Hey Taylor! I just went through this exact same process about 3 months ago, so I totally understand how overwhelming it can feel as a first-timer. Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: **Reality check on timing:** That 3-day processing time Sedgwick mentioned is just for them to open your file and start reviewing. The actual approval took about 2.5 weeks for me, and then I had to separately file with EDD for the payments (which was another week or so). **Documentation is everything:** Your doctor's note needs to be super specific about how work stress affects your ability to do your job duties. Generic "patient is experiencing stress" notes won't cut it. Ask your doctor to explain functional limitations. **Stay on top of communication:** Sedgwick won't necessarily reach out to you proactively if they need more info. I learned to call them every 3-4 days for updates, and that's when I found out they'd been waiting on additional paperwork I didn't know they needed. **Financial timeline:** You won't get any SDI payments until both Sedgwick approves your leave AND EDD processes your separate claim. Plan accordingly if money is tight. The good news is that once everything is approved, the process works pretty smoothly. Focus on taking care of your mental health during this waiting period - that's literally what this whole thing is for! Feel free to reach out if you hit any snags. This community has been super helpful for navigating all the bureaucracy. You've got this! 💪

As someone who just completed this process successfully about 2 months ago, I wanted to share a few key things that really made a difference for me: **Get organized from day one:** Create a simple tracking system (I used a Google doc) with columns for: Date, Action Taken, Who I Contacted, Response Received, Next Steps. This saved me so much stress when I needed to reference previous communications. **Your doctor visit is crucial:** Don't just mention you're stressed - be specific about symptoms that affect work performance. Things like "difficulty concentrating during meetings," "unable to handle normal workload," "experiencing panic attacks that prevent me from completing tasks." The more specific you can be about functional limitations, the stronger your documentation will be. **Expect the unexpected:** Even with perfect paperwork, there might be requests for clarification or additional documentation. Don't panic if this happens - it's really common and doesn't mean your claim will be denied. **Financial planning:** Plan for at least 3-4 weeks before seeing any SDI payments. The two-step process (Sedgwick approval first, then EDD filing) means there's more waiting than you might expect. **Most importantly:** Use this time to actually focus on your mental health. I know the paperwork stress feels overwhelming, but remember that you're doing this to get better. Don't feel guilty about taking the time you need. The whole process felt impossible at first, but having this supportive community and taking it one step at a time really helped. You're making the right choice by prioritizing your wellbeing! 💙

Awesome update! So glad the Claimyr service worked for you and you got through to an actual agent. That's huge progress. Keep us posted on how long it actually takes once they receive your form - it'll help other people in similar situations know what to expect. The fact that you caught the date issue before mailing is going to save you so much hassle down the road!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation where my doctor's office doesn't use the electronic system either. One thing I'd add is to make sure you keep the tracking number from your certified mail and save it somewhere safe. When I had to follow up on my claim, the EDD agent was able to look up exactly when they received my form using that tracking number. Also, if anyone is dealing with urgent financial situations while waiting for processing, you might want to look into whether you qualify for any emergency assistance programs in your county while your SDI claim is being processed. The wait can be stressful but it sounds like following the steps everyone outlined here really does work!

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same situation! Had my IME yesterday and it was shockingly similar to what you described - doctor came in, asked maybe 3 basic questions about my condition, and then just said "alright" and walked out. No physical examination, didn't even touch my medical file while I was there. The whole thing lasted maybe 75 seconds max. I've been spiraling with anxiety since then, convinced that such a brief appointment must mean automatic denial. But reading through all these comments has been such a huge relief! It's both frustrating and comforting to see how standardized these rushed "examinations" apparently are. What really gives me hope is seeing multiple people here who had equally brief appointments but still got approved. The consistent message seems to be that your treating physician's documentation is what actually matters, not what happens in that joke of an IME appointment. My orthopedist has been incredibly thorough documenting my injury and limitations since it started, so I'm trying to focus on that rather than obsessing over the inadequate "exam." Still going to be checking my EDD portal obsessively though! Thanks for posting about this - it's such a relief to know we're not alone in this bizarre experience.

Welcome to the community Alejandro! Your experience sounds exactly like what so many of us have been through - it's almost like these IME doctors are following the same script across different locations. The 75-second appointment with basic questions and no physical exam is unfortunately the standard playbook for these evaluations. I completely understand the anxiety spiral you're experiencing right now. I went through the exact same thing after my IME, but this thread has been incredibly helpful for managing those fears. What's really struck me reading everyone's stories is how little correlation there seems to be between the appointment length and the actual outcome. Your orthopedist's thorough documentation is definitely going to be your strongest asset here. From what everyone has shared, that's what EDD really relies on for their determinations rather than the brief face-to-face meeting. The IME seems to be more about checking for obvious red flags or inconsistencies rather than conducting a comprehensive evaluation. Try to hang in there during the waiting period (easier said than done, I know!). Based on the timelines others have shared, you should hopefully see a status update within the next 1-2 weeks. Keep us posted on how things go - positive updates like Logan's really help everyone else still in the waiting phase!

Thanks for sharing your timeline - 12 days is actually pretty encouraging! I'm on day 4 of waiting for my SDI approval after knee surgery and this thread has been super helpful. It sounds like as long as everything was submitted correctly the first time, most people are getting approved within that 2-3 week window. The horror stories about months-long waits seem to be when there are errors or missing documentation. Really hoping mine goes as smoothly as yours did!

As someone who just went through the SDI approval process myself (got approved last month), I'd recommend calling the EDD customer service line around 8:02 AM - right when they open. I know everyone says they never answer, but I actually got through on my third try that way. The rep was able to tell me exactly what stage my claim was in and confirmed there were no issues holding it up. Also, if you haven't already, make sure to check that your employer submitted their portion correctly. Mine was delayed by 4 days because my HR department initially sent incomplete wage information to EDD. Once that got sorted out, approval came within 48 hours. The whole process took 16 days total but would've been 12 if not for the employer delay. Hope your recovery goes smoothly and your approval comes through soon! Herniated disc surgery is rough - been there myself.

I'm new to this community and unfortunately here because I'm dealing with the exact same E316/E318 error nightmare! I've been locked out for 6 days now and was starting to think I was the only one having these issues. Reading through this entire thread has been both eye-opening and incredibly helpful - it's clear this is a widespread system problem, not something we're doing wrong. I'm going to try the multi-step approach that seems to be working for others: calling the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 right at 8 AM, using the specific phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits," immediately asking for Tier 2 support, and trying the incognito browser method combined with the password reset trick. It's absolutely mind-boggling that we need a whole community research project just to access benefits we're legally entitled to, but I'm so grateful for everyone here sharing real solutions that actually work! The persistence and collaborative problem-solving in this thread is amazing. I'll definitely update everyone on my results - hopefully I can add another success story to help others still fighting this broken system. Thank you all for not giving up and turning this frustrating experience into a supportive community effort! 🙏

I'm new here but unfortunately dealing with the same E316/E318 nightmare that's brought so many of us together! I've been locked out for almost 2 weeks now and was starting to lose my mind until I found this incredible thread. The collective knowledge and support here is amazing - you all have figured out more real solutions than EDD's entire help desk! Based on everyone's advice, I'm planning to try the comprehensive approach: calling the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 at 8 AM sharp, using the specific phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits," immediately requesting Tier 2 support, and trying the incognito browser method with the password reset trick. I'm also going to try accessing the site at 6 AM when the system is "cleanest" after overnight maintenance. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole community strategy guide just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing what actually works instead of the useless "try again later" responses from official support. The persistence and problem-solving skills in this community are incredible! I'll definitely report back with my results - hopefully I can add another success story to help others still stuck in this broken system. Thank you all for not giving up and turning this frustrating experience into a collaborative effort to beat EDD's terrible system! We shouldn't have to be tech detectives to get our disability benefits, but at least we're figuring it out together! 🙏💪