I'm new to this community and just went through this exact same confusion with my employer! They told me my doctor could "handle everything" for my upcoming shoulder surgery, and I spent almost a week waiting for my orthopedist's office to "file my claim" before realizing they were waiting for me to start the process first. What really helped me understand was calling EDD directly (took forever to get through) and having them explain that the SDI system is designed as a two-part process by law - the claimant must initiate with their personal/employment information, then the medical provider certifies the disability. No doctor can access your employment records or create an SDI claim account on your behalf. I ended up filing through SDI Online on a Tuesday morning, and my doctor's office received the electronic notification that same afternoon. They completed their medical certification by Thursday. The whole thing would have been so much smoother if my employer had just explained it correctly from the start! For anyone else dealing with this - don't let employer confusion delay your filing. The sooner you get your claim started, the sooner your waiting period begins and the faster you can potentially receive benefits. Your doctor will get automatically notified through the system once you file.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! My supervisor also told me that my doctor could file my disability claim directly, and I've been waiting around for two weeks thinking my orthopedist would handle everything for my upcoming knee surgery. After reading all these responses, I realize I need to file the initial claim myself first. What's really striking is how widespread this misunderstanding seems to be among employers. It sounds like so many people get told the same incorrect information. I wonder if there's some confusion because doctors DO handle such a significant part of the process (the medical certification), but employers don't realize there's a crucial first step that only the employee can do. I'm going to file my SDI claim online today and then call my doctor's office with the confirmation details. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you probably saved me from losing weeks of potential benefits due to this confusion! This community is such a valuable resource for navigating these complex processes.

To summarize for anyone else finding this thread with a similar question: 1. What you're describing is called a claim reactivation (not "collecting a balance") 2. It's only available if: - You're disabled again with the same or related condition - You're within 90 days of your previous claim's end date - You didn't use all your maximum benefits during the initial claim 3. You need a Supplemental Certificate (DE 2525XX) from your doctor 4. Be proactive about getting this form - call if it doesn't appear in your SDI Online account 5. This is different from an extension (which is when you've used all benefits but still can't work) Hope you get this resolved quickly!

Glad to hear you got it sorted out! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - make sure your doctor fills out the DE 2525XX form completely and accurately. I've seen cases where forms get rejected because doctors accidentally check the wrong boxes or don't provide enough detail about how the condition prevents you from working. It's worth having a quick conversation with your doctor about what EDD is looking for before they submit it. Also keep copies of everything for your records!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My sister has been on SDI since January after her knee surgery, and I've been helping her with paperwork. We were also waiting for tax forms that never came. After reading all these responses, I feel so much better knowing that SDI benefits aren't taxable. It's such a relief because we were starting to panic thinking we missed something important. The explanation about after-tax payroll deductions really helps it make sense too. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating all the confusing EDD stuff!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My mom has been on California SDI since December after her hip replacement surgery, and we were also confused about why we hadn't received any tax forms from EDD. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that SDI benefits weren't taxable at all. We've been stressing about this for weeks, thinking we were missing important paperwork. It's such a relief to know that the absence of a 1099G form is actually normal for disability benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know we're not the only ones who were confused about this!

I'm also brand new to SDI and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I just got approved for my claim yesterday after a car accident and my employer is processing my vacation payout next week. Like so many others here, I was completely confused about whether vacation pay counts as "wages" when you're not actually working. After reading through everyone's real experiences, especially those terrifying overpayment stories, it's crystal clear that vacation pay MUST be reported as wages during the certification period when you receive it. It's honestly frustrating that EDD's official materials don't explain this clearly - we shouldn't have to learn critical reporting rules from community forums! But I'm so grateful everyone took the time to share their experiences here. The consensus is undeniable: report ALL forms of paid leave as wages when received, keep thorough documentation, and it's much better to have temporarily reduced benefits for one week than deal with collections and penalties later. Thank you to this amazing community for filling in the gaps where EDD's guidance falls short - this knowledge is invaluable for newcomers like me trying to navigate this confusing system!

I'm also brand new to SDI and just submitted my claim this week for a knee surgery. This thread has been absolutely invaluable! Like so many others here, my employer mentioned they'll be processing my vacation payout but gave me zero guidance on EDD reporting requirements. I was initially thinking the same way as the original poster - that vacation pay wouldn't be considered "wages" since I'm not actively working for it. But after reading through everyone's real experiences, especially those terrifying overpayment stories, it's crystal clear that ALL forms of paid leave must be reported as wages during the certification period when you actually receive the payment. It's honestly shocking that EDD's official documentation doesn't clearly explain something this basic - we shouldn't have to rely on community forums to understand critical reporting rules! But I'm so grateful everyone took the time to share their experiences here. The consensus couldn't be more obvious: report vacation pay, sick pay, PTO - everything - as wages when you receive it, keep all your documentation, and it's much better to have temporarily reduced benefits for one week than deal with collections and penalties months later. Thank you to this amazing community for providing the guidance that EDD's confusing materials fail to deliver clearly!

I'm so glad you found all the help you needed in this thread! As someone who's been through multiple SDI extensions, I can confirm that everything everyone shared here is solid advice. The DE 2525XX form is definitely the key, and electronic submission through SDI Online is by far the fastest route if your doctor's office can handle it. One small thing I'd add that saved me headaches during my second extension: ask your doctor to include not just why you can't return to work, but also what specific improvements or milestones need to happen before you CAN return. EDD seems to process extensions faster when they have a clear picture of your recovery timeline rather than just "needs more time." Also, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier is legit - I was skeptical too but it actually got me through to a real person when I'd been trying for days on my own. Sometimes it's worth the small fee to avoid the phone system nightmare. Hope your appointment went well and you got everything submitted without any issues! This community really is amazing for helping each other navigate EDD's broken system.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress on top of recovering from surgery! This exact same thing happened to me about 4 months ago and I was in complete panic mode too. The good news is that everyone here has given you perfect advice - that DE 2525XX form is exactly what you need and downloading it yourself is totally legitimate. I wanted to add one tip that really helped me: when you go to your doctor's appointment, ask them to submit a "rush" or "expedited" request if they're doing electronic submission through SDI Online. Many doctors don't know this is an option, but it can speed up processing from 5-7 days down to 2-3 days if you're close to your benefit end date. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing about this form - EDD's communication is absolutely terrible and their mailing system fails people constantly. You're being super proactive by handling this now, so you should have no gap in benefits. The fact that you found this community and got the right information means you're going to be totally fine! Good luck with your appointment tomorrow!