly. I'm relieved to at least know what was happening but still frustrated about the wasted time and stress. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

Wow, what a relief that you finally got through and found out what was going on! This is such a perfect example of why EDD's communication system is broken - sending important verification requests to outdated addresses with no follow-up or notification to the claimant is just unacceptable. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation: Ella's experience shows how important it is to verify that EDD has your current employer's correct contact information, especially if your company has moved, changed HR departments, or if you worked for a temp agency or contractor. I'd also suggest calling your employer's HR department directly once EDD reaches out to them - let them know to expect the verification request and ask them to prioritize responding to it. Some employers don't realize how critical these responses are for people's financial survival. Thanks for updating us with the resolution, and I hope you get your payment soon!

As someone who just went through this process last month, I wanted to add a few more tips that might help others avoid similar delays: 1. **Double-check ALL contact information** when you submit your claim - not just your own, but verify your employer's current address, phone, and HR contact info. You can usually find the most current info on your recent pay stubs or employee portal. 2. **Keep detailed records** of everything you submit and when. I created a simple spreadsheet with dates, what I sent, confirmation numbers, etc. This helped me stay organized and gave me specific details when I finally got through to a rep. 3. **Check your mail daily** - EDD still sends some important notices by postal mail only, and these can get lost or delayed. I almost missed a request for additional info because it came in regular mail while I was only checking online. 4. **Consider reaching out to your state assembly member's office** if you're facing financial hardship due to delays. Many have constituent services that can help escalate stuck EDD cases. Really glad you got this sorted out, Ella! The stress of not knowing what's happening while bills pile up is awful. Hopefully your employer responds quickly and you get your payment soon.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - submitted my SDI claim 2 weeks ago and it's still showing "pending" with no explanation. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I need to be much more proactive about following up. @Ella Lewis - so glad you got through and found the issue! Your update gives me hope that there's probably a specific reason my claim is stuck too, I just need to find out what it is. @Yara Khoury - thank you for those detailed tips, especially about contacting the assembly member's office. I had no idea that was an option for EDD issues. I'm going to start calling first thing tomorrow morning and also double-check all my employer information. The fact that so many people are having similar experiences with weeks-long delays really shows how broken the system is. It shouldn't take this much detective work and persistence just to get the benefits we've paid into, especially when people are dealing with medical issues and financial stress. But at least this community helps us figure out how to navigate the chaos!