Is it too late to appeal EDD SDI denial from 2022 due to application error?

Unfortunately, EDD is very strict about those appeal deadlines. The standard timeframe to appeal an SDI denial is 20 days from the date on the notice of determination. After that, you'd need to show "good cause" for filing late. Three years is a very long time, and it would be extremely difficult to get them to consider it. Your best option might be to file a new claim if he's still having medical issues, but you can't retroactively get benefits from 2022 at this point.

My brother had something similar happen but it was only 2 months after deadline not 3 years... he wrote a letter explaining his situation and they still denied his appeal for being late :

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DENY PEOPLE BENEFITS!! They make these forms confusing ON PURPOSE so people make mistakes and get denied! I bet if you checked with a lawyer they'd tell you that the EDD does this ALL THE TIME and denies thousands of legitimate claims over tiny errors like this!! Your husband deserved those benefits and got SCREWED by bureaucracy!!!

While the 20-day appeal deadline is standard, EDD does have a process for late appeals called "good cause" determination. However, be aware that "good cause" typically means situations like: - You were physically or mentally unable to file on time - You misunderstood the requirements due to language barriers - You received incorrect information from EDD staff - There was a postal service delay Simply not noticing an error for three years probably won't qualify as good cause. That said, you could try submitting a late appeal with a detailed explanation, but be prepared for it to be rejected. Another option might be to contact your state representative's office. They sometimes can help with EDD issues, though a case this old would be challenging.

When I had trouble reaching EDD about my late appeal (only 40 days late though, not years), I tried calling for WEEKS and always got disconnected. A friend told me about this service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD representative in less than 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd and their website is claimyr.com. Worth checking out if you decide to pursue this - at least you could talk to a real person and get a definitive answer rather than just guessing about your options.

just wondering did ur husband get any payment at all from edd even partial benefits? sometimes they approve part of a claim but deny another part. might change ur options maybe

I just remembered something that might help - there's actually a "Safe Harbor" provision for SDI overpayments that might be relevant to your situation. If a claimant makes an honest mistake without intent to defraud, EDD sometimes waives recovery of overpayments. While your case isn't about an overpayment, you could try making a similar argument that the application error was an honest mistake with no fraudulent intent. You could try submitting DE 2545 (Notice of Appeal) explaining the circumstances, citing the Safe Harbor provisions as a parallel, and requesting special consideration. It's still a long shot after 3 years, but it might be worth attempting if the benefits would have been substantial.

Just an update on what I've learned since dealing with my own appeal situation - EDD is currently experiencing a huge backlog of current claims and appeals. Even if you do manage to file a late appeal with good cause, you might be waiting 6+ months for them to even review it. Just wanted to set realistic expectations if you decide to pursue this route.

When I worked in HR we had an employee who marked the wrong box too and got denied. Our HR department wrote a letter confirming his wage situation and he got it fixed but that was within the appeal window. Just one thing tho - are you sure that was the actual reason for denial? The letter should have stated specifically why he was denied. Sometimes the issue is with the medical certification, not the application.

Based on your latest comment about the denial being for "insufficient medical documentation," that's a completely different issue than what you originally thought. This actually changes things significantly. If the doctor didn't properly complete the medical certification (form DE 2501) or didn't provide enough supporting information about the disability, that would be the reason for denial - not the wages checkbox. For future reference for anyone reading this thread: Always make sure your doctor fully completes the medical certification form with detailed information about your condition, limitations, and expected recovery time. Vague or incomplete medical documentation is one of the most common reasons for SDI denials.

Don't feel embarrassed about the confusion - it's actually really common for people to focus on the wrong part of their denial when they're stressed and dealing with medical issues. The fact that you're looking into this now shows you care about getting answers. Since the denial was for insufficient medical documentation, you might want to contact your husband's doctor from 2022 to see if they have any records of what was submitted. Sometimes doctors don't realize how detailed EDD needs the medical certification to be. Even though it's been 3 years, understanding what went wrong could help if you ever need to file for SDI again in the future. The medical documentation requirements are really strict - they need specific details about functional limitations, treatment plans, and expected recovery timelines. A simple note saying "patient is disabled" usually isn't enough for EDD approval.