EDD SDI waiting period confusion - when will I receive my first payment?
I submitted my disability claim on May 12, 2025 and I'm getting confused about this waiting period thing. My SDI Online account shows a "waiting period" from April 28 to May 4, 2025. It's now been over 3 weeks since I submitted everything, and I'm still not seeing any payment info. My doctor submitted all the medical certification paperwork on time. Can anyone tell me how long after the waiting period I should expect to receive my first payment? My bills are piling up fast after my surgery, and I'm starting to get really anxious. The EDD website is super vague about timeframes. Has anyone gone through this recently?
21 comments
Andrew Pinnock
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
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Ella Lewis
•5-6 weeks?! Oh no, I can't wait that long... Did you call them or do anything to speed it up?
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Brianna Schmidt
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.
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Ella Lewis
•Just double-checked and it says "pending" still. No explanation why or what they need from me. Now I'm even more worried!
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Alexis Renard
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.
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Ella Lewis
•I've tried calling multiple times but keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever. I've left messages on their online contact form but haven't heard anything back. So frustrating!
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Camila Jordan
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 :/
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Ella Lewis
•That's exactly what I'm worried about! Did you guys just keep calling until you got through?
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Tyler Lefleur
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!
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Madeline Blaze
•is that service legit? sounds fishy that you have to pay just to talk to edd when its already our tax money paying for the whole system. ridiculous
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Tyler Lefleur
•It's legitimate - they just help you bypass the phone tree and hold times. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for over a week to get through. You still talk directly to actual EDD reps, they just help you get connected faster.
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Max Knight
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.
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Ella Lewis
•Thank you for breaking this down so clearly. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow right at 8:00 AM. My doctor's office confirmed they submitted everything, but maybe there was some issue with how they filled it out. I'll check with them again too.
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Brianna Schmidt
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.
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Ella Lewis
•I didn't know they were different systems! I've only been checking SDI Online. I'll log into BPO right now and also check my mail more carefully. Thank you!
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Emma Swift
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!!!
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Andrew Pinnock
•nine weeks is crazy!!! did u ever find out why it took so long???
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Emma Swift
•They said something about my employer verification being "flagged for review" whatever that means. No one could explain WHY it was flagged or what they were reviewing for TWO MONTHS! Complete incompetence!
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Ella Lewis
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!
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Max Knight
•I'm so glad you got through and found the issue! This happens more often than it should. Make sure to follow up with your employer directly to ensure they respond to EDD promptly. If you don't see movement on your claim within those 7-10 days, don't hesitate to call again. Sometimes claims need an extra push to get processed once the information comes in.
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Brianna Schmidt
•That's great news! Such a simple thing but it could have held up your claim indefinitely if you hadn't called. This is why it's so important to be persistent with EDD.
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