Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this 2 years ago! The confusion about the Maximum Benefit Amount is totally understandable - I remember staring at that number thinking I'd hit the lottery, lol. But as others have confirmed, you only get paid for the weeks your doctor certifies you as disabled, plus the 8 weeks of PFL bonding time. One tip that saved me stress: start the PFL application process about 2 weeks BEFORE your disability period ends. I know others mentioned applying "immediately after" but I found starting the paperwork early helped avoid any payment gaps. The transition can be smoother if EDD has time to review everything. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING - your doctor's notes, all forms you submit, confirmation numbers, etc. I had to resubmit paperwork twice because things got "lost in the system." Having organized copies made it much easier to resend quickly. Your weekly benefit amount is great though! That should give you good financial support during those precious early weeks with your baby. Wishing you a smooth pregnancy and delivery! 🍼

I'm currently navigating this same situation as a first-time mom and found this thread so helpful! Just wanted to add that I called EDD directly last week and the representative confirmed what everyone here is saying - the Maximum Benefit Amount is NOT what you'll receive for maternity leave. It's the total amount available for your entire benefit year if you have multiple qualifying disabilities. For standard pregnancy/childbirth, you get exactly what your doctor certifies: typically 4 weeks before delivery + 6-8 weeks after (depending on delivery type) for disability, then you can apply for 8 weeks of PFL for bonding. That's it - usually 18-20 weeks total. The rep also emphasized that the key is proper medical certification from your doctor. They need to specifically state the dates you're unable to work due to your condition. Without that certification, benefits can be denied or cut short. One more thing - if you're planning to take any vacation time or unpaid leave beyond the paid benefits, make sure to coordinate with your HR department about how that affects your job protection under FMLA. The paid benefits and job protection are separate things! Hope this helps clarify things even more. Pregnancy paperwork is overwhelming enough without EDD confusion! 😅

Good luck with your interview on Tuesday! As someone who's been through this process, I wanted to add one more tip - if they ask about any inconsistencies, don't get defensive. Just calmly explain that you were following the information you had at the time and are happy to provide clarification. The fact that you have all your documentation organized and a clear timeline shows you're acting in good faith. Also, if the interviewer seems confused about anything, don't hesitate to ask them to clarify what specific information they need. Sometimes they're looking for a particular piece of info that isn't obvious. You've got this - the hardest part is usually just getting to the interview stage!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through an EDD interview for a similar SDI to UI transition issue! The key thing that helped me was being super organized with my timeline and having ALL the dates written down clearly. One thing I learned during my interview is that EDD often gets conflicting information from employers vs. what claimants report, and the interview is their way of sorting it out rather than automatically assuming fraud. In my case, my employer had reported different dates to EDD than what I initially put on my claim, but once I showed my documentation during the interview, everything got cleared up. The interviewer asked me to walk through my employment timeline step by step, so having that written timeline ready (like others suggested) will definitely help. They also asked specifically about any work I did while on disability - so be prepared to explain your part-time work situation clearly. You sound like you're being totally honest about everything, so try not to stress too much. The interview is actually a good opportunity to get everything straightened out with someone who has the authority to make corrections to your claim. Wishing you the best of luck on Tuesday!

im in the same boat. been trying to file a claim for 2 weeks now. this whole system is a joke tbh

I had this exact same error code a few weeks ago! What finally worked for me was using an incognito/private browsing window and making sure I had JavaScript enabled. Also, try using Chrome if you're not already - some of the older browsers seem to have issues with their site. The E324 error is super frustrating but don't give up! If the browser fixes don't work, definitely try calling during the times Omar mentioned - early morning around 8am seems to be the sweet spot.

Based on your additional information about the workers' comp situation, here's what I recommend: 1. File the new SDI claim immediately - don't wait. Your husband is eligible from the date the doctor certifies he's disabled again. 2. Make sure the doctor clearly documents this as a NEW injury event with a NEW diagnosis, even if it's the same body part. 3. On the application, there's no need to explain the complex situation with the previous workers' comp dispute - that will just confuse matters. 4. Be prepared that EDD may take longer than the standard 14 days to process this claim due to the unusual circumstances. 5. If your claim gets stuck in processing (which happens often with complicated cases), you'll need to be persistent about following up. The key is having the doctor be very explicit that this is a new disabling condition with a specific date of injury after returning to work. The medical documentation will make or break this claim.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! I went through something similar about 6 months ago with my wife. She had been on SDI for a knee injury, returned to work for about 2 weeks, then had a completely unrelated car accident that injured her back. Here's what I learned from our experience: definitely file a new claim as others have mentioned, but also be prepared for potential delays. EDD's system automatically flags cases where someone files multiple claims in a short timeframe, which can add 2-3 weeks to processing time. One thing that really helped us was having the doctor include a brief statement in the medical certification explicitly saying something like "This is a new injury unrelated to patient's previous disability claim." Our doctor initially just filled out the standard form, but when we asked him to add that clarification, it seemed to help the claim move through faster. Also, make sure you apply online if possible - it's generally faster than mailing paper forms. You can do it through EDD's SDI Online portal. Best of luck with everything!

lol good luck. EDD is where hope goes to die 💀

I went through this same nightmare last year. Here's what finally worked for me: call the 1-800-480-3287 number at exactly 8:01 AM (not 8:00, they're swamped then). Press 1-2-1 quickly, then when you get to the "due to high call volume" message, DON'T hang up. Just wait it out - I know it's painful but I've gotten through after 2-3 hours of holding. Also, make sure you have your claim number, SSN, and all your paperwork ready because they'll want to verify everything immediately. The wait is brutal but you WILL eventually get through to someone who can actually help. Hang in there! 💪