Extended maternity SDI benefits payment delayed - completed certification form, now what?
Stressed out and confused! My maternity leave SDI got extended to 14 weeks (doctor added 4 extra weeks), but I haven't been paid in over 2 weeks now. I received a notice in my EDD portal saying I needed to complete a continuation form between 1/22/25 and 2/3/25 (due 2/4/25). I finally completed it this morning but my payment still hasn't shown up. Does anyone know how long it typically takes for payment to process after submitting the continuation certification? And do I seriously have to go through this certification process every time now to get paid? With my first 10 weeks, payments just came automatically after initial approval. Really starting to stress about bills... this delay wasn't something I budgeted for! 😫
24 comments

Mohamed Anderson
yeah you have to certify every 2 weeks after the initial period. its super annoying but thats how it works for extended benefits. usually takes 2-3 days to get paid after certifying but sometimes longer if the system is backed up
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Selena Bautista
AuthorUgh that's frustrating! No one told me about this when the extension was approved. Is there any way to set up reminders so I don't miss future certification windows?
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Ellie Perry
When your disability period gets extended beyond the initial period, you do need to complete continuation certifications. This is standard for extended SDI benefits, including maternity disability extensions. Typically, you should receive payment within 5-7 business days after certifying. Since you just completed it this morning, I'd expect payment by early next week. And yes, you'll need to certify every two weeks for the remainder of your extended benefit period. I recommend setting calendar reminders for yourself about 3 days before each certification period opens. The EDD doesn't always send notifications, and missing a certification window can cause payment delays.
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Selena Bautista
AuthorThank you so much for the detailed explanation! I'll definitely set up those calendar reminders. Do you know if there's a specific day of the week they typically process payments? Or is it just 5-7 business days from whenever you certify?
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Landon Morgan
I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT THING!! Nobody tells you about the certification requirement for extensions and then suddenly your money stops coming. It's like they WANT us to panic. My doctor extended my maternity leave by 6 weeks and I didn't get paid for almost 3 weeks because I didn't know I had to certify. The EDD system is designed to make everything as confusing and stressful as possible when you're already dealing with a newborn and recovery!!
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Teresa Boyd
Same here! And when I finally figured it out and certified, the payment took forever to process. The whole system feels designed to make you give up.
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Lourdes Fox
I've been through the extended maternity disability process a couple times now. Here's what you need to know: 1. After completing your certification form, payments typically process within 3-5 business days, though occasionally it can take up to 10 days if there's a high volume of claims or system issues. 2. Yes, for extended SDI benefits (including maternity extensions), you must certify every two weeks. This differs from the initial claim period where payments are automatic. 3. Set up multiple reminders! The certification windows are strict, and if you miss one, it can delay your benefits significantly. 4. The EDD portal will show your next certification period dates. Write these down somewhere visible. 5. If you don't receive payment within 10 days of certifying, call EDD immediately - but be prepared for a long wait.
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Selena Bautista
AuthorThis is so helpful, thank you! I'll definitely check my portal for the next certification dates. Is there a specific number I should call if I have issues with the extended benefits? The regular EDD number never seems to connect me to an actual person.
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Bruno Simmons
When I had my maternity leave extended last year, I ran into the same issue! I found a service called Claimyr that helped me actually get through to a real EDD agent instead of waiting on hold forever. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd It saved me so much stress because I had a payment issue with my extended benefits that needed to be resolved immediately. The agent was able to push through my payment that had been stuck in processing for over a week. Definitely worth it when you're dealing with time-sensitive benefit issues!
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Aileen Rodriguez
does this actually work? i've been trying to get ahold of someone at EDD for days about my maternity extension and keep getting disconnected
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Bruno Simmons
Yes! It worked for me when nothing else did. They basically call EDD for you and when they get through to a representative, they connect you. Saved me literally hours of waiting on hold and getting disconnected.
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Zane Gray
wait im confused, is SDI the same thing as paid family leave? i thought maternity was under PFL not disability. my sister just had a baby and i think she's getting PFL not SDI???
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Lourdes Fox
They're different programs, though both are administered by EDD. SDI (State Disability Insurance) covers pregnancy before birth and recovery after birth (typically 4 weeks before delivery and 6-8 weeks after, depending on delivery type). PFL (Paid Family Leave) can be used after the SDI recovery period ends for bonding time with the new baby. So for maternity, many people use SDI first, then transition to PFL.
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Zane Gray
oh that makes more sense! so the OP is probably still in the recovery period with an extension before switching to PFL. thanks for explaining!
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Landon Morgan
Just a heads up - I missed a certification deadline during my extended maternity disability and it took THREE WEEKS and countless phone calls to get my benefits restarted. The system is absolutely infuriating. Once your current payment comes through, immediately check your portal for the next certification dates and set multiple alarms. They don't make this clear AT ALL in any of their communications!
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Selena Bautista
AuthorThat sounds like a nightmare! I'm definitely going to be super careful about the certification deadlines. Did they backpay you for those three weeks eventually?
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Landon Morgan
Yes, they did eventually backpay me, but it was such an unnecessary struggle. I had to speak with three different representatives before finding one who knew how to properly reactivate my claim without starting the whole process over.
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Teresa Boyd
Is your doctor extending for medical reasons or just general recovery? My OB extended mine for 4 more weeks too but I had some complications. Just curious if standard extensions are common now cuz my friend is pregnant and wondering if she should expect the standard 6/8 weeks or if longer is possible.
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Selena Bautista
AuthorMine was due to mild postpartum complications - nothing severe but enough that my doctor felt I needed additional recovery time. From what I understand, they don't typically extend without some medical reason, but it doesn't necessarily have to be something major.
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Lourdes Fox
Just checking back - did your payment process yet? In my experience, if you certified this morning, you should see payment by Monday or Tuesday next week. The system typically takes 2-3 business days to process certifications for extended benefits.
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Selena Bautista
AuthorNot yet! It's been two days and nothing has changed in my portal. I'm trying to be patient but it's getting stressful. If I don't see anything by Tuesday, I'll try calling. Thanks for checking in!
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Lourdes Fox
That sounds like a good plan. Sometimes the portal doesn't update immediately even when processing is happening in the background. Tuesday would be a reasonable time to call if you don't see movement by then.
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Mohamed Anderson
btw for anyone who has trouble remembering to certify I just set up auto calendar reminders on my phone for every 2 weeks with multiple alerts. saved me from missing deadlines cuz you know EDD won't remind you until its too late lol
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Paolo Ricci
I'm going through something similar right now! My maternity SDI also got extended (6 additional weeks for c-section recovery) and I'm currently waiting for my first extended payment after certifying. The whole process is so confusing - nobody explains that the certification requirements change once you hit the extension period. One thing that helped me was calling the SDI phone line directly instead of the main EDD number. The wait times are still long but I've had better luck actually getting through to someone who understands disability claims specifically. The number is 1-800-480-3287. Also, make sure you're checking your EDD portal daily during this waiting period. Sometimes the payment status updates there before you actually receive the money. Hang in there - you're not alone in this stress! 💙
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