California Disability
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- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Can I claim EDD SDI through my husband's employer plan if I waived mine?
Hi everyone, I'm in a bit of a confusing situation with disability benefits. I recently found out I need to take time off for a medical procedure (looking at about 6 weeks recovery). I was planning to use FMLA for job protection, but I realized I probably waived my short-term disability benefits during our open enrollment last year to save on premiums (big mistake). However, my husband has STD coverage through his employer and I'm listed as his beneficiary on his insurance. Is there any way I could file for disability benefits through his plan? Or does being a beneficiary only apply to life insurance? Has anyone dealt with something similar or know the process for this? My HR department is taking forever to respond to my emails.
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Applied for EDD SDI in February 2025 - How long until first payment arrives?
Hey everyone! I just submitted my disability claim through SDI Online last week (Feb 10th) after my doctor diagnosed me with severe tendonitis in both wrists. My employer filled out their portion quickly, and my doctor submitted the medical certification right away. This is my first time ever applying for disability and I'm really stressed about how long it'll take before I see any money. My savings can only cover bills for about 3 weeks max. I've been searching online but getting conflicting info - some people say 2 weeks, others say 6+ weeks. Has anyone applied recently (like in the last month) who can share how long it took from application to actually receiving benefits? Did you do anything to speed up the process? I'm particularly worried since I've heard the EDD is still backed up from policy changes this year. Thanks in advance for any insights!
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My physical therapist has like 5 patients right now all waiting on disability and she said its taking 3-4 weeks for most people. Also if u get approved for less weeks than ur doctor recommended don't panic, u can always get an extension later. That happened to my brother.
One more thing to consider - if you selected paper checks instead of direct deposit, add at least 5 more days for mail delivery. I made that mistake my first time on disability and it seriously delayed things. If you did select paper checks, you can still change to direct deposit through your SDI Online account.
Good point! I did select direct deposit so hopefully that helps speed things up a bit.
EDD SDI just ended - immediate PFL application without filing recovery form?
My disability claim officially ended today and my final payment has already been issued. I checked my EDD account and it shows 'extension has ended.' I'm planning to transition to Paid Family Leave right away to bond with my 3-month-old, but I'm confused about the process. Do I need to officially submit that I've 'recovered' from my pregnancy disability before applying for PFL, or can I just directly submit a new application for PFL? The EDD website isn't clear about this specific transition timing, and I don't want to mess up and create a gap in benefits. Anyone done this recently? The SDI rep told me something about this when I initially filed, but honestly, I was still recovering from my C-section and don't remember the details.
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WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO CONFUSING??? EDD makes everything 10x more complicated than it needs to be. I had to file FOUR TIMES before my PFL went through properly after my disability. The first three times they said I 'hadn't completed my disability claim' even though it was definitely over. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!!
omg this is my nightmare. i'm about to have my baby next month and all this paperwork is making my anxiety through the roof
Update: I submitted my PFL application today and it went through without any issues! The system didn't ask for any recovery notice, just the date my disability ended (which I put as today). Thanks everyone for your help!
Excellent! Glad to hear it went smoothly. One quick tip: check your account in about 3-5 days to make sure the claim is processing correctly. Sometimes there can be minor hiccups that are easier to address early. Enjoy this special bonding time with your little one!
EDD SDI extension limbo - doctor not responding, can't reach agents to avoid payment gap
I'm in a weird situation with my disability extension and worried about a gap in payments. My current SDI claim has an end date of 8/28/2025, but my recovery is taking longer than expected. My doctor previously said he'd submit another extension, but now he's not answering my messages (it's been 6 days!). Last time I needed an extension (January), EDD automatically continued payments until the paperwork came through, but I'm not seeing any pending payments in my account now. I've called EDD maybe 15 times in the past three days and either get disconnected or stuck on hold forever. Is there still a way to email SDI directly? I remember during 2020-2021 there was some email address we could use, and they'd actually respond within a few days. I'm getting really nervous because my rent is due next week, and I have no idea if payments will continue while I'm waiting for my doctor to submit the extension paperwork. Any advice on how to handle this gap or reach someone at EDD would be so appreciated!
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ok but why isnt anyone talking about how doctors offices are THE WORST about this paperwork?? my dr makes me schedule a whole appointment ($$) just to get extension paperwork filled out which is so stupid when im already disabled and its hard to even get to appointments! then they take forever to actually submit it. edd system is broken but so is the medical side!!
This is actually a great point. Doctors' offices handle disability paperwork very differently. Some submit extension forms easily with just a phone call, while others require full exams before extending disability. It's partly because they're liable for certifying your condition still exists and prevents work. For anyone reading this in the future: ask your doctor upfront about their disability extension policy when you first go on disability. Some offices have dedicated staff for disability paperwork, while others put the entire burden on the doctor who might be seeing 25+ patients daily.
First-time pregnancy SDI filing - question about overlapping final paycheck
Hey everyone! I'm about to file for SDI due to my pregnancy (my doctor put me on bed rest at 32 weeks with high BP). I'm super nervous about making mistakes on my first disability claim. My last day at work was Friday, but I'll be receiving my final paycheck next week while I'm already out on disability. Do I need to report this somewhere on my SDI application? Will this affect my claim or delay my benefits? Also, any tips for first-time filers would be greatly appreciated! I've heard horror stories about claims getting rejected over silly mistakes and I'm already stressed enough with this pregnancy complication.
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When I filed for pregancy disability last year, I messed up how I reported my last paycheck and ended up having to call EDD to fix it. It was such a headache! But one thing nobody mentioned yet - if your employer offers any paid family leave through your company (separate from state benefits), make sure you note that too. My company gave me 4 weeks partial pay during my leave and I had to report that to EDD as well so they could adjust my benefit amount.
My company doesn't offer any additional paid leave unfortunately, but that's good information to know! Thanks for sharing your experience.
One more important tip: After your pregnancy disability claim ends (usually 6-8 weeks after delivery), you can transition to Paid Family Leave (PFL) for bonding time with your baby. This is a separate application, but you use the same EDD account. Start that application process about 2 weeks before your pregnancy disability ends to avoid gaps in payment. Many new moms don't realize they need to file a separate claim for the bonding period.
Oh that's super helpful! I was wondering about the transition to bonding time. I'll definitely make a note to apply for PFL about 2 weeks before my disability claim ends. Really appreciate all this advice!
Carter Holmes
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.
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Jeremiah Brown
AuthorThanks for the heads-up about the waiting period! I'll make sure to factor that into my budget. Did you find the benefit amount from SDI was enough to cover your basic expenses?
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Carter Holmes
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!
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