Using CalFresh benefits while waiting for EDD SDI approval - allowed?
I'm in a bit of a financial bind and trying to navigate multiple benefit systems at once. I submitted applications for both CalFresh and SDI about 3 weeks ago. My CalFresh was approved pretty quickly (thankfully!), but my disability claim is still pending with no updates. My doctor submitted all the medical certification forms for my back injury, but EDD seems to be taking forever to process it. I'm worried about using my CalFresh benefits while waiting for SDI to be approved. Will using CalFresh somehow affect my disability claim? Do I need to report my CalFresh benefits on any SDI forms? I'm really confused about how these programs interact and don't want to do anything that might jeopardize either benefit. My rent is due next week and I'm getting really anxious about all this.
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Ana Erdoğan
CalFresh + SDI are totally separate programs u can def use both! I was on SDI for 4 months last year and got calfresh too. they dont care
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Ezra Bates
•That's a huge relief to hear. Did you have to report your SDI income to CalFresh once it started coming in? I'm worried about being accused of not reporting income changes.
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Sophia Carson
These are completely separate benefit programs with different eligibility requirements and funding sources. CalFresh is administered by county social services and SDI is through EDD. You absolutely can and should use your CalFresh benefits while waiting for your SDI determination. However, once your SDI payments begin, you'll need to report that income to your CalFresh caseworker as it may affect your CalFresh benefit amount. SDI counts as income for CalFresh purposes, but CalFresh doesn't count as income for SDI. You typically have 10 days to report income changes to CalFresh once you start receiving SDI.
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Elijah Knight
•All of this is 100% accurate. I work as an eligibility worker and we process both types of cases. They're completely separate systems. The only thing to remember is that once SDI starts, you must report that income for your CalFresh benefits because it could change your eligibility or benefit amount.
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Brooklyn Foley
I've been fighting with EDD for WEEKS trying to get my disability claim approved too!! They keep saying they need more medical documentation even though my doctor already sent everything twice!! Why is it taking them SO LONG to process these claims?? It's ridiculous!! And good luck trying to call them. I've called at least 20 times and either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours just to be told they need to "review my case" and someone will call me back (spoiler alert: they never do).
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Jay Lincoln
•If you're struggling to get through to an EDD SDI agent, I found a service called Claimyr that actually works. They help you skip the phone queue and connect with a real EDD agent. Just go to claimyr.com or check out their video demo: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd I was in a similar situation with my pregnancy disability claim last month - couldn't get through for weeks. Used Claimyr and got connected to an agent in about 30 minutes who resolved my pending claim issues. Definitely worth it when you're desperate to speak to someone about your case.
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Brooklyn Foley
•Omg thank you for this!! I'm going to try it tomorrow morning. I'm at my wits end with this whole process!
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Jessica Suarez
When I applied for benefits last year I had a similar situation. Just use the CalFresh now, they dont talk to each other. My SDI took 5 weeks to process btw so hang in there
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Ezra Bates
•5 weeks?! That's so much longer than I expected. Did you do anything special to finally get it approved or did it just happen on its own timeline?
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Marcus Williams
just wondering did u try calling EDD? sometimes u can get them to expedite ur claim if u explain financial hardship. thats what i did and they pushed mine thru faster
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Ezra Bates
•I've tried calling so many times but can't get through. The system just disconnects me after saying they have high call volume. Did you call at a specific time of day that worked better?
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Marcus Williams
•i called right when they opened at 8am on a wednesday. still waited like 45 mins but finally got someone. good luck!
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Sophia Carson
Regarding your SDI claim taking a long time - this is unfortunately common right now. The standard processing time is 14 days, but many claims are taking 3-5 weeks due to high volume. A few things that might help speed things up: 1. Check your SDI Online account daily for any messages requesting additional information 2. Make sure your doctor fully completed the medical certification with no missing fields 3. If it's been more than 21 days, you can request an expedite due to financial hardship As others have mentioned, calling EDD can help, but it's notoriously difficult to get through. Persistent calling early in the morning (8:00-8:30am) tends to work best.
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Ezra Bates
•Thank you for the detailed advice. I've been checking my SDI Online account daily but there are no messages or requests for additional info - it just says "pending." My doctor confirmed they completed the full certification. I'll try calling again tomorrow morning right when they open.
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Elijah Knight
Random question but has anyone ever had to pay back CalFresh? I'm on SDI now but worried about overpayments since the systems don't talk to each other regularly.
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Sophia Carson
•This is actually a common concern. Yes, if you don't report your SDI income to CalFresh in a timely manner (usually within 10 days of receiving your first payment), you could end up with a CalFresh overpayment that you'd need to repay. Always report any income changes to your county CalFresh office as soon as they happen to avoid this situation.
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Ezra Bates
Update: I tried using the Claimyr service mentioned above to reach EDD this morning and actually got through to someone! The agent told me my claim was stuck in review because they needed clarification on my last day worked (apparently there was a discrepancy between what I entered and what my employer reported). They're sending me a form to fill out, but the agent said once they receive it, they should be able to process my claim quickly. Thank you everyone for your help and advice. I'm definitely going to use my CalFresh benefits while I wait for this to be resolved, and I'll make sure to report my SDI income once it starts coming in.
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Ana Erdoğan
•awesome news!! glad ur getting it worked out!!
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