How long for EDD SDI to respond to overpayment hardship form - still waiting after 3 weeks!

I went through this last May. In my experience, it took about 5-6 weeks for them to review and respond to my hardship form. The EDD is notoriously slow with processing these types of requests. They're supposed to review them within 30 days, but that rarely happens. If you can, I recommend continuing to call them at least a couple times a week. Try calling right when they open at 8am - sometimes you can get through easier then.

mine took almost 2 MONTHS to get a response!!! the edd is a joke when it comes to timeframes. they expect us to respond to them immediately but take forever themselves. hang in there.

The official response time for hardship form review is supposed to be 30 days, but current processing times are running 6-8 weeks minimum due to backlogs. Important: Make sure you've documented everything thoroughly in your hardship request. They need proof of your income, expenses, assets, and why repayment would cause significant financial hardship. If any documentation is missing, they'll deny it without telling you what's missing, and you'll have to start over. Also, they won't start collection activities while your hardship request is under review, so you don't need to worry about wage garnishment yet. If you haven't already, send a secure message through your SDI Online account specifically asking for confirmation that collection activities are paused during review.

ok but why did u get an overpayment in the first place? was it your fault or theirs? cuz that makes a huge difference in how they handle it

I've been through the exact same situation last fall! They took FOREVER to respond to my hardship form too. I was checking my mail every day like a crazy person. I tried calling a million times but could never get through - always the same recording saying they're experiencing high call volume, then it would hang up on me. So frustrating!!! Just when I was about to give up after about 7 weeks, I finally got a letter saying they approved a reduced payment plan. Not ideal but better than nothing I guess.

The EDD is CRIMINALLY slow with everything they do. I submitted a hardship form back in October 2024 and didn't hear back until mid-December. And guess what? They denied it with no explanation! Then I appealed, and I'm STILL waiting for a response on that. The whole system is designed to wear you down until you just give up and pay. My advice is to keep calling, document EVERYTHING, and if they do start garnishment before reviewing your hardship claim (which they're not supposed to do but sometimes do anyway), contact your state representative's office. That's the only thing that finally got movement on my case.

Have you checked your UI Online account for any updates? Sometimes they update your account status there before sending an official notice by mail. Also, make sure you've opted for electronic communications in your settings - you might get a response faster that way.

Based on my experience working with many clients in similar situations, hardship forms are currently taking 45-60 days to process. The department that handles these requests is separate from regular disability claims processing, and they're significantly understaffed following budget cuts in 2024. In the meantime, I suggest taking these steps: 1. Send a follow-up through SDI Online's message center specifically asking for confirmation that your hardship request was received and is in review. 2. Request that they place a temporary hold on collections while your hardship request is pending - they should do this automatically, but it's worth confirming. 3. If you have any change in financial circumstances (worse or better), submit an updated hardship form with the new information. 4. If it's been more than 45 days, you can request to speak with a supervisor when you call, as they sometimes have the ability to expedite reviews. Hang in there - the process is frustrating but they do eventually respond to everyone.