I'm so glad to see this thread - I'm currently going through almost the exact same situation and it's been incredibly stressful! I've been on SDI since September for chronic fatigue syndrome and just got the dreaded "FMLA exhaustion" letter from my employer last week. Like you, I had no idea they were running concurrently and was completely blindsided. Reading through everyone's experiences has been eye-opening. I never realized that disability benefits and job protection were two completely separate things handled by different systems. The whole time I thought being approved for SDI meant my job was automatically protected for the full duration. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about checking my employee handbook for extended leave policies and talking to my doctor about ADA accommodations. The part about COBRA vs company-extended health benefits is also crucial information I hadn't considered. Has anyone here had success with getting ADA accommodations approved for mental health conditions like anxiety/depression? I'm wondering if that might be a viable path forward for maintaining some job protection beyond FMLA.

I'm going through something similar right now and this whole thread has been incredibly educational! I've been on SDI for a work-related injury since October and just realized my employer has been counting FMLA time this whole time without me really understanding what that meant. What really struck me from reading everyone's experiences is how the system seems designed to confuse people. You're dealing with your medical condition, trying to navigate EDD's disability system, and then suddenly you're hit with employment law complexities that most people (myself included) don't fully understand until it's almost too late. I'm going to take the advice here about immediately checking my employee handbook for any extended leave policies and scheduling a meeting with HR. The success stories about company policies going beyond FMLA requirements give me hope that there might be options I haven't considered. One question for the group - for those who had success with extended company leave policies, did you find that having your doctor proactively provide additional documentation helped? I'm wondering if I should ask my doctor to write a more detailed letter about my recovery timeline and why additional leave would be beneficial, rather than just the basic disability certification. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's so valuable to learn from others who've navigated this confusing maze!

am i the only 1 who thinks its ridiculous we have to jump through all these hoops just to get whats owed to us? the system is broken af 😤

Just went through this same situation last month! The form you're talking about is likely the DE 4581 (Physician/Practitioner's Certificate) if you're on disability, or the continued claim cert if it's regular unemployment. For disability forms, your doctor needs to fill out the medical portion, but you handle the personal info sections. To get hard copies, call the main EDD number (1-800-480-3287) early in the morning - like 8:01 AM sharp. Have your SSN and claim number ready. They can mail forms to you, usually takes about a week. Don't wait too long though - missing deadlines can mess up your payments!

Protip: If you're having trouble with the online system, try using a different browser. Chrome seems to work best for me.

Just wanted to add my experience to this thread! I recently made the SDI to PFL transition and here are a few things I wish I had known: • You can actually overlap the applications slightly - I applied for PFL about 10 days before my SDI ended and there was no gap in payments • The weekly benefit amount might be slightly different due to how they calculate it, but it's usually within $10-20 of your SDI amount • Make sure your employer knows you're switching from SDI to PFL - they might need to update their records • If you're using direct deposit, the account info carries over automatically which is nice Also, regarding the documents @Emma Johnson mentioned - for adoption cases like @Finley Garrett asked about, you'll need either the adoption decree or placement documentation from the agency. Birth certificates are only needed for biological children. Hope this helps someone! The transition was way less stressful than I expected once I got the timing right.

That's great news that your payment arrived on time! For future reference, you can also set up text or email alerts through your SDI Online account to get notified when payments are processed. This helped me a lot when I was on disability - I'd get a notification the day before the money hit my account. Also, since you mentioned you're dealing with a herniated disc at L4/L5, make sure to keep track of your physical therapy appointments and any changes in your condition. If your recovery isn't progressing as expected, your doctor might need to extend your disability period, which would require submitting additional medical documentation to EDD. It's always better to handle these things proactively rather than waiting until the last minute! Hope your back continues to heal and that the rest of your disability claim goes smoothly.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through the EDD SDI process twice now - once for a shoulder injury and once for knee surgery. The bi-weekly payment schedule is pretty reliable once you get into the rhythm of it, but I learned a few things that might help others: 1. Always keep a backup of your medical certifications - I had one get "lost" in EDD's system and it caused a 3-week delay in payments while they sorted it out. 2. If you're doing physical therapy, make sure your PT provider is communicating with your certifying doctor about your progress (or lack thereof). Sometimes the PT notes can help support extending your disability period if you're not improving as expected. 3. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor for a slightly longer certification period if your condition is unpredictable. It's easier to return to work early than to scramble for extensions when you're still not ready. The whole process can be really stressful when you're already dealing with an injury, but this community has been super helpful for navigating all the confusing parts of EDD. Glad to see people supporting each other through it!

This is exactly why I always recommend keeping detailed records of everything! I learned the hard way that EDD will try to use any excuse to cut benefits short. For future reference, if you ever have to do another IME, make sure to bring a copy of your treating doctor's most recent assessment and ask the EDD examiner to review it during your appointment. Sometimes they don't have all the current medical information when they do their evaluation. Also, don't be afraid to speak up during the exam about your limitations - they're making decisions based on what they observe in that short visit. Glad you got through to someone and are getting it sorted out!

I'm dealing with something similar right now - my SDI benefits were cut off after an IME even though my doctor said I need another week off. Reading through all these responses is really helpful! It sounds like the key is getting your treating physician to submit detailed documentation explaining why the EDD examiner's assessment was wrong. I'm definitely going to ask my doctor about that DE 2551D form that was mentioned. It's so frustrating that we have to fight for benefits we're legitimately entitled to, but at least there are ways to appeal these decisions. Thanks for sharing your experience - it gives me hope that this can be resolved!