Something else I just thought of - make SURE you certify for your UI correctly for the last period. If your SDI starts mid-week, you need to report that you were unable to work for those days on your UI certification. Don't claim availability for work on days your doctor has certified you as disabled. That's considered misrepresentation and can cause big problems.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you file your SDI claim online, there's a section where you can indicate that you were previously receiving other state benefits. Make sure to check that box and specify UI benefits. This creates a paper trail that shows you were transparent about the transition, which can help protect you if there are any questions later. Also, if you're planning to return to work after your pregnancy disability period ends, your UI claim should still be there waiting for you (assuming you still have benefit weeks remaining and meet eligibility requirements). You don't lose your UI claim by switching to SDI temporarily. Good luck with everything, and take care of yourself during this bedrest period! 💜

LPT: Llama temprano en la mañana, como a las 8:01 AM. He notado que hay menos espera y más probabilidad de conseguir un agente que hable español a esa hora.

También puedes intentar llamar el número principal y cuando te digan "Para continuar en inglés, presiona 1" simplemente espera sin presionar nada. A veces automáticamente te conectan con un agente bilingüe. Y si eso no funciona, di claramente "Necesito ayuda en español" - es la ley que te tienen que proporcionar servicios en tu idioma. ¡No te rindas!

Just joined this community after discovering it through my own EDD phone struggles! 😅 I've been trying to get through for about 3 weeks now and honestly, reading all these strategies is like finding a treasure trove of survival tactics. The comma method sounds like some kind of phone system cheat code - definitely trying that tomorrow along with the 8:02 AM timing trick. It's wild that we've basically had to turn into telecommunications hackers just to access unemployment benefits, but I'm grateful for everyone sharing their hard-won knowledge here. The fact that people are celebrating getting through after MONTHS of trying really shows how broken this system is. At least we're all supporting each other through this madness! Planning to try the rapid-fire menu navigation (1-1-2) combined with the slightly offset timing. Wish me luck! 🤞

Hey everyone! New member here - just joined after weeks of my own EDD phone battles! 📞😤 Reading through all these strategies has been incredibly helpful. I'm planning to try the 8:02 AM timing trick tomorrow along with the comma method and rapid-fire menu navigation. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to become phone system ninjas just to get basic help, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share these survival tactics! The solidarity here is amazing - knowing we're all fighting the same broken system together makes it feel less isolating. Will definitely have all my documents ready and remember to be extra kind to whoever I eventually reach. Thanks for creating this supportive space where we can share our hard-won knowledge! 🤝💪

As a newcomer to this community and SDI benefits, I'm amazed by how helpful this thread has been! I'm currently dealing with my first disability claim after a surgery last month, and like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea about the ongoing certification requirements. The initial paperwork process was confusing enough, but nobody mentioned that I'd need to keep submitting forms every two weeks to continue receiving payments. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a wake-up call - it's clear that EDD's communication about these critical steps is really lacking. I'm definitely going to implement all the advice shared here: checking my SDI Online account weekly, setting up those biweekly certification reminders, and getting direct deposit set up ASAP. The fact that people are discovering these requirements through missed payments or community forums like this instead of clear communication from EDD is really troubling. Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to share their knowledge and experiences - it's going to save newcomers like me from making costly mistakes while we're already dealing with health issues and financial stress.

As a newcomer to this community and the SDI system, I'm blown away by how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently in the early stages of my first disability claim after an unexpected medical situation, and honestly, I was feeling completely lost about how any of this works. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences and advice has been like getting a crash course in navigating EDD that I never received from the actual agency. The fact that so many people discovered critical requirements like biweekly certifications through missed payments or community forums instead of clear official communication is really eye-opening. I'm definitely implementing all the strategies mentioned here - weekly account checks, biweekly certification reminders, immediate direct deposit setup, and keeping detailed records. It's reassuring to see how supportive this community is in helping newcomers understand a system that seems deliberately confusing. Thank you to everyone who's shared their knowledge and experiences - you're literally helping people avoid financial hardship during already difficult times. @Joshua Wood, I hope your recovery has been going well and that your payment situation is all sorted out now!

This thread is such a perfect example of why community knowledge sharing is so valuable! I'm also navigating my first SDI claim and honestly had no clue about the upload button timing issues until reading everyone's experiences here. The 24-72 hour delay explanation is mind-blowing - such a simple piece of information that EDD should absolutely mention during those phone calls but apparently doesn't! What really strikes me is how many people have gone through this exact same frustrating experience of being told they can upload documents, then spending hours searching for a button that isn't there yet. It's like there's this hidden knowledge about how the system actually works that you can only get from other people who've been through it. All the practical tips shared here - desktop vs mobile, file formats, having documents ready, understanding different document types appear at different times - are incredibly helpful. This is the kind of real-world guidance that makes all the difference when you're trying to navigate such a confusing system while already stressed about your benefits being on hold. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. As someone just starting this journey, reading through this whole discussion has made me feel so much more prepared for whatever weird quirks I might encounter with the EDD portal!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been through multiple SDI claims over the past few years. This thread is absolutely golden - I wish something like this existed when I first started navigating the EDD system! The upload button timing issue is SO real and frustrating. I've encountered it at least three times across different claims, and each time I forgot about the delay and panicked all over again. What I've learned is to screenshot or write down exactly what the rep tells you during that phone call, including the date/time, because sometimes when you call back they have no record of the previous conversation. One additional tip I'd share - if you're dealing with ongoing/chronic conditions and expect to file future claims, keep a running folder of all your medical documentation in PDF format and under their file size limits. Having everything ready to go when that upload button finally appears saves so much stress. @cd33dae18b61 so glad this worked out for you! This thread is going to help so many people avoid the same confusion. The collective knowledge in this community really is better than anything you'll get from official EDD channels.