When do EDD SDI payments arrive after the first payment? Payment schedule confusion
I just received my first SDI payment on November 21st (yesterday) and I'm trying to figure out when to expect the next payment. Is disability on a bi-weekly schedule like unemployment, or is it different? I'm trying to plan my bills and don't want to come up short. My claim started Nov 7th and I'm approved for 3 months. Anyone know the payment schedule for California SDI?
23 comments


Ava Thompson
EDD SDI payments are typically issued every two weeks for most claimants. Since you got your first payment on November 21st, you should expect your next payment around December 5th, assuming there aren't any certification issues. Just make sure you submit your continued claim certification form (DE 2500A) when they send it to you - that's what triggers the next payment.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Thank you! So I need to certify for disability like I did with unemployment? I didn't realize that. Will they mail me something or do I need to log into the website?
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CyberSiren
it depends on how ur doctor filled out ur form. if they certified u for the whole 3 months at once u might get paid automatically. i didn't have to do anything after initial claim and got paid every 2 weeks
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Miguel Alvarez
•This isn't entirely accurate. Whether your doctor certifies you for the entire period or not, EDD still requires certification for continued benefits. The certification process for disability is different from unemployment though - for SDI you'll either need to complete the DE 2500A form they mail you OR your doctor needs to submit continuing certification. Without one of these, payments will stop.
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Zainab Yusuf
For California SDI, payments typically come every two weeks after your first payment. So if you received your first payment on November 21st, you can expect your next one around December 5th, then December 19th, and so on. Regarding certification: unlike unemployment, SDI certification varies by case. In some situations, your doctor may have certified for the full period already. In others, you might need to submit continued claim forms (DE 2500A) that arrive by mail. I'd recommend logging into your SDI Online account to check if you need to submit any additional forms. You can see your claim status and if there are any pending certifications needed.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Thanks for explaining! I just checked my SDI Online account and it says my next payment is scheduled for Dec 5th. There's nothing showing I need to certify right now, but I'll keep an eye out for any forms in the mail just in case.
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Connor O'Reilly
When I was on disability last year, I kept having problems with late payments! Some would come on time and others would be delayed. You might want to call EDD to confirm your payment schedule and make sure everything is set up right. I spent DAYS trying to get through on the phone though...
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Yara Khoury
•I had the exact same problem! Spent hours trying to reach a real person at EDD. Eventually I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. It was so much better than constantly redialing and getting hung up on by their automated system. The agent confirmed my payment schedule and fixed an issue with my address that was causing delays.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Thanks for the tip! I hope I don't run into payment delays, but if I do, I'll remember this. It's stressful enough being out of work for medical reasons without having to worry about when money will arrive.
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Keisha Taylor
OMG the 7 day waiting period for SDI is so annoying!!! Did they make you wait a full week before benefits started? That first week doesn't count toward your payments which is total BS if you ask me. My first payment was late and then the rest were on time every 2 weeks.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Yes! I was surprised about the waiting period too. My doctor took me off work on Nov 1st, but my benefits didn't start until Nov 7th because of that waiting week. Seems unfair when we're already dealing with health issues.
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Ava Thompson
Just to clarify about the certification process: if your doctor certified you for the full 3-month period up front, you likely won't need to submit bi-weekly certifications like with unemployment. However, if your doctor only certified for part of the period, you'll either need to have them submit additional medical certifications OR you might receive continued claim forms (DE 2500A) to complete. Either way, payments should continue automatically every two weeks as long as all required certifications are on file. The November 21st payment likely covered your benefit period from November 7th (after the waiting period) through November 20th. Your next payment should cover November 21st through December 4th, and would typically arrive on December 5th.
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Dmitry Volkov
•That makes sense! My doctor completed the form for the full 3 months, so hopefully I won't need to do anything else. The SDI Online account is showing my claim as active through February 2026, so it seems like everything is set up correctly. What a relief to not have to certify every two weeks like with unemployment!
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Zainab Ismail
Just wanted to add that you can also set up direct deposit through your SDI Online account if you haven't already - it makes receiving payments much faster and more reliable than waiting for checks in the mail. Also, keep all your payment records organized because you'll need them for tax purposes next year. SDI payments are taxable income, so you'll receive a 1099-G form. Hope your recovery goes smoothly!
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Dmitry Volkov
•Great advice about direct deposit! I actually set that up when I first applied, so my payment went straight to my account on the 21st. Definitely much better than waiting for a check. I didn't know about the tax implications though - thanks for the heads up about the 1099-G. I'll make sure to keep good records of all my payments.
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QuantumQuasar
As someone new to SDI, I really appreciate all the detailed information everyone shared here! I'm currently going through the application process myself and this thread answered so many questions I had about payment schedules and certification requirements. It's reassuring to know that if my doctor certifies for the full period, I won't have to deal with bi-weekly certifications like unemployment. The direct deposit tip is especially helpful - I'll make sure to set that up right away. Thanks everyone for creating such a supportive community!
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Dominique Adams
•Welcome to the community! I'm also pretty new to navigating SDI and this thread has been incredibly helpful. It's amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you hear from people who've actually been through the process. The payment schedule confusion was definitely stressing me out, but seeing everyone's experiences makes me feel much more prepared. Hope your application goes smoothly - this seems like a great place to get support and real answers when the official EDD resources aren't clear enough.
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Evelyn Xu
This is such a helpful thread! I'm currently waiting for my first SDI payment and was wondering about the same timing questions. Based on what everyone shared, it sounds like the bi-weekly schedule is pretty consistent once you get that first payment. I'm curious though - does the payment amount stay the same throughout your claim period, or can it change? My doctor certified me for 6 weeks initially, and I'm hoping the weekly benefit amount I was quoted will remain steady. Also, has anyone had experience with partial disability payments if you're able to work reduced hours while recovering?
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Miguel Harvey
•Great questions! From my experience, the weekly benefit amount does stay consistent throughout your claim period - it's calculated based on your highest quarter earnings in your base period, so that shouldn't change. As for partial disability, yes, you can potentially receive reduced SDI benefits if you're able to work part-time while recovering, but you need to report any wages earned. The key is getting your doctor's approval first before returning to any work, even reduced hours. You'll want to discuss this with both your doctor and potentially call EDD to understand how partial work affects your specific benefit amount. Make sure to keep detailed records of any wages if you do return to partial work!
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Giovanni Rossi
I'm dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly informative! I received my first SDI payment last week and was also confused about the schedule. One thing I wanted to add is that you can sign up for text notifications through your SDI Online account - they'll send you alerts when payments are processed. This has been really helpful for my peace of mind since I can track when payments are coming without constantly logging in to check. Also, if anyone is struggling with the financial gap during that first waiting week, some local disability advocacy organizations have emergency assistance programs that can help bridge that period. It's worth looking into community resources while you're getting established on SDI.
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Connor Richards
•This is such valuable information, thank you for sharing! I had no idea about the text notification feature - that would definitely help with the anxiety of not knowing when payments are coming. I'm going to set that up right away. The tip about local disability advocacy organizations is also really helpful. I was fortunate that I had some savings to cover that first waiting week, but I can imagine how stressful that gap must be for people who are already dealing with medical issues and sudden loss of income. It's great to know there are community resources available. This whole thread has been so much more helpful than trying to navigate the EDD website alone!
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Omar Farouk
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently waiting for my SDI approval and had no idea about some of these details. The information about the bi-weekly payment schedule, potential certification requirements, and especially the direct deposit setup is exactly what I needed to know. I'm also grateful for the heads up about the tax implications - I definitely wouldn't have thought about keeping records for the 1099-G. One question I have: if there are any delays or issues with payments, is it better to try calling EDD directly or use the SDI Online account to troubleshoot first? I've heard mixed experiences about reaching EDD by phone, but I want to know the most efficient way to resolve problems if they come up during my claim period.
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Javier Torres
•Great question about troubleshooting payment issues! From what I've seen in this community, it's usually best to start with your SDI Online account first - you can check your claim status, payment history, and see if there are any pending actions needed on your end. The online account will often show specific reasons for delays (like missing forms or address issues). If everything looks correct online but you're still having problems, then calling becomes necessary. As someone mentioned earlier, services like Claimyr can help you actually get through to a human at EDD without spending hours on hold. The key is to exhaust the self-service options first since they're available 24/7, then escalate to phone support if the online tools don't resolve your issue.
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