I'm new to this community but currently in a very similar situation - my pregnancy disability is ending next week and I've been experiencing postpartum anxiety and depression. This thread has been absolutely incredible and so educational! Based on all the detailed experiences shared here, it sounds like since your pregnancy claim already ended on 3/18, you'll definitely need to file a NEW claim rather than extend. The comprehensive step-by-step guidance from everyone, especially about the F53.0 diagnosis code, backdating to 3/19, and the dual submission approach, has been invaluable. One thing I wanted to add that my OB mentioned - when your therapist completes the DE 2501 form, they should also include any impact the PPD has on your ability to care for your baby, as this demonstrates the functional impairment extends beyond just work capacity. This can help strengthen the medical justification for the claim. Also, since you mentioned group therapy specifically, that's actually excellent evidence of structured, ongoing treatment. My therapist said EDD views group therapy very favorably because it shows you're engaged in evidence-based care and committed to recovery. The waiting period waiver information has been such a relief to learn about - I had no idea that was possible for seamless transitions! It's so reassuring to know there are protections in place for this exact situation. Thank you for asking this question and creating such a helpful discussion. The community knowledge here is going to help so many new parents navigate this confusing system. You've got great advice and a clear plan now - best of luck with your new claim processing!

This thread is amazing and so helpful. After my gyno refused to extend my leave for postpartum depression, I got EDD extension at Lifeline Walk-In Clinic in Torrance. Hope this helps someone, because it was a nightmare finding anyone who cared

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I'm currently 28 weeks and planning to file my pregnancy disability claim in the next couple weeks, so this thread is absolutely invaluable! Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and workarounds - I'm bookmarking this immediately. The future date validation issue is such a frustrating design flaw. It's like the EDD system wasn't built with the reality in mind that pregnant women need to plan ahead and file before their actual last day of work. The fact that we all have to use workarounds and tricks just to access benefits we're entitled to is honestly infuriating. I'm definitely going to use the manual date entry method with yesterday's date when I file, and I'll make sure to document everything for when I call to update the correct date later. The tip about asking them to add a note to the file about the website error is brilliant - that kind of documentation could prevent headaches down the road. It's both reassuring and depressing to see how many of us have dealt with these exact same technical glitches. We shouldn't have to crowdsource solutions to basic government website functionality, but I'm so grateful this community exists to help each other navigate these broken systems. Pregnancy is stressful enough without adding EDD bureaucracy nightmares on top of it! Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. You're all lifesavers! 💕

I'm 26 weeks and was just about to start researching the EDD pregnancy disability filing process, so finding this thread is like striking gold! Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and honestly pretty alarming - I had no idea the EDD website had so many technical issues. The future date validation problem makes absolutely zero sense from a user experience standpoint. Of course pregnant women need to file in advance of their last day worked - that's literally the responsible thing to do! It's mind-boggling that their system wasn't designed with this basic reality in mind. I'm definitely saving all these workarounds: manual date entry instead of calendar picker, using yesterday's date temporarily, trying incognito mode, clearing cache, using tab navigation instead of mouse clicks. It's ridiculous that we need this many backup plans just to file a claim, but I'm so grateful everyone shared their solutions! The tip about documenting everything and asking EDD to note the website error in your file when you call to update the date is really smart too. I'm already starting a folder to keep track of all my paperwork and screenshots. Thank you to everyone who turned their frustrating experiences into helpful advice for the rest of us. This community support is amazing, and it's making what seemed like a daunting process feel much more manageable. I'll definitely report back with my experience when I file in a few weeks!

As someone who's been through multiple SDI periods for different conditions, I want to emphasize how important it is to document everything during your work attempt. Keep records of your work dates, any symptoms you experienced, and communications with your employer about your limitations. This documentation can be really helpful if there are any questions about your recurrence claim. Also, don't feel guilty about needing to go back on disability - these work attempts are actually encouraged by the system because they help determine your true work capacity. Your health comes first, and it sounds like you made the right decision to listen to your body and your doctor's advice. Best of luck with getting your benefits reactivated!

Hello All, This is a great thread! But I want to suggest that you double-check about the ’90-day’ window. From my experience, as recent as 2026, the EDD's window to have a 'recurrence claim' is actually SIXTY days (not Ninety). I have been a claimant and gone through this process, a few times, as well as working as an HR Manager helping people navigate the disability process. I have been told by three agents at the EDD Disability Dept. that the rule to reopen a previous EDD SDI disability claim is that start of the re-occurrence (the first day that you were unable to work after returning to work) has to be within SIXTY days from the day that you returned to work (and your claim must be for the same condition, or not 'significantly different'). I would suggest that you double-check on this timing before making any plans based on a 90-day window.   Also, a little tip about getting through to EDD... This has worked for me (almost) every time: I start calling in to the EDD SDI line about 3-4 minutes before they open (so, about 7:56-7:57 a.m.) I start working my way through all of the steps of the phone tree to actually get to a place where you can request to speak to an agent (on average these first steps take me 2 to 3 minutes). Then, just as the clock strikes 8:00, I hit the key to make the request to speak to an agent. This puts me in the very first handful of people in line to speak to an agent, and each time I have had an agent answer within 5-10 minutes of placing the call. If I got in the queue even a couple of minutes later, at 8:02 or so, the magic was lost, and it hasn't worked. But getting in by 8:01 - 8:15, I have generally gotten the 'opportunity' to wait on hold for an hour or so to speak to an agent, but that's been better than getting the dreaded msg at the end of all of the steps of the phone tree, telling me they were 'too busy and to try calling again another time'. I hope this tip will help you get through to EDD as well. But please don't share this with tooooo many people or it will no longer work… :o) Wishing you all well... Cheers! Colleen White

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Been on SDI for a herniated disc since December, tried going back to my warehouse job 3 weeks ago thinking I was healed enough, but the constant lifting and twisting motions brought all the pain and numbness back worse than ever. My orthopedist now agrees I returned way too early. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - I had no idea about recurrence claims or that this was so common! Since I'm at 21 days back at work, sounds like I definitely need to file the recurrence claim through SDI Online. The advice about getting your doctor to use specific language like "therapeutic work trial" or "premature return to work" is incredibly valuable - I'm going to make sure my doctor includes those exact phrases. @Elijah Knight congratulations on getting approved so quickly! Hearing that you kept your full weekly benefit and didn't have another waiting period gives me so much hope. I've been stressed about starting over completely, but it sounds like the recurrence process actually works pretty well when you have the right documentation. Thanks for sharing your story and creating this thread - it's amazing how many of us are dealing with the exact same struggle. Sometimes you just don't know if you're truly ready until you try, but there's no shame in prioritizing your health when your body tells you it's not time yet!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my chronic migraines. I was on SDI for 6 months, tried going back to my office job 2 weeks ago, but the fluorescent lights and computer screen time triggered massive headaches again within days. My neurologist agrees I pushed too hard too fast. Reading everyone's success stories with recurrence claims has been incredibly helpful - especially all the advice about specific language for doctors to use. I'm definitely going to ask my neurologist to document this as a "therapeutic work trial that failed due to incomplete recovery" from the same condition. @Elijah Knight - congratulations on your quick approval! It's so encouraging to hear that the process can work smoothly when you have proper documentation. Your thread has helped so many people understand their options. Question for anyone who's been through this - did EDD ask for any specific documentation about your work environment or job duties? I'm wondering if I should get a letter from HR describing the lighting and computer requirements that triggered my migraines. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!