I'm just wondering why they only asked you ONE question? That seems super weird. When I had my disability claim they asked me like 20 questions about my condition. Maybe you got someone new who didn't know what they were doing? Did they give you any denial reason in writing?

Quick update on the elected official route: While Assembly Members can be helpful, remember that the Governor's Office of Constituent Services rarely intervenes in individual EDD cases. They typically refer these matters back to local representatives. Also, when reaching out to your Assembly Member, specify that you're dealing with an SDI claim, not UI. They handle these differently, and being specific helps them route your case to the right staff member who specializes in disability claims. In 2025, the EDD has been dealing with a significant backlog in disability claims, so unfortunately, your situation is becoming more common. The good news is that elected officials are very aware of the problems and many have developed streamlined processes for handling constituent EDD issues.

THE EDD SYSTEM IS A FREAKING NIGHTMARE!!!! I went through something similar and they hit me with an overpayment notice SIX MONTHS LATER claiming I wasn't eligible for benefits I'd already spent. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and SAVE ALL YOUR CERTIFICATION RESPONSES!!! They will try to trap you later!

Just to follow up on this thread - make sure that when you file your SDI claim, you accurately report the last day you worked AND the first day you were disabled (which sounds like yesterday in your case). The DE 2501 form has specific questions about this. Your doctor will need to certify this date as well. As long as these dates are consistent with your UI certifications, you should be fine. If there's any discrepancy, EDD may investigate and potentially determine there was an overlap in benefits.

dont worry too much about it man, i had a ui interview while i was getting workers comp payments and still got approved. just tell them exactly what happened. the main thing is if u got fired for something that wasnt ur fault, u should get ui. if the absences were bcuz of ur injury thats not misconduct

MAKE SURE you mention that your absences were due to your injury!!! This is super important! If your absences were because of the injury that led to your workers' comp claim, that's not misconduct!!! I almost messed up my interview because I didn't connect those dots clearly enough at first. They need to understand that you weren't just randomly missing work - you had a legitimate medical reason. And definitely mention that you're working at a new job now - that proves you're able and available for work which is a HUGE factor in getting approved for UI!!

I went through something similar last year and wasted so much time trying to figure out if my employer plan was better than state SDI. Turns out I didn't even have a choice - still had to use state SDI! The waiting period was annoying though - you don't get paid for the first 7 days of your disability period. Just FYI so you can plan your finances accordingly.

It was about 60% of my regular pay which was tight but doable. The nice thing is SDI benefits aren't subject to payroll taxes so the actual take-home amount wasn't that far off from my regular paycheck after taxes. Just be prepared to really budget for a couple months!

OP, one important thing to consider for airline employees: You need to calculate your base period correctly for maximum benefits. California looks at wages earned 5-18 months before your disability claim. So for your November 2024 disability start date, they'll look at July-December 2023 and all of 2024 up through June for calculating your weekly benefit amount. Make sure all those quarters have your highest possible earnings reported. Also, if you've been on other leaves or had reduced flying time during the base period, your benefit amount might be lower than expected. You can request an alternate base period calculation in some cases if that would result in a higher benefit amount. Just be sure to mention this when filing.

I've helped several flight crew members with cross-state disability claims. Here's what you need to know: 1. File through SDI Online at edd.ca.gov/disability 2. Have your doctor complete their portion ASAP (they can do this electronically) 3. You'll need your last day worked and first day of disability very specifically documented 4. Be prepared to provide proof of CA residency if questioned (driver's license, voter registration, tax returns, etc.) 5. Know that your first certification period will likely be 7-10 days after filing The tricky part with airlines is that sometimes payroll doesn't properly code disability-related absences. If your airline uses a third-party leave administrator like Sedgwick or MetLife, get documentation from them about your approved leave period to submit with your claim if there are any questions.