Short-term SDI after breast cancer surgery - filing questions & payment timeline

File the claim IMMEDIATELY. The 7-day waiting period starts counting from when her disability began (Feb 8th), not when she files. So the sooner she files, the sooner she'll get paid. She'll receive approximately 60-70% of her regular wages up to the maximum benefit amount. My SDI claim from December was processed in about 10-12 days, but that can vary based on how quickly her doctor submits the medical certification. Make sure her doctor knows she needs that paperwork submitted ASAP.

OMG make sure she submits THE MINUTE she gets the doctors paperwork!! My payments were delayed for FIVE WEEKS last year because they claimed my doctor didn't fill out part of the form correctly. They never even bothered to notify me until I called a dozen times!!!! The whole system is designed to make it hard to get benefits we literally PAY FOR with our taxes. The EDD disability people are the worst.

Going through something similar with my mom right now. Here's what you need to know: 1. File immediately - the 7-day waiting period starts from her first day of disability (Feb 8th) 2. Yes, there's a 7-day unpaid waiting period, so she won't get paid for the first week 3. SDI pays approximately 60-70% of regular wages (it's calculated based on her highest quarter of earnings in a base period) 4. Processing time varies, but expect 2-3 weeks minimum if everything goes smoothly Pro tip: After filing online, your wife will receive a DE 2501 form receipt number. Her doctor needs to submit the medical certification form (Doctor's Certificate) online through SDI Online or by mail. The doctor's certification is CRUCIAL - the claim won't process without it.

when i had my breast cancer surgery in 2023 i did disabilty right after surgerey and got aproved fast but didnt get paid for almost a month. you get like 60% of your pay i think. good luck to your wife for her recovery!

If you're having trouble reaching EDD to check on the status of your wife's claim (which you likely will), I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was going crazy trying to reach someone at EDD SDI after filing my claim. Claimyr helped me get through to an actual person in about 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. Saved me so much stress during my own cancer treatment. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's diagnosis. I know how stressful that can be on top of financial worries. For her SDI claim: 1. File immediately after her surgery date. The claim can be backdated to when her disability began (Feb 8th). 2. Yes, there is a 7-day unpaid waiting period for all SDI claims. 3. SDI pays approximately 60-70% of her wages based on her highest quarter of earnings in a specific base period. There's also a weekly maximum benefit amount (around $1,620 in 2025). 4. Processing times vary but typically take 10-14 days after both your wife's claim and her doctor's certification are received. However, I've seen delays of 3-4 weeks recently if there are any issues with the paperwork. Make sure her doctor submits the medical certification promptly - this is usually the biggest cause of delays. You can track the status of her claim online through SDI Online once it's submitted.

u should file asap. my mom had surgery last yr and the doctor gave her the wrong form at first so it delayed everything. make sure they fill out the edd form not their own doctor note thing. also the payment is def less than full pay but better than nothing obv

To answer your most recent questions - yes, your wife can check if her doctor has submitted the certification. After she files her claim online, she'll be able to log into her SDI Online account and see the status. It will show something like "Medical certification received" or "Waiting for medical certification." If it's showing that they're still waiting for certification after a few days, call her doctor's office. Sometimes they forget or it gets lost in their administrative workflow, especially with busy oncologists. Also, based on your wife's hourly rate ($31/hour), she'll likely qualify for a good benefit amount, though it will be less than her full salary. Make sure when filing that she reports her total wages correctly, including any overtime or bonuses from her base period.

@Profile6 I tried Claimyr today and it ACTUALLY WORKED!! Got through to a real person at EDD after trying for days on my own. They explained that my claim needed additional verification because I had a previous claim this year. Worth every penny to not spend hours on hold!!

One more thing - make sure you understand that if your wife needs more time off beyond March 1st, her doctor will need to complete an extension certification. Don't wait until the last minute for this. Have her talk to her oncologist about the potential need for an extension at her next appointment. Also, if she'll be starting chemotherapy, that could qualify for continued disability coverage depending on how it affects her ability to work. Each phase of cancer treatment can qualify differently, so stay in communication with her healthcare team about documentation needs. As for payment timeline - in my mom's case, once her claim was approved, the first payment arrived within 2-3 days via the EDD debit card. Subsequent payments were very consistent as long as we did the continued certifications correctly. Just be prepared for that initial 2-3 week processing period before the first payment arrives.

I know EDD says they process claims within 14 days but that's rarely the case anymore. From what I've seen lately (I work in medical billing), it's taking more like 3-4 weeks for most patients. You should file immediately, but also prepare financially for a delay. The SDI payment will be retroactive to the end of the waiting period, but that doesn't help with immediate bills. One thing that can speed up processing: if her doctor submits the medical certification electronically through SDI Online rather than mailing a paper form. Ask her doctor's office if they do electronic submission for EDD.

I went through this exact situation with my husband when he had colon cancer surgery last year. A few additional tips that might help: 1. Keep copies of EVERYTHING - your wife's claim confirmation, doctor's notes, any correspondence from EDD. I had to resubmit paperwork twice because they "lost" it. 2. If your wife works for a large employer, check if they have an HR person who handles disability claims. Some companies have staff who can help walk employees through the EDD process. 3. The EDD debit card usually arrives about a week after your first payment is processed, so don't panic if you don't see it immediately. 4. For the medical certification, some oncology offices are slow with paperwork because they're focused on patient care (understandably). Don't be afraid to call and politely follow up after a few days. Sending positive thoughts for your wife's recovery. The financial stress is real, but the disability benefits will help bridge the gap while she focuses on getting better.