I just went through this same situation 4 months ago and can confirm what everyone else is saying - you cannot delay SDI benefits after delivery. I had the exact same misconception initially! What helped me was understanding that SDI pregnancy benefits are structured in two distinct phases: 1. Pre-delivery disability (up to 4 weeks before due date) - this part IS optional 2. Post-delivery recovery disability (6-8 weeks after birth) - this part is NOT optional and must start at delivery The key insight is that once you give birth, you're automatically considered medically disabled for recovery purposes. Your doctor will certify this disability period, and EDD requires you to claim benefits starting from your delivery date if you're taking any time off work. However, I found a great solution working with my HR department: they coordinated my company's paid leave with SDI through "concurrent benefits." During my 8-week recovery period (I had a C-section), I received both SDI payments AND my company topped up the remaining amount to reach my full salary. This gave me the best of both worlds without any timing games. My suggestion: Schedule a meeting with HR and ask specifically about "concurrent benefits" or "wage supplementation during SDI." Most established companies have policies for exactly this situation. You'll likely end up with better total compensation than trying to sequence the benefits separately, plus you avoid any risk of EDD issues. The system really is designed to work together - I just wish someone had explained it to me this clearly from the start!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm 32 weeks pregnant and was having the exact same confusion about timing SDI benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly enlightening. Just to add my perspective as someone currently navigating this - I met with my HR representative last week after initially thinking I could delay SDI, and they confirmed what everyone here is saying. Our company has a "benefit coordination" policy where they supplement SDI payments to bring you up to 100% salary during the disability period. What I found really helpful was asking HR for a written timeline showing exactly how the benefits work together. They gave me a document that breaks down: - Weeks 1-6 post-delivery: SDI + company supplementation = full salary - Weeks 7-14: Paid Family Leave for bonding - Additional weeks: Company's separate parental leave policy (if applicable) I think the key thing I learned is that most established companies have already figured out how to coordinate state and company benefits optimally. We don't need to game the system - the system is designed to work together! For anyone else in this situation: definitely ask your HR for a written breakdown of how your specific company coordinates benefits. It takes all the guesswork out of it and helps you plan your finances properly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this community is so valuable for navigating these complex systems!

I just went through this last month! No tax forms for SDI. But make sure you keep track of how much you received anyway. My friend who does taxes told me it's good practice to keep records of all income even if it's not taxable, just in case you ever get audited. Better safe than sorry!

Just wanted to add my experience - I was on SDI for 8 weeks after knee surgery last year and can confirm what others are saying. No tax forms from EDD for disability benefits, and my tax preparer said not to worry about reporting it. The only thing I'd suggest is keeping your benefit payment records from your SDI Online account, just for your own files. It's nice to have documentation showing the dates and amounts in case you ever need it for other purposes (like applying for loans or anything that asks about income history). Recovery went smoothly and the whole SDI process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through the initial paperwork!

@OP - Just wanted to follow up - did you get this sorted out? One other thing to keep in mind is that if you paid SDI taxes through your paycheck (most CA employees do), then part of your benefits aren't taxable because you already paid tax on that money. It's only the employer portion and any amount exceeding what you contributed that's federally taxable. That's another thing an EDD rep can help clarify if you can get through to one.

There is a lot of misinformation in the comments. California SDI is generally NOT federally taxable. One exception is if you were receiving unemployment income and then became disabled and began receiving disability income -- in that case the income is a substitute for unemployment income and is federally taxable. This is all explained on the EDD web site. https://edd.ca.gov/en/disability/sdi_faq_for_1099g

Yo finalmente recibí mi pago ayer, después de 5 semanas de espera. No pierdan la esperanza, amigos!

Yo acabo de recibir mi primer pago después de 6 semanas de espera! Lo que más me ayudó fue llamar múltiples veces al día hasta que alguien contestara. También recomiendo verificar que su información bancaria esté correcta en el sistema - aparentemente ese fue parte del problema en mi caso. No se rindan, eventualmente llega! 💪

I've been lurking on this thread and had to jump in because I went through almost the exact same situation last year - COVID UI overpayment hearing with impossible evidence deadline timing. Here's what saved me: I faxed a letter to the Appeals office the morning of my hearing explaining the notice timing issue and requesting it be added to my case file. During the hearing, I politely but firmly requested a continuance at the very beginning, citing procedural due process concerns. The judge granted it and gave me 2 weeks to properly prepare. Even if your brother doesn't get the continuance, focus heavily on the "good cause" standard for COVID-era reporting. The judges have heard SO many of these cases and most understand that 2020 was unprecedented chaos. Have him emphasize that his entire workplace was closed by government order - that's not voluntary unemployment, that's exactly what the emergency UI programs were designed for. Also, even if evidence is technically late, submit it anyway with a cover letter explaining the circumstances. Most judges will still consider it, especially when there are legitimate procedural issues with notice timing. The key is being organized, respectful, and focusing on facts rather than emotions. This community's advice has been spot-on - your brother's got a solid case here!

I've been through a very similar EDD overpayment hearing for COVID-era benefits and want to echo what everyone else has said - your brother absolutely has grounds to challenge this based on the notice timing alone. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that he should also prepare a brief statement about his financial situation during 2020 and why he needed the UI benefits. Judges often consider the human impact, especially for COVID cases. Also, if his employer has any records of the closure (like company-wide emails announcing the shutdown due to health orders), those are incredibly powerful pieces of evidence since they prove the decision to stop working wasn't his. The fact that his San Jose office was completely shut down by government mandate puts him in a strong position. I'd also suggest he mention early in the hearing that he's willing to work with EDD on any legitimate overpayment issues but wants to ensure due process is followed. This shows good faith while still asserting his rights. The judges I've encountered really appreciate when people approach these hearings with that kind of cooperative but firm attitude. Hang in there - with all the documentation and preparation advice from this thread, he's going to be well-prepared for Wednesday!