SDI claim timeline - doctor submitted portion on 1/6, when can I expect first EDD payment?
I filed my State Disability Insurance (SDI) claim online on January 3rd and my doctor submitted their certification on January 6th. My account now shows my weekly benefit amount on the website, but I haven't received any payment yet. I received a notification a few days after January 6th saying EDD was still waiting for my doctor's portion, but I think this message crossed in the system since my doctor had already submitted their part. There's nothing else showing in my inbox that needs attention. Is this normal? How long after the doctor submits their portion should I expect to receive my first payment? Should I be doing anything else while waiting or just be patient? This is my first time filing for SDI, so I'm not sure about the timeline.
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Mateo Gonzalez
SDI claims typically take 14-21 days to process after both portions (yours and your doctor's) have been submitted. Since your doctor submitted on 1/6, you're looking at somewhere between 1/20-1/27 for your first payment, assuming there are no issues with your claim. That notification about waiting for your doctor was probably sent automatically before their system registered the doctor's submission. As long as your account shows your weekly benefit amount, that's a good sign your claim is in the system and processing. Just sit tight for now!
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Nia Harris
•Thank you! That's reassuring. I was starting to worry something was wrong. I'll wait until the end of January before getting concerned.
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Aisha Ali
mine took almost a month last year!! the system is sooo slow sometimes just fyi
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Ethan Moore
•That's not typical though. Most SDI claims are processed within 2-3 weeks max after the doctor submits their portion. A month-long wait usually means there was an issue with the claim that needed additional review. The fact that OP can already see their weekly benefit amount is a good sign things are moving normally.
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Yuki Nakamura
Just went through this exact situation in December! After my doctor submitted their portion, it took 17 days before I received my first payment on my EDD debit card. The notification about waiting for the doctor's portion is definitely confusing - I got the same thing even though my doctor had already submitted. EDD's system doesn't always update in real-time. If you start getting antsy (like I did), you can try calling EDD to confirm everything is in order, but honestly it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get through. I spent 3 days trying to reach someone before I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect me with an EDD rep. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. They got me through to an agent who confirmed my claim was processing normally and I just needed to wait a few more days.
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Nia Harris
•I'm definitely getting anxious about it! I'll give it another week before trying to call. That service sounds helpful if I can't get through on my own. Did you have to do anything to activate your EDD debit card or did it just show up in the mail?
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Ethan Moore
One important thing to note: Your SDI claim date officially starts the day after your last day of work, not the date you or your doctor filed the paperwork. The first 7 days are your waiting period (unpaid), and benefits start on day 8. So if you stopped working on 12/30, for example, your benefits would start on 1/7. Just make sure you're calculating your expected payment date with that in mind. Also, many people confuse SDI (State Disability Insurance) with UI (Unemployment Insurance). They're completely different programs with different timelines and requirements. Since you mentioned your doctor submitted a portion, you're definitely on SDI, which is the correct benefit for medical conditions.
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Aisha Ali
•omg i didnt know about the 7 day waiting period when i first applied!! i was like WHERE IS MY MONEY?? lol
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StarSurfer
my friend just went thru this and she said it took exactly 2 weeks after her doctor sent in the forms! but i think everyone's experience is different depending on how busy they are
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Yuki Nakamura
Just to add to my earlier comment - check if you need to register your Bank of America EDD card when it arrives. They don't always make it clear that you need to activate it online or by phone. Also, you can set up direct deposit to your personal bank account through the B of A EDD card website once you get it. Makes things much more convenient!
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Carmen Reyes
•Actually they've switched from Bank of America to Money Network for all EDD debit cards now. The process is basically the same though - you'll get the card in the mail and need to activate it. But the website and customer service is completely different. I think they made the switch around mid-2023.
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Andre Moreau
Hate to be the bearer of bad news BUT sometimes the EDD claims get stuck in their system even when everything looks normal on your end. I had a claim last year that showed my benefit amount but then nothing happened for 6 weeks!!! Finally had to contact my state assembly member to get it resolved. Apparently my claim was flagged for "further review" but nobody bothered to tell me. The system is BROKEN and they don't care about people waiting for money they need for MEDICAL BILLS and RENT!!! 😡
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Mateo Gonzalez
•While that can happen, it's definitely not the norm. Most claims process within the standard timeframe. Let's not worry the OP unnecessarily when they're still well within the normal processing window.
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Nia Harris
Update: Just wanted to let everyone know my first payment was issued today (1/22)! So it took 16 days after my doctor submitted their certification. Thanks for all the helpful advice and information. For anyone else in this situation, the key seems to be patience (although it's hard when you're waiting for money to pay bills).
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Great news! Thanks for coming back to update. This is helpful for others to see a real timeline example.
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Aisha Ali
•congrats!! 🎉
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Zara Rashid
Congrats on getting your payment! This is such a helpful thread - I'm bookmarking it for future reference. It's really reassuring to see actual timelines from real people who've gone through the SDI process. The 16-day timeline from doctor submission to first payment seems pretty consistent with what others have shared here. Thanks for taking the time to update us with your outcome!
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Nora Brooks
•Totally agree! This thread has been so helpful. I'm currently waiting on my own SDI claim (doctor submitted last week) and seeing everyone's real experiences and timelines is way more useful than the vague info on EDD's website. It's nice to know what to actually expect instead of just guessing. Hope your claim goes smoothly when you need it!
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Yara Assad
This whole thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently going through the SDI process myself - my doctor submitted their portion about a week ago and I've been anxiously checking my account daily. Seeing that 16 days is pretty typical really helps set realistic expectations. One question for those who've been through this: did you get any kind of notification when your first payment was issued, or did the money just show up on your EDD card? I want to make sure I don't miss anything important while I'm waiting.
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