How long after EDD receives doctor certification until first disability payment?
So my doctor finally submitted the medical certification portion of my disability claim on Monday (I can see it in my SDI Online account as 'received'). I'm just wondering how much longer I should expect to wait before seeing any payments? This is my first time on disability leave and I'm getting worried because my savings are getting low. I've been out of work since March 12th due to a back injury that required surgery. My rent is due next week and I'm starting to panic a little. Does anyone know the typical timeframe between EDD receiving the doctor's certification and issuing the first payment? I know there's a 7-day waiting period but I've already been waiting for like 3 weeks since I initially filed my claim.
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Evelyn Xu
In my experience, once EDD has received your doctor's certification, it usually takes about 7-10 business days for them to process it and issue your first payment. However, this can vary a lot depending on their current workload. Since you've already been out of work longer than the 7-day waiting period, you should start accumulating benefits from the 8th day. Have you checked your SDI Online account to see if your claim status has changed from "received" to "processing" or "approved"?
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Sophia Russo
•Thank you! My claim just says "received" and doesn't mention processing or approved status. I'll keep checking daily. I really hope it's closer to 7 days than 10. My landlord isn't very patient...
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Dominic Green
my claim took 14 days after dr paper was recieved before i got $ and i also got back pay from when i first got sick minus the waiting week. you should get it soon hang in there!!!!
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Sophia Russo
•Thanks for sharing your experience! Did they notify you when your claim was approved or did the money just show up in your account one day?
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Dominic Green
•money just showed up lol. i think i got a letter in the mail AFTER the deposit happened
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Hannah Flores
It's SUPPOSED to be fast after they get your doctor's certification, but EDD is a MESS right now. My disability claim took almost THREE WEEKS after they got my doctor's paperwork before I got paid!!! They kept saying they were "reviewing" my claim. I had to call like 20 times before I finally got through to someone who could help. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE GET EVICTED!!! The system is designed to make you give up!!!!
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Kayla Jacobson
•I had a similar experience last month. The wait times are ridiculous, especially when you're dealing with financial stress on top of medical issues. Did you end up getting backpay for the full period?
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Hannah Flores
•Yes I got backpay but that doesn't help when your bills are DUE NOW and your landlord is threatening eviction!!! The whole system needs to be REBUILT FROM SCRATCH!
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William Rivera
After EDD receives the doctor certification, claims typically process within 14 days, but I've been seeing longer wait times lately. The important thing to know is that you'll receive backpay from your disability start date (after the 7-day waiting period), even if the processing takes longer. Have you tried calling them to check on the status? Sometimes a phone call can help move things along, especially if there are any flags on your claim that need to be addressed.
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Sophia Russo
•I've tried calling several times but can't get through. It either says they're experiencing high call volume and hangs up, or I get put on hold for over an hour and then have to hang up because I have a doctor's appointment. Is there a trick to actually reaching someone?
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Grace Lee
I was in a similar situation back in January after my carpal tunnel surgery. After my doctor submitted the certification, it took about 12 business days to get my first payment. But I've heard it can vary wildly depending on their workload and if there are any issues with your claim that require manual review. Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to EDD? I was getting frustrated with the constant busy signals, but Claimyr got me connected to an actual person at EDD in about 25 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd that shows how it works. Their website is claimyr.com - it was seriously worth it to find out exactly what was happening with my claim instead of just waiting and worrying.
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Sophia Russo
•I've never heard of Claimyr before. Does it really work? I'm willing to try anything at this point because the waiting and uncertainty is driving me crazy.
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Grace Lee
•Yes, it worked for me! Instead of getting hung up on or waiting for hours, I got through to an EDD representative who actually looked at my claim and told me exactly what was happening. In my case, there was a discrepancy between the start date I entered and what my doctor entered, which was causing the delay. Once that was cleared up, my payment was issued within 48 hours.
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Mia Roberts
my cousin works for edd (not in disability tho) and she says they're super backed up right now because of some new computer system they switched to in march. lots of claims getting stuck in weird statuses. if u have everything submitted right it should be fine but might take longer than usual
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Sophia Russo
•That's good to know, thanks! I wonder if my claim is stuck because of the new system. Really wish they'd communicate better about these delays.
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The Boss
I actually just went thru this last month! My claim sat there for over 2 weeks after my dr sent in the forms. Got super nervous and panicked about bills. Then suddenly one morning - boom! Money in my account! No notification or anything that it was approved. I checked my SDI account right after and it still showed as "received" even though the money was already in my bank. So their online system doesn't always update in real time.
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Sophia Russo
•That's reassuring! Maybe I'll be surprised with a deposit soon too. Did you receive the full amount including back pay to your first day of disability (after the waiting period)?
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The Boss
•Yes! I got everything I was entitled to including all the back pay. The first payment was really big because it covered like 3 weeks at once. After that the payments came regularly every two weeks. Hang in there!
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Evelyn Xu
One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure you're regularly certifying for your benefit periods if required. Some claims require you to certify every two weeks, while others (especially longer term disability) might be set up with automatic certification. Your SDI Online account should tell you if you need to certify or if it's automatic.
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Sophia Russo
•I don't see anything about certifying in my account. Is that something different from the doctor's certification? Do I need to do something on my end to keep the payments coming after I'm approved?
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Evelyn Xu
•It depends on your specific claim type and duration. For some shorter disability claims, the initial doctor certification is sufficient. For longer claims or certain medical conditions, you might need to submit continuing certification. Once your claim is processed, you should receive instructions in your account or by mail about whether you need to do anything else. If you're unsure, that's another good reason to try to speak with an EDD representative.
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Dominic Green
btw don't forget they take taxes out if u chose that option when u applied. my first payment was way less than i expected cause i forgot about the tax withholding!!!
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Sophia Russo
•Oh good point, I did select tax withholding. I'll make sure to budget for that. Thanks for the reminder!
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William Rivera
Based on everyone's responses and current processing times, I'd suggest giving it until about the 15-business day mark before getting too concerned. If you haven't received payment by then, definitely pursue more aggressive follow-up options. In the meantime, document every attempt you make to contact EDD (dates, times, outcomes) as this can be helpful if you need to escalate your case later.
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