EDD SDI waiting period payment question - will I get paid for first week after surgery?

Unfortunately, no. The first week of any SDI claim is an unpaid waiting period by law. You won't get paid for it unless your disability extends beyond 14 days. It sounds like your disability period was exactly 14 days, so the waiting period stays unpaid. Check out the EDD website under 'Waiting Period' if you want to verify this.

the waiting periond is ALWAYS unpaid for sdi claims. thats just how it works. u only get paid starting the 8th day. sorry bout that but thats how the system is set up

This is one of the WORST parts of California's disability system!! They take a full week of benefits from everyone and NEVER pay it unless your claim gets extended beyond what was initially approved. I had the same thing happen with my back surgery last year - lost a whole week of pay (over $1,200 in my case) and there's NOTHING you can do about it. The EDD keeps that money and we're just supposed to deal with it! The whole system is designed to pay out as little as possible!!!

You mentioned your surgery had complications - if your doctor extends your disability period beyond the original two weeks, you should get paid for the entire period including that first week. The waiting period is only waived if your disability continues beyond 14 days. If you think you might need more time off, talk to your doctor about extending your disability certification.

I had a similar situation last year with my knee surgery. If your doctor extends your disability, make sure to file the extension properly with EDD. You'll need to have your doctor submit updated medical certification (Form DE 2501) showing the extended disability period. Once approved, your claim should be recalculated to include payment for the waiting period. I had to call EDD multiple times to make sure this was processed correctly. I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD agent quickly - they have a service that connects you directly instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. Worth it to make sure you get all your benefits!

My husband just went through SDI for his shoulder surgery and we had the same confusion! It's weird they don't make this clearer when you apply. We budgeted for the full amount and then were surprised when that first week showed $0. Good luck with your recovery!

One more thing to note - if you end up needing the extension and your doctor certifies for more time, make sure you continue certifying for benefits on SDI Online. A lot of people miss this step and it delays their payments. The system should notify you when it's time to certify for your next period. And keep all documentation from your doctor about the complications and extended recovery time in case there are any questions later.