Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this! I was on pregnancy disability for preterm labor at 32 weeks and had the exact same confusion about certification. Like everyone said, no need to certify - but I did have to update EDD when my baby was born earlier than expected. One tip: keep all your paperwork organized and take screenshots of your SDI Online account regularly. I had a payment delay issue that took weeks to resolve, and having documentation really helped when I finally got through to someone. Also, if you end up needing extended disability beyond what your doctor initially certified (like I did due to complications), make sure your doctor submits the supplemental forms promptly - any delay in paperwork means delay in payments. Wishing you a smooth rest of your pregnancy and delivery! 💕

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant and my doctor mentioned I might need to go on disability later in my pregnancy due to some complications. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much valuable information about the SDI process that I never would have known otherwise. The fact that you don't need to certify like with unemployment is such a relief to know ahead of time - I definitely would have been panicking about that too! And all the tips about transitioning to Paid Family Leave, keeping documentation, and what situations require notifying EDD are incredibly useful. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, especially the detailed summary from Mei Lin. It's so refreshing to find a community where people actually help each other navigate these confusing government processes! I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference.

Hi Luke, I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with this frustrating situation. The timing sounds really unfortunate - having your benefits stop right after getting a permanent disability determination must be stressful. A few thoughts that might help: 1. It sounds like there may be a processing delay or miscommunication since your doctor already submitted the 2525xx form and you can see it was received. You might want to call EDD directly to clarify the status and let them know the form was already submitted. 2. Sometimes the automated system sends out notices even when paperwork is already in process. The fact that you can see the form in your physician documents is a good sign. 3. Keep documentation of everything - screenshots showing the form was received, dates, confirmation numbers if you have them. 4. If calling doesn't resolve it quickly, consider reaching out to your local assembly member's office - they often have staff who can help navigate EDD issues. Hopefully this gets cleared up soon once they process the paperwork that's already been submitted. The bureaucracy can be slow but persistent follow-up usually helps. Good luck!

Yes, mental health disabilities often do face more scrutiny unfortunately. I went through this exact transition from pregnancy to postpartum depression/anxiety last year. EDD required additional documentation from my psychiatrist including specific functional limitations (like concentration issues, inability to handle work stress, etc.) that they didn't ask for during my pregnancy claim. My doctor had to be very detailed about how my symptoms specifically prevented me from doing my job duties. They also requested a follow-up review after just 2 weeks instead of the usual 4-week certifications. It was frustrating but my claim was approved - just took longer than expected. One thing that helped was having my doctor include references to established medical guidelines for postpartum mental health conditions. Also make sure your PCP is comfortable certifying mental health disabilities - some primary care doctors prefer to refer to specialists for these types of claims, which could complicate your transition timeline. Stay strong - the extra paperwork is worth it to get the support you need during recovery! And definitely prepare for the possibility of shorter certification periods initially.

I'm currently going through a similar transition right now - from pregnancy SDI to continuing disability for chronic pain and depression. My experience so far has been that the key is really staying on top of the timing like everyone mentioned. I actually had my PCP submit the DE 2525XX form about 10 days before my OB's certification expired, and I called EDD the day after to confirm they received it. The rep I spoke to said that was smart because it gives them time to process it before any gap occurs. One thing I learned that might help - when you talk to your PCP, ask them to be as specific as possible about your functional limitations. Don't just say "back pain" - have them document things like "unable to sit for more than 30 minutes" or "cannot lift more than 10 pounds." The more detailed they are about how your conditions prevent you from doing your specific job duties, the smoother the approval process seems to go. Also, I'd recommend keeping copies of everything - your claim number, the dates from your OB's certification, and confirmation that your PCP submitted their forms. Having all that info handy made my follow-up calls with EDD much easier. Good luck with your transition!

I went through something similar last year when I accidentally put the wrong employer info on my claim. The appeal process was actually more straightforward than I expected. Here's what helped me: 1) Call early in the morning (like right at 8 AM when they open) - way better chance of getting through. 2) Have all your paperwork ready before you call - correct dates, pay stubs, anything that proves when you actually returned to work. 3) Be honest about the mistake but stay focused on the solution. I literally said "I made an error on my form and need to correct it" and they were fine with that. 4) Ask for a confirmation number for your appeal and write down the rep's name. The whole thing took about 3 weeks to resolve once I submitted the appeal paperwork. Don't stress too much - honest mistakes happen and they deal with this stuff regularly. You got this! 💪

I've been through the EDD appeal process twice, and honestly, it's not as scary as it seems at first. The key is being organized and patient. When you call, be straightforward about the date error - they see this kind of mistake all the time. Make sure you have your correct return-to-work date ready, along with any proof like pay stubs or an email from your employer. The rep will likely walk you through filing an appeal right over the phone, and they'll send you forms to complete. One thing that really helped me was keeping a log of every conversation - date, time, rep's name, and what was discussed. The whole process took about 6-8 weeks for me, but it was worth it to get everything sorted out. Don't let the bureaucracy intimidate you - you're fixing an honest mistake, not trying to game the system. Stay calm, be polite to whoever you talk to (they really are just doing their job), and follow up if you don't hear back within the timeframe they give you. You'll get through this! 🙂

I feel your frustration! I went through something similar last year and it was incredibly stressful. Here are a few additional things that helped me when I was stuck in the same situation: 1. Try accessing the site from a completely fresh browser profile (create a new user profile in Chrome/Firefox) 2. Temporarily disable your antivirus software - sometimes they block certain government site scripts 3. If you're on Windows, try running your browser as an administrator 4. Check if your system date/time is correct - I know it sounds weird, but SSL certificate issues can cause weird errors Also, if you do end up having to call, try calling right at 8:00 AM when they open - set multiple alarms and hit redial repeatedly. I know it's exhausting, but persistence usually pays off with EDD. One last tip: if you have a smartphone, try using the "Request Desktop Site" option in your mobile browser - sometimes their mobile site works when the regular site doesn't. Hang in there, you'll get through this! 💪

I'm dealing with the exact same error right now! It's so frustrating when you're already stressed about needing disability benefits and then the system won't even let you apply. I've been reading through all these suggestions and they're super helpful - I had no idea there were so many potential fixes to try. The VPN and different network suggestions are really interesting since I hadn't considered that it might be an ISP or regional server issue. I'm going to start with the simpler solutions like clearing all browser data and trying incognito mode, then work my way up to the more technical fixes. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this struggle and that there are ways to get around EDD's broken system! 🙏