As someone who just went through this exact situation a few months ago, I wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some anxiety. I also received a DE2546 for my disability claim (chronic pain condition) and was terrified they were going to cut me off. Like others have mentioned, my payments continued throughout the entire process - both during the waiting period before the exam and while they reviewed the examiner's report afterward. The key things that helped me were: being completely honest about my pain levels and limitations, bringing all my medical records and imaging results, and not trying to "power through" activities during the exam just to seem tough. The examiner was actually quite understanding and took detailed notes about how my condition affects my daily activities. The whole process took about 3 weeks from exam to receiving confirmation that my benefits would continue. I know it's scary when you're already dealing with a disability and financial stress, but try to view it as just another step in maintaining your legitimate claim. Wishing you the best outcome!

I just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been on disability for about 6 months now. I received the DE2546 notice about 3 months into my claim for a spinal injury, and honestly, I was terrified they were going to find some reason to cut me off. But like everyone else has mentioned, my payments continued throughout the entire process. The examiner was actually more thorough than I expected - spent about an hour with me, asked detailed questions about my daily activities, pain levels, and how the injury has affected my work capacity. One thing that really helped was keeping a pain journal for the few weeks leading up to the exam, so I could give specific examples of how my condition affects me day to day. The whole experience was much less adversarial than I had feared. Got confirmation about 2 weeks later that my benefits would continue. It really seems like they're just doing their due diligence to make sure the claims are legitimate. Hang in there - from everything I've read here and experienced myself, as long as you're honest about your limitations, these exams are usually just a formality!

As someone who's navigated the EDD disability system multiple times, I can confirm what others have said - you're handling this correctly! The key thing to remember is that your supplemental certification is just closing out your existing claim, not starting anything new. Since your disability legitimately ended on 4/10 as your doctor certified, and you returned to work on 4/11 (just with a different employer), you're in compliance. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned - if your new job offers better accommodations for your chronic condition, you might want to document this transition in case you ever need to apply for disability benefits again in the future. Having a clear record of why you changed jobs (health-related accommodations) could be helpful context for any future claims. Also, don't stress too much about EDD contacting your new employer. They're primarily focused on ensuring you weren't working while claiming benefits, which clearly wasn't the case since your disability ended before you started the new job. Complete that supplemental form accurately by 5/1 and you should be all set!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through something very similar last year! I was on SDI for a back injury and my original return-to-work date was supposed to be with my warehouse job, but I realized I couldn't handle the physical demands anymore. I found an office job that started two days after my disability period ended. I was really worried about the same thing - whether switching employers would complicate my supplemental certification. But like everyone else has said, it was totally fine! I just filled out the form with my actual disability end date and my actual return-to-work date. EDD didn't question it at all because the timeline made sense and matched what my doctor had certified. The only extra thing I did was include a brief note on the form explaining that I found employment better suited to my medical limitations. Not sure if it was necessary, but it gave me peace of mind. Your situation sounds even more straightforward since you only had a one-day gap between jobs. You've got this!

UPDATE: I talked to my doctor today, and she's recommending I take 6 weeks off work to adjust to my new medication and attend intensive therapy. She filled out the SDI paperwork, so I'm going to apply for disability benefits instead of unemployment. Once I'm cleared to return to work, if I still haven't found a job, I'll apply for UI then. Thank you everyone for your help and guidance!

Great decision on going with SDI first! That's exactly what I would have recommended based on your doctor's advice. Just a heads up - SDI applications can sometimes take a few weeks to process, so make sure you apply as soon as possible to avoid any gaps in coverage. Also, keep all your medical documentation organized because they might request additional paperwork during the review process. Your anxiety treatment is the priority right now, and having that financial support will help reduce stress while you focus on getting better. Wishing you a smooth recovery!

I'm new to this community and just went through a very similar experience that I wanted to share! I was on CA SDI for about 4 months after a herniated disc surgery (L3-L4) and also applied for my employer's LTD benefits. Here's what actually happened with my benefits: SDI was paying me about $2,900/month (roughly 62% of my salary), and my employer's LTD plan had a maximum of 66%. The private insurer paid me an additional $200/month to bring me up to that 66% total - so while it wasn't a huge increase, every bit helped with the physical therapy copays and prescription costs. A few things I learned that might help you: 1. **Definitely call for that benefit estimate first** - I wish I had done this before spending hours on paperwork. The LTD carrier was actually really helpful in explaining exactly how the coordination would work. 2. **The medical documentation requirements are intense** - They wanted detailed functional capacity evaluations, updated imaging reports, and monthly progress notes from my surgeon. Way more than EDD ever requested. 3. **Start early but be patient** - I submitted my LTD application about 2 weeks before my 90-day mark, and it still took another month to get approved and start receiving payments. The monthly reporting is definitely more demanding than SDI's bi-weekly certifications - they want specific details about pain levels, daily activities, treatment compliance, and work restrictions. But once you get into a routine with it, it's manageable. One unexpected benefit: having the LTD claim established gave me peace of mind about the SDI time limits. My recovery ended up taking longer than initially expected, so knowing I had that longer-term coverage was really valuable. Hope this helps, and wishing you a smooth recovery! Back injuries are tough but you'll get through this.

I'm new to this community and really grateful I found this thread! I'm currently about 8 weeks into CA SDI following a workplace back injury (herniated disc at L5-S1) and am approaching my LTD eligibility period. Reading through everyone's real-world experiences has been incredibly valuable - way more helpful than trying to decode insurance policy language on my own. Based on what I've learned here, I'm definitely going to call my LTD carrier this week for a benefit estimate before diving into the application process. It sounds like most people are seeing an additional 5-10% of salary rather than the theoretical 100% I was initially hoping for, but even that modest increase would help with all the medical expenses that keep adding up. A quick question for those who've been through this: Did any of you experience delays in LTD processing because of coordination with your SDI claim? I'm wondering if there's any benefit to waiting until my SDI claim is fully established before applying for LTD, or if it's better to get both processes running simultaneously. Also, for the monthly reporting requirements that everyone mentions - do you typically report the same information to both programs, or do they want completely different updates? Thanks to everyone who has shared their actual numbers and experiences. This community is such a great resource for navigating these complex benefit systems. Hoping my recovery goes as smoothly as many of yours seem to have!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My doctor submitted my certification last Thursday and I'm checking my SDI account obsessively every day. It's so stressful when you're already dealing with health issues and then have to worry about money on top of it. From what everyone is saying here, it sounds like 7-14 days is pretty normal, but the uncertainty is the worst part. I really hope yours comes through soon - back surgery is no joke and you shouldn't have to stress about rent while you're trying to recover. Definitely try that Claimyr service that Grace mentioned if you can't get through by phone. At least then you'd know if there are any issues with your claim instead of just waiting and wondering.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago after a knee surgery. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you're already dealing with recovery and medical bills. In my case, it took exactly 10 business days from when my doctor's certification showed as "received" to when I got my first payment. One thing that really helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank so I'd know immediately when a deposit hit my account, rather than constantly checking both my bank and SDI accounts. The payment came through on a Wednesday morning and included all my back pay from day 8 of my disability period. If you're really worried about making rent, you might want to reach out to your landlord now to explain the situation. Many landlords are more understanding if you communicate proactively rather than waiting until the due date. You could also look into local emergency assistance programs - some counties have rapid response funds for people waiting on disability payments. Hang in there - you've been through the hardest part (the surgery) and once EDD processes your claim, you'll get everything you're owed retroactively.