SDI payment delays after approval - 3 months with no money despite daily calls

omg this happened to my cousin too!! his claim was approved but no $$ for like 2 months. he kept calling and calling and nothing. idk why they approve people but then dont actually pay them?? makes no sense

This is a frustratingly common issue with SDI right now. When your claim shows approved but payments don't process, it's usually because there's a hidden flag on your account that requires manual review by an SDI representative. The most common reasons are: 1) Identity verification issue 2) Wage discrepancy between what you reported and employer records 3) Previous claim overlap 4) System glitch in the payment processing module Unfortunately, you're right that getting through on the phone is nearly impossible using the standard method. The SDI system is severely understaffed since they cut personnel after the pandemic surge.

Have you tried faxing them? I know it sounds ridiculous in 2025 but when I had a similar issue last summer, sending a fax to the SDI office actually got me a callback within 3 days. I found the fax number buried on their website somewhere.

After dealing with the same nightmare scenario (approved but no payment for weeks), I finally used Claimyr and it was a LIFESAVER. It's this service that gets you through to an actual EDD/SDI representative without the endless calling. Costs money but it connected me to an agent in about 20 minutes after I'd wasted WEEKS trying on my own. The agent fixed my payment issue while I was on the phone with them. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd or their website claimyr.com. Seriously worth it when you're owed thousands and can't get through.

One more thing to try: contact your state assembly member's office. Their constituent services team can often intervene with EDD on your behalf. I've seen them resolve payment issues when people couldn't get through themselves. Just Google "[your city] state assembly member" and their office will have a constituent services request form on their website.

I had this EXACT problem early this year. What eventually worked was sending a message through SDI Online specifically using these words in the subject line: "URGENT: APPROVED CLAIM WITH NO PAYMENT FOR [X] WEEKS" and in the message I explained I had medical bills piling up and was facing eviction. Got a call back within 48 hours. The rep said using "URGENT" flags it differently in their system. Also make sure you've completed ALL certifications - sometimes there's one hiding in the system that's not obvious.

THE EDD SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!!! I went through the same thing last year and almost lost my house waiting for payments they ALREADY APPROVED. They expect disabled people to somehow survive with NO INCOME while they sit on approved claims?? It's criminal! I finally got through after 3 months of calling, and you know what they said? "Oh there was a note needed in your file" - A NOTE!!! 3 MONTHS OF NO MONEY BECAUSE OF A STUPID NOTE!!! The whole system needs to be scrapped and rebuilt!

UPDATE: I tried several of your suggestions! Used Claimyr this morning and actually got through to a real person after 25 minutes (compared to weeks of failed calls). The agent said there was a "payment verification flag" on my account due to a mismatch between my last employer's wage report and my claim. She removed the flag while I was on the phone and said I should receive ALL my back payments within 5-7 business days! I'm cautiously optimistic but this is the first real progress in months. Will update again when/if the money hits my account. Thank you all for the helpful advice!