Forgot to add employment info to SDI claim - how to update existing CA EDD disability application?
Hey everyone, I messed up and forgot to add my employment info to my disability claim. Has anyone else done this before? I'm kinda freaking out and not sure what to do next. Do I need to start the whole process over again or is there a way to update my existing claim? Any advice would be really appreciated!
40 comments


Caleb Bell
Ugh, been there done that. The system is such a mess π€¦ββοΈ Good luck getting through to anyone on the phone tho, you'll probably be on hold for hours.
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Danielle Campbell
β’For real tho. I once waited 3 hours just to get disconnected. Its like they dont even want to help us smh
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Rhett Bowman
β’I found a way around that! There's this site called claimyr.com that has a calling tool. It dials the menu, stays on hold, and then connects you when a real person picks up. Costs $20 but totally worth it imo. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ
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Bruno Simmons
Anyone else feel like the whole system is designed to make us give up? π€ It's like they're hoping we'll just go away if they make it hard enough.
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Aileen Rodriguez
β’100% agree. It's all a game to them π
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Zane Gray
β’Nah, never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence. The system just sucks.
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Maggie Martinez
β’While it feels that way, there are compassionate people in the system who genuinely want to help.
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Tasia Synder
Have you tried checking their website? Sometimes you can update info online without calling. Might save you some time and headache.
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Alfredo Lugo
β’I looked but couldn't find anything. The website is so confusing π«
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Selena Bautista
β’The website is trash. I swear it was designed by monkeys π
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Mohamed Anderson
β’It's a common complaint. They really need to work on user-friendliness.
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Jackie Martinez
Whatever you do, DON'T lie or try to hide the mistake. That'll only make things worse. Honesty is the best policy here, trust me.
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Lia Quinn
β’Agreed. Honesty goes a long way in these processes.
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Nolan Carter
lol welcome to the wonderful world of bureaucracy π where nothing works and everything's made up
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Natalia Stone
β’It's tragically true, but sometimes we just have to keep pushing through!
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Abigail Patel
Here's what you need to do: 1. Gather all your employment info (employer name, address, dates worked) 2. Call the disability office ASAP 3. Explain that you need to update your claim with missing employment info 4. Ask them to confirm that they've added the new info to your file 5. Get a reference number for the call if possible Don't worry too much, they deal with this kind of thing all the time. Just be polite and patient, and you should be fine!
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Alfredo Lugo
β’Thank you so much! This is really helpful. I'll get on it right away.
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Daniel White
β’Great advice! I'd add: take notes during the call and follow up with an email summarizing what was discussed. CYA always!
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Sydney Torres
Don't panic! This happens more often than you'd think. You can definitely update your existing claim. Call the disability office and explain the situation. They should be able to help you add the missing info.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
β’Yes, calling them was really helpful for me when I had a similar issue. They were surprisingly understanding.
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Alejandro Castro
Hey OP, don't sweat it too much. I forgot to add a whole job to my claim and still got approved. Just be honest about the mistake and they'll usually work with you.
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Monique Byrd
β’That's reassuring. Honesty really does seem key.
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Teresa Boyd
This happened to me last year. I sent in a written request to update my claim and it worked fine. Took a few weeks to process tho.
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Lourdes Fox
β’Did you send the request via email or regular mail?
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Ellie Perry
Protip: if you call, do it first thing in the morning when they open. Way better chance of getting through quickly.
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Landon Morgan
β’Totally agree. Early morning calls have been my best bet!
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Giovanni Mancini
Hey Alfredo! I had the exact same thing happen to me a few months ago - totally forgot to include one of my part-time jobs. I was stressed about it too but it turned out to be no big deal. I called them and they were able to add the missing employment info right over the phone. Just have all your employment details ready (dates, employer info, wages) and be upfront about the oversight. They deal with this stuff constantly so don't worry! You won't need to restart your whole claim.
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StarStrider
β’@Giovanni Mancini That s'such a relief to hear! I was really worried I d'have to start from scratch. Did they ask for any specific documentation when you called, or was it pretty straightforward once you had the employment details ready?
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Elliott luviBorBatman
β’@Giovanni Mancini This is exactly what I needed to hear! I ve'been so worried about this mistake. Quick question - do you remember roughly how long it took for them to process the updated info once you called? I m'hoping it doesn t'delay my whole claim significantly.
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Elijah O'Reilly
Don't stress about it! This is actually pretty common. I work in disability services and see this all the time. You definitely don't need to restart your claim. Just call the EDD disability line and let them know you need to add missing employment information to your existing claim. Have your Social Security number, claim number (if you have it), and all the employment details ready - employer name, address, dates of employment, and wages earned. They'll update your file right away. The key is to call sooner rather than later so it doesn't delay your processing. You've got this!
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GalacticGuru
β’@Elijah O'Reilly This is super helpful, thanks! It's reassuring to hear from someone who actually works in disability services. I was getting really anxious about this whole thing. Do you happen to know if there's a specific time of day that's better to call, or any particular number that gets through faster? I keep seeing people mention long wait times and I'm hoping to avoid that if possible.
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Miles Hammonds
Hey Alfredo! I went through the exact same thing last month and was totally panicking too. The good news is you absolutely do NOT need to start over! I called the EDD disability line and they added my missing employment info right over the phone - took maybe 10 minutes once I got through to someone. Just have all your employment details handy (employer name, dates, wages, etc.) and be honest about the mistake. The rep told me this happens all the time and they're used to it. Try calling right when they open at 8am for the shortest wait time. You've got this! πͺ
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Miguel HernΓ‘ndez
β’@Miles Hammonds Thanks for sharing your experience! It s'so comforting to know this is a common issue and not something catastrophic. I m'definitely going to try calling right at 8am tomorrow - that seems to be the consensus from everyone here. Did they give you any kind of confirmation number or reference when they updated your info? Just want to make sure I have everything documented properly.
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Melina Haruko
Don't panic! This exact same thing happened to me a couple years back. I was so worried I'd messed up my whole claim, but it turned out to be totally fixable. You can definitely update your existing claim without starting over. I called the EDD disability office and explained that I had accidentally left out some employment information when I first applied. The rep was really understanding and walked me through adding the missing details right there on the phone. Just make sure you have all your employment info ready - employer names, addresses, dates you worked there, and how much you earned. The whole thing took maybe 15 minutes once I got through. They told me it's actually a pretty common mistake, so don't beat yourself up about it. Call them ASAP though, because the sooner you get it corrected, the less likely it is to delay your claim processing. Good luck! π
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Yuki Sato
β’@Melina Haruko This is so reassuring to read! I ve'been scrolling through all these responses and it s'clear this happens way more often than I thought. Your experience sounds almost identical to what I m'going through right now. I really appreciate you mentioning that they said it was common - that takes a lot of the anxiety away. I m'definitely going to call first thing tomorrow morning with all my employment details organized. Thanks for taking the time to share your story! π
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Owen Devar
Hey Alfredo! I totally get why you're freaking out - I did the same thing when I forgot to include my second job on my application. But honestly, don't stress too much about it! This is way more common than you think. I called the EDD disability line and they were super helpful - they added my missing employment info during the call and told me it happens all the time. You definitely don't need to start over! Just gather all your employment details (employer names, addresses, dates worked, wages) and call them as soon as possible. The sooner you get it updated, the less likely it'll delay your claim. Pro tip: call right at 8am when they open for the shortest wait time. You've got this! π
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Charlotte White
β’@Owen Devar Thanks for the encouragement! It s'such a relief hearing from so many people who went through the exact same thing. I was really worried this would mess up my whole claim, but everyone s'experiences are making me feel way better about it. I ve'got all my employment info organized and I m'definitely going to call right at 8am tomorrow. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their stories - this community is amazing! π
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Sergio Neal
Hey Alfredo! Don't worry at all - this is super fixable and happens way more than you'd think! I made the same mistake on my SDI claim about 6 months ago (completely spaced on listing my weekend job). I was panicking just like you, but it turned out to be no big deal at all. Just call the EDD disability line with all your employment info ready - employer names, dates, wages, addresses - and they'll add it to your existing claim over the phone. The rep I spoke with said they get calls like this literally every day. No need to restart anything! Just be honest about the oversight and they'll take care of you. Try calling right when they open at 8am for the shortest wait. You've totally got this! π
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Caesar Grant
β’@Sergio Neal This whole thread has been so helpful! I was literally losing sleep over this mistake, but hearing from everyone who s'been through the exact same thing is making me feel so much better. It s'amazing how common this apparently is - I thought I was the only one who could mess up something this important. I m'definitely calling at 8am sharp tomorrow with all my employment docs ready. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and advice! This community really came through when I needed it most π
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Nia Thompson
β’@Sergio Neal Exactly! I was so stressed about this too when it happened to me last year. The whole process was way easier than I expected once I actually called. The EDD rep was really patient and walked me through everything step by step. @Alfredo Lugo you re definitely'not alone in this - seems like half of us have made this same mistake! The important thing is you caught it and you re taking'action to fix it. That 8am call time really does make a difference too.
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