Waiting period before EDD SDI benefits kick in? Confused about the 7-day rule

Yes, there is a 7-day waiting period for California SDI benefits. This means you don't get paid for the first 7 days of your disability claim. The waiting period starts on the first day you're disabled according to your doctor, not when you file the claim. Your benefits will start on the 8th day of your disability if you meet all eligibility requirements.

when i was on disabilty last yr i didnt get paid for first week either but then got backdated for all the rest. ur coworker maybe had PFL not SDI? those r different

The 7-day waiting period is mandatory for all SDI claims in California. There are no exceptions based on your condition or employer. Your coworker likely confused SDI with something else, or perhaps had a supplemental private disability policy through your employer that covered the first week. You should definitely file your claim as soon as your doctor certifies your disability (don't wait until after the 7 days). The waiting period will be automatically applied by EDD. When budgeting, remember that SDI pays approximately 60-70% of your wages up to a maximum weekly benefit amount. If you have any sick time or PTO with your employer, many people use that to cover the waiting period week.

The waiting period is DEFINITELY 7 CALENDAR days, not work days. And it's so frustrating!! I had a 6-week leave earlier this year and lost an entire week's worth of benefits because of this stupid rule. Make sure you factor that into your budget. Also, when you file, expect the first payment to take 2-3 weeks to process even after the waiting period, so have enough savings to cover at least the first month!!!

My sister thought she would get paid for her first week too but didn't. Then she called EDD like 5 times and couldn't get through to anyone. She ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach a real person at EDD and get her questions answered. They have this video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Not sure if you'll need it but just FYI since the wait times are insane right now.

To clarify about the waiting period - it's 7 consecutive calendar days. You do need to include this period in your claim, but you won't receive benefits for it. When you file, you'll specify your first day of disability (as certified by your doctor), and EDD automatically counts 7 days from there before benefits begin. Regarding your budgeting concerns, remember that SDI benefits are approximately 60-70% of your wages (depending on your income level), up to a maximum of $1,620 per week in 2025. This is also taxable if you opt to have taxes withheld. One other thing to note: if you have multiple disability claims within a 12-month period, you typically only serve one waiting period per year.

When I went on maternity leave disability last year I was sooooo confused too! My doctor gave me this form and I had nooo idea what to do with it lol. But yeah there was definitely a 7-day waiting period. The most annoying part was they count it from when your doctor certifies you're disabled, not from when you submit the paperwork. Make sure your doctor puts the correct start date!

To answer your question about partial work - yes, you can receive partial SDI benefits if you return to work part-time during your recovery. This is called Partial Disability Benefits (PDB). You'll need to report your work hours and earnings when you certify for benefits. EDD will calculate your partial benefits using a specific formula. As for the waiting period question, here's a simple way to think about it: if your disability starts on a Monday, your waiting period is Monday through Sunday, and your SDI benefits would start the following Monday (the 8th day). The doctor's certification date is critical here, as that determines your official disability start date. One last tip: file your claim online through SDI Online for faster processing. Paper claims take significantly longer.

Just wanted to add my experience - I went through SDI for a knee surgery last fall and the 7-day waiting period definitely applies. What really helped me was setting up direct deposit beforehand through the SDI Online portal, so when my benefits did kick in after the waiting period, the payments came faster. Also, keep all your medical documentation organized because EDD might request additional forms during your claim. The whole process was smoother than I expected once I got past that initial waiting week. Good luck with your surgery!

As someone who recently navigated SDI for a back surgery, I can confirm everything others have said about the 7-day waiting period. One thing I wish I had known earlier is that you can actually start the claim process before your surgery date if your doctor is willing to certify the disability start date in advance. This can help speed up the overall timeline since EDD can begin processing your claim while you're still working. Just make sure your surgeon's office understands the SDI process - some doctors' offices are more familiar with it than others. Also, if you're planning to use any accrued sick time or vacation days to cover the waiting period, coordinate that with your HR department beforehand so there's no confusion about your employment status during the claim period.

I just went through this process a few months ago for my gallbladder surgery, and I can confirm the 7-day waiting period is real and unavoidable. What really caught me off guard was that even though I filed my claim immediately when my doctor cleared me for surgery, the waiting period still applied from my actual disability start date (the day after surgery). One thing that helped me financially was asking my employer about using accrued sick time or short-term disability benefits they might offer to bridge that first week gap. Some employers have supplemental policies that can help cover the waiting period. Also, make sure you understand exactly when your disability period officially starts - for planned surgeries, it's usually the day after your procedure when you're unable to work, not the day of surgery itself. The online filing system is definitely the way to go. I had my first payment about 10 days after my waiting period ended, which was much faster than I expected. Just be prepared for that initial financial gap and plan accordingly!

I went through SDI for a shoulder surgery earlier this year and wanted to share a few things that might help with your budgeting. The 7-day waiting period is definitely non-negotiable, but here's what I learned: make sure to file your claim as soon as possible after your doctor certifies your disability, even during that waiting week. The sooner you get in the system, the better. Also, when calculating your budget for those 8 weeks, remember that SDI benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your payments or handle it when you file your tax return. I chose to have them withheld to avoid any surprises later. One more tip - if you're planning to use sick time or PTO to cover that first week, make sure your employer knows exactly when your disability period starts so there's no overlap or confusion with your regular payroll. Some HR departments aren't super familiar with how SDI timing works, so being clear about dates helps everyone stay on the same page. Good luck with your surgery! The process is definitely manageable once you understand the timeline.

I'm scheduled for surgery next month and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One question I haven't seen addressed yet - if my surgery gets postponed or rescheduled, how does that affect the SDI claim timing? Do I need to update EDD if the disability start date changes, or should I wait to file until after the surgery is actually completed? My surgeon warned me that there's a chance my procedure might get moved due to hospital scheduling, and I want to make sure I don't mess up the claim process if that happens. Also, has anyone dealt with needing to extend their disability period beyond what was initially certified? My recovery time is estimated at 6-8 weeks but could potentially be longer depending on how the healing goes.

I went through SDI for a planned surgery about 6 months ago and can definitely confirm the 7-day waiting period applies to everyone - no exceptions. What really helped me was creating a detailed budget spreadsheet that accounted for: 1) No income for the first 7 days, 2) SDI benefits at 60-70% of my normal wages starting day 8, and 3) A potential 2-3 week delay before the first payment actually hits your account. Since you mentioned being out for 8 weeks, I'd strongly recommend having at least 3-4 weeks of expenses saved up to cover that initial gap. Also, double-check if your employer offers any supplemental short-term disability insurance - mine covered the waiting period which was a huge relief! The online filing system worked great for me, but make sure your doctor fills out all the forms correctly the first time. Any errors or missing information can cause significant delays. File as soon as your doctor certifies your disability start date, even during that waiting week - don't wait for the 7 days to pass before submitting your claim.

I just wanted to add something that might help with your planning - when I was preparing for my SDI claim last year, I found it really useful to contact EDD's customer service line a few weeks before my surgery just to ask general questions about the process. Yes, the wait times are long, but getting clarification ahead of time helped me avoid mistakes later. Also, since you mentioned budgeting for 8 weeks, don't forget that your SDI benefits will be reported on a 1099-G tax form at the end of the year, so factor that into your tax planning. And one more thing - if you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you can use those funds to help cover medical expenses during your recovery, which can help stretch your reduced income further. The whole process seems overwhelming at first, but once you get through that initial waiting period and first payment, it becomes much more manageable. Best of luck with your surgery and recovery!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now - scheduled for surgery in a few weeks and trying to figure out the financial planning! This thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my HR department: some employers allow you to "bank" vacation days or sick time specifically to cover situations like the SDI waiting period. My company lets me pre-schedule PTO for that first week so there's no gap in my paycheck, and then SDI kicks in after. It might be worth asking your HR if they have any similar policies or if they can work with you on timing the transition from regular pay to disability benefits. Also, I've been keeping a running list of all the medical documentation my doctor's office will need to complete - apparently being super organized about this upfront can prevent delays later. The forms look complicated but my surgeon's office said they handle SDI paperwork all the time, so hopefully that part will be smooth. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's making me feel way more prepared for this whole process!

I just went through this whole SDI process for my appendectomy last month and wanted to share a few things that might help! The 7-day waiting period is definitely real - no way around it. But here's what I wish I had known: you can actually call your doctor's office a few days before your surgery to get the disability certification paperwork started. My surgeon was able to pre-date everything so I could file my claim immediately after surgery instead of waiting for appointments. Also, make sure you have the EDD SDI Online account set up BEFORE you need it. I tried creating it while I was still groggy from anesthesia and made mistakes that delayed my claim by almost a week. One last tip - take screenshots of everything when you submit your claim online. The confirmation numbers and reference info become really important if you need to follow up later. The whole process was actually pretty smooth once I got past that first week gap, but having everything organized ahead of time made a huge difference!