That's such great news that you finally got through and got some clarity! The fact that they miscategorized it as standard disability instead of pregnancy disability explains everything - those are totally different systems with different requirements. It's ridiculous that this kind of mix-up is "common" but at least now you know what happened. Definitely still file that appeal like the rep suggested, even if they're trying to fix it administratively. I learned the hard way that EDD's left hand doesn't always know what the right hand is doing, so having the appeal as backup protection is smart. Hope your doctor can get that pregnancy-specific certification submitted quickly and this all gets resolved soon. You shouldn't have to deal with this stress while caring for a newborn!

Congratulations on finally getting through and figuring out what went wrong! The miscategorization between standard disability and pregnancy disability is such a frustrating but apparently common issue. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now where my maternity leave claim got mixed up in their system. Your advice about filing the appeal as backup protection is really smart - I've heard too many stories about EDD's administrative "fixes" getting lost in the shuffle. Better to have that formal appeal on record just in case. Thanks for updating us on your progress! It gives me hope that persistence really does pay off with EDD, even though it shouldn't be this hard. Hope everything gets resolved quickly so you can enjoy your time with your new baby without this stress!

Welcome to everyone who's new to the community and dealing with this frustrating SDI certification issue! As another newcomer here, I wanted to share that I'm going through the exact same problem - approved for disability benefits in late January after a rotator cuff surgery, got my first payment, but it's been almost a month with no continuation forms. Reading through this entire thread has been such a relief! I was honestly starting to panic, wondering if I'd somehow invalidated my claim or missed a crucial deadline. The detailed experiences everyone has shared, especially about the "system flag" problem affecting early 2025 claims, has given me so much clarity and confidence. Before finding this discussion, I was just randomly calling EDD throughout the day with no strategy and getting nowhere. Now I have a concrete action plan: call at exactly 8:00 AM, ask specifically about "system flags" or "automation holds," and persist until I get a representative who can actually fix the issue. It's incredibly frustrating that we have to become experts in troubleshooting EDD's broken systems just to access benefits we've rightfully earned, but knowing this is a widespread technical problem (not user error) and that so many people have successfully resolved it gives me hope. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where newcomers can get real, practical advice instead of just generic "keep calling" responses. This community is exactly what people dealing with these complex bureaucratic issues need!

As someone completely new to both this community and the SDI process, I can't express how valuable this entire discussion has been! I'm currently in week 4 of waiting for certification forms after my initial payment for a disc replacement recovery, and I was honestly starting to think I'd somehow broken my own claim. Reading about this "system flag" issue affecting so many early 2025 claims has been both eye-opening and reassuring - it explains why my SDI Online account keeps saying "complete the Continued Claim Certification form" while never actually providing one to complete! The specific strategies shared here (8:00 AM calling, asking about automation holds, documenting everything) give me a real action plan instead of just desperately redialing the same number all day. It's incredibly frustrating that accessing our own disability benefits requires becoming amateur EDD system administrators, but having this supportive community where people share actual solutions makes all the difference. Thank you all for creating a space where newcomers can get practical guidance from people who've successfully navigated these bureaucratic nightmares. Posts like Ryder's update showing the successful resolution give me hope that persistence will eventually pay off!

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what worked! I followed the advice about creating a completely new email address and contacting ID.me specifically about a "merged identity verification" issue. The ID.me rep had to escalate to their specialized team, but they unlinked my driver's license from the old account. Then I used Claimyr to get through to an EDD specialist who was able to link my new ID.me account to my disability claim. The whole process took about 5 days but IT WORKED! All my back payments just hit my account this morning. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now with my disability claim after a car accident! Been stuck in the ID.me verification loop for over 2 weeks and it's absolutely maddening. Reading through all these responses gives me hope that there's actually a way out of this mess. @Mateo Warren your detailed update about what finally worked is a godsend - I'm going to follow your exact steps starting tomorrow. The tip about using "merged identity verification" terminology with ID.me seems crucial. It's insane that we have to become system experts just to access benefits we've already earned, but at least now I have a proven roadmap to follow. Has anyone else tried the Claimyr service? I'm a bit hesitant to pay for something that should be free, but if it actually gets me to someone who can fix this mess, it might be worth it. My medical leave ends in 3 weeks and I'm getting desperate!

Emma, I'm a disability advocate and see cases like yours frequently. Here's what I always tell clients in your situation: First, YES - you can absolutely apply for SDI for your autoimmune condition after your WC settlement. The key is keeping them completely separate in all documentation and communications. A few critical points everyone touched on but I want to emphasize: 1. **Timing is crucial** - Apply as soon as your doctor will certify you're disabled from the autoimmune condition. Don't wait unnecessarily as it won't improve your base period calculation. 2. **Medical narrative is everything** - Your rheumatologist's letter should tell a clear story: "Patient has had autoimmune condition since [date before work injury], condition worsened due to stress/other factors during [timeframe], current symptoms prevent all work activity due to [specific limitations]." 3. **Prepare for the review** - With a recent WC case, EDD will scrutinize your claim. Have a simple, consistent explanation ready: "I'm applying for disability benefits based on my autoimmune condition, which is separate from and unrelated to my resolved workers compensation claim for a back injury." 4. **Documentation checklist**: Medical records pre-dating your work injury, treatment notes during WC period showing ongoing autoimmune care, current functional capacity evaluation focused solely on autoimmune symptoms. The fact that you paid into SDI for years absolutely works in your favor. You've earned these benefits. Just keep everything focused on that autoimmune condition and you should be fine. Good luck!

Emma, I just want to add one more thing that saved me a lot of headaches - keep a detailed timeline document for yourself with dates of everything: when your work injury happened, when you first saw your rheumatologist, when symptoms worsened, settlement date, etc. I had to reference these dates multiple times during my SDI application process and having it all written down made me sound much more credible when talking to EDD representatives. Also, if you're worried about the income gap between your WC settlement and SDI approval, look into whether your county has any emergency assistance programs. Some counties in California have short-term help for people transitioning between benefit programs. It's not much but every bit helps during the waiting period. Your plan sounds really solid and you're asking all the right questions. The fact that you're being so thorough upfront is going to make this process much smoother than it is for most people. Wishing you the best with your settlement meeting next week!

@Gabriel Freeman - Your situation with the overpayment is definitely tricky, but don't panic! I went through something similar in 2022. When workers comp gets approved after you've already received SDI, EDD will typically set up a repayment plan, but you may still be entitled to keep part of the SDI if your workers comp rate was lower. Here's what I learned: EDD has to do a "coordination calculation" to figure out exactly how much you owe back. If your workers comp weekly benefit was less than your SDI weekly benefit, you might only owe the difference, not the full amount. For example, if SDI was paying you $400/week and workers comp is only $300/week, you'd only owe back $300 per week, not the full $400. The key is to request a formal review of your overpayment calculation. Don't just accept whatever number they initially give you - make sure they're properly accounting for the coordination rules. You can usually do this by calling the overpayment department and asking them to explain exactly how they calculated what you owe. Also, keep making your scheduled overpayment payments while this gets sorted out - stopping payments can cause bigger problems. But definitely push for that calculation review!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's amazing how many different scenarios can come up with workers comp and SDI coordination - I had no idea these supplemental benefits were even possible until reading everyone's experiences here. @Ethan Anderson - Really glad you were able to get through to EDD and get clear guidance on your situation. Your step-by-step breakdown of what the rep told you to submit will definitely help others who find themselves in similar situations. One thing I wanted to add that might be useful for anyone else reading this: if you're currently injured at work, it's worth asking your HR department or workers comp case manager upfront whether you should also file for SDI to supplement your benefits. It seems like a lot of people (myself included) only find out about this coordination option after the fact, which makes everything much more complicated with the retroactive filing requirements. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this community is so valuable for navigating these confusing systems!