Pregnancy disability claim mailed in - can I check status online or only by mail?

Yes, you can absolutely check a mailed claim online! You'll need to register for an SDI Online account if you haven't already. Go to the EDD website and click on 'Benefit Programs Online' to create an account. Once you're registered, you can then register for SDI Online specifically. You should be able to see your claim status within about 7-10 days after they receive your paperwork. The system will match your personal information with your paper claim. Make sure the name and SSN match exactly what you put on your DE 2501 form.

when I did my pregnancy claim last year I had to wait for the first letter in the mail which had my claim number before I could see anything online. took like 2 weeks to get that first letter. so annoying!

I HATE how the EDD makes everything so complicated!!! I went through the exact same thing with my pregnancy disability last year. You basically CANNOT check anything online until they process your claim and mail you that stupid first letter with your claim number. It's ridiculous in 2025 that they can't have a better system. I ended up calling them like 30 times before I finally got through to check my status because I was so anxious about when my payments would start.

You might want to try using Claimyr if you need to reach an EDD representative to check your status before you get that first letter. I was in the same boat and was going crazy waiting. I used claimyr.com and it got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The agent I spoke with was able to confirm they received my claim and gave me an estimate of when processing would be complete. Saved me a lot of anxiety during an already stressful time with my pregnancy.

Yes, there is a fee, but for me it was worth it to get peace of mind and actually talk to someone. They don't get you through any faster than anyone else would if they got lucky with the phone system - they just handle the hold time and callbacks for you. With pregnancy stress and doctor appointments, I didn't have hours to spend redialing EDD.

One thing to keep in mind with pregnancy disability claims specifically is that they usually take a bit longer to process than regular disability claims. This is because they have to determine both your disability period before birth AND your potential bonding period after birth (which is actually PFL, not SDI). Sometimes the EDD representatives get confused between the two programs themselves! If you're already on bed rest, make sure your doctor clearly documented that on the medical certification. If they just put your expected delivery date, the EDD might incorrectly assume your disability starts 4 weeks before your due date (the standard for normal pregnancies), which would be a problem if you're already unable to work 8 weeks before. If it's been more than 14 business days since you mailed your claim, I'd definitely recommend calling them to check on status.

just make sure when u do eventually get online access that u double check everything is correct!! my first payment was super delayed becus they used the wrong start date for my pregnancy disability

Since you're already on bed rest, if you haven't received anything by day 14-15 after submitting, I'd definitely recommend following up. Pregnancy disability claims that start earlier than the standard 4 weeks before due date sometimes need additional review, but they shouldn't take significantly longer. Once you do get access to your online account, make sure you set up email notifications - that way you'll get alerts when there are any updates to your claim status without having to constantly check the portal. Also, remember that there's a 7-day waiting period for SDI benefits (including pregnancy disability) where you won't be paid. This is normal and applies to everyone. Your first payment will come after that waiting period.