I had my SDI extension call about 3 months ago and it was actually pretty straightforward! The key things that helped me were: 1) Having my doctor's most recent report that clearly stated I wasn't ready to return to work yet, 2) Being able to explain in simple terms how my condition was still affecting my ability to do my job, and 3) Having my original claim number handy. The whole call took maybe 15-20 minutes. One thing I wish I knew beforehand - they might ask about any part-time work or income you've had while on disability, so be prepared to discuss that honestly if it applies to you. You've got this! The anticipation is usually worse than the actual call.

I'm going through the same thing right now! Just got my call-in notice yesterday and I've been reading through all these comments - you all are lifesavers! 🙏 I'm feeling way less anxious now. One question though - for those who've done this, how long did it take to get your extension approved after the call? I'm trying to plan my finances and wondering if there's usually a gap in payments or if it's pretty seamless. Also, should I be worried if my doctor's note is from 3 weeks ago, or is that still recent enough? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Pro tip: if you cant get through on the phone, try reaching out on social media. Sometimes their Twitter team is more responsive than the phone lines.

Hey Isabella! I went through something similar last month. The call-in notice usually means they need clarification on your treatment or want to verify some details. When I called, they asked about my treatment frequency, if the chiro visit was related to my original disability, and wanted me to confirm some dates. The actual call only took about 15 minutes once I got through. Just be honest and straightforward - they're usually pretty reasonable. Good luck! 🤞

Update: My claim was just approved this morning! The status in the portal changed to "Claim Established" and shows my weekly benefit amount. No email notification, but I did get a text message. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance during the wait!

Congratulations on getting your claim approved! This is such a helpful thread for others going through the same process. It's reassuring to see that even though the waiting period can be stressful, EDD does come through. Your experience really shows how important it is to keep checking that portal regularly since the notification methods can be inconsistent. Best wishes for a smooth delivery and recovery period!

I'm going through something similar right now! Been waiting 3 weeks for my first SDI payment and it's so stressful not knowing what's going on. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like there's definitely something holding up your claim that's not showing in your online account. One thing that helped me was checking if I had any old mail from EDD that I might have missed - sometimes they send notices to your mailing address instead of the address on file with your employer. Also, when you do get through to someone, ask them to check if your Social Security number matches exactly what's on file with your employer's payroll system. A friend of mine had a delay because her employer had her SSN with dashes and EDD had it without dashes. Keep trying to call right at 8 AM - I've heard that's really the best time. Don't give up! A month without pay is ridiculous and they need to fix this ASAP.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - been waiting almost 4 weeks for my first SDI payment and it's causing major financial stress! Reading through everyone's responses here is really helpful because I had no idea there could be invisible holds on accounts that don't show up online. @Kolton Murphy - one thing I wanted to add that might help you: when I was researching this issue, I found out that sometimes EDD puts automatic holds on claims if your reported income doesn't exactly match what your employer submitted to their system. Even small differences in how wages are calculated (like including/excluding certain types of pay) can trigger a manual review. Also, since you mentioned your HR department is slow with paperwork - that could definitely be the issue. EDD needs wage verification from your employer, and if HR hasn't responded to their requests or submitted incomplete information, your claim gets stuck in limbo. I'm planning to try calling first thing Monday morning too. Maybe we'll both finally get some answers! This whole system is so broken - they really need to fix the online portal to show what's actually happening with our claims instead of leaving us in the dark.

have u tried turning it off and on again? 🤣

I went through this exact same nightmare a few months ago! Turns out my bank had changed their routing number and I never got notified. Even though my account number was correct, the old routing number caused my payments to bounce back to EDD. Check with your bank to make sure both your account AND routing numbers are still current - banks sometimes update their routing numbers without telling customers. Also, if you have a newer account or recently switched banks, some financial institutions have waiting periods before they accept government direct deposits. Might be worth asking your bank about that too!