I went through a similar backpay interview about 8 months ago for a 10-month delay. Here's what helped me prepare: 1. Write down a detailed timeline of your mental health struggles and how they specifically prevented you from filing - be very specific about symptoms (couldn't concentrate, overwhelming anxiety about paperwork, etc.) 2. Bring any medical records you have, even just therapy visit summaries or notes from your primary care doctor mentioning depression/anxiety 3. Practice explaining what changed that made you able to file now - this was a big question in my interview 4. If you have any texts, emails, or documentation from your employer about your termination or benefits, bring those too The interviewer in my case was actually pretty understanding when I explained how my depression made even simple tasks feel impossible. I got approved for 8 out of 10 months of backpay. The key is being honest and showing that your mental health genuinely prevented you from filing, not just that you "forgot" or "didn't feel like it." You've got this! The fact that you're preparing and asking for advice shows you're taking it seriously.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation. I went through a backpay interview last year for a 6-month delay due to mental health issues and was approved. Here are some key things that helped me: **Documentation is crucial** - Even if you only saw a therapist a few times, get whatever records you can. I also had my primary care doctor write a brief letter explaining how my depression affected my ability to handle administrative tasks during that period. **Be specific about how depression impacted you** - Don't just say "I was depressed." Explain exactly how it prevented filing: "I couldn't get out of bed for weeks at a time," "I was overwhelmed by any paperwork," "I couldn't focus long enough to complete the application," etc. **Prepare for the timeline questions** - They'll want to know what was happening month by month and what finally changed that allowed you to file. Have clear answers ready. **Bring everything** - Any medical records, therapy notes, texts/emails about your job loss, bank statements showing your financial situation, anything that supports your story. The interviewer was actually more understanding than I expected. Mental health is taken seriously as good cause, especially with some documentation. Even with 14 months, if you can show genuine inability to file due to depression, you have a real chance. You're doing the right thing by preparing thoroughly. Wishing you the best of luck!

Now that one of your payments has switched to "paid" status, that's a very good sign! The card is likely already in the mail. Since this is your first benefit payment, most people receive their card within 5-7 days after the payment status changes to "paid." Just make sure to activate the card immediately when it arrives by calling the number on the sticker. Then create your Money Network account online to manage your funds and set up direct deposit if desired. For future reference, all subsequent payments will be automatically loaded onto this same card or transferred to your bank account if you set up direct deposit.

I'm in a similar boat - just finished ID verification 6 days ago and anxiously waiting for my card! Reading through these responses is really reassuring. I had no idea about the Money Network phone number (855-291-0202) so I'm definitely going to try calling them tomorrow to at least confirm if my card has been mailed. The waiting is the worst part, especially when you're counting on that money for basic expenses. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines - it helps to know this delay is totally normal even though EDD's "7-10 business days" seems optimistic!

Mine is showing as processed now too! What a relief. Though I really wish they'd communicate better about these issues. It's so stressful not knowing if or when money you depend on will arrive.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been dealing with EDD/SDI for over a year now. This exact same thing happened to me back in January - payment didn't show up on the usual day, nothing in the online portal, and I was freaking out because I had rent due. Turns out it was a system glitch that affected a bunch of people. My payment ended up processing about 48 hours late. The key thing I learned is to NOT resubmit anything during these delays - it can actually trigger a manual review of your account which takes way longer to resolve. Just keep monitoring your SDI Online portal. If it shows as processed there, the money will hit your account within 1-2 business days. If it's still not showing as processed by Monday, then definitely call. Also, for anyone struggling to get through on the phones - try calling exactly at 8:00 AM when they open. I've had much better luck getting through in the first 30 minutes of the day. Hang in there everyone, these technical hiccups are frustrating but they usually resolve pretty quickly!

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the help! My certification from Sunday just processed and the payment DID go straight to my Money Network card automatically. Now I'm working on transferring the remaining balance from my BofA card to my checking account. The whole transition was definitely confusing but at least it's working now!

Great to hear it all worked out for you! This thread is going to be so helpful for other people going through the same transition. I'm still waiting for my Money Network card to arrive - EDD said it could take up to 10 business days. Did you have to do anything special to activate it or was it pretty straightforward? Also, how long did the bank transfer take from your BofA card to your checking account? I want to have everything ready to go when my card finally shows up!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

I'm going through something very similar! Applied for SDI about 6 weeks ago and only received the notice of computation. My claim also shows as "active" but no payments yet. After reading everyone's comments here, it sounds like the new ID.me verification requirements are causing major delays. I'm going to try calling using one of the services mentioned here since I haven't been able to get through on my own. Has anyone had luck getting their payments released after completing the identity verification process? Really hoping this gets resolved soon as I'm also on a time-sensitive leave situation.