CA SDI timing confusion - Use vacation/sick time first, then apply for state disability?

You should apply for CA SDI immediately - don't wait! SDI has a 7-day waiting period before benefits begin, and you won't get paid for that first week. FMLA and SDI can run concurrently (at the same time), but they're completely different things: FMLA just protects your job for up to 12 weeks, while SDI provides partial wage replacement. As for your vacation/sick time, that's a company policy thing. Some employers require you to use it, others make it optional. Check your employee handbook. If they give you a choice, using vacation/sick time during the SDI waiting period is usually smart, then you can supplement SDI with remaining PTO if needed since SDI only pays about 60-70% of your wages up to the maximum benefit amount.

congrats on 7 yrs without leave! im jealous lol. i had same thing happen last yr with my back injury. my company made me use all my sick time first but i still got SDI at same time. just make sure u tell ur doc to fill out the DE 2501 form properly!!!!! mine messed it up twice and delayed my payments by like 3 wks

You definitely need to apply for SDI right away. Your employer is confusing you by only mentioning FMLA without explaining that SDI is a separate benefit. I went through this in 2025 during my surgery recovery. Here's what you need to know: 1. FMLA = job protection for 12 weeks (unpaid) 2. CA SDI = state disability payments (about 60-70% of your salary) 3. Sick/vacation = 100% of your salary until used up Most people use sick/vacation to supplement SDI (since SDI doesn't replace your full salary). Your employer can't force you to use all your PTO before applying for SDI - that's misinformation. They CAN require you to use your PTO to supplement the difference between SDI and your regular pay. File your SDI claim ASAP - you can do it online through the SDI Online portal. Your doctor needs to complete their portion within 49 days of your disability starting. Don't wait!

To answer the follow-up question: Yes, companies have different PTO policies. However, they CANNOT prevent you from filing for SDI when you're disabled - that's your legal right in California regardless of your PTO balance. They might have policies about how PTO and SDI work together, but you should apply for SDI right away.

I HAD THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM in January!!! My HR dept was USELESS and I couldn't even reach the EDD helpline for DAYS trying to figure this out. I finally found Claimyr.com - it got me through to an actual EDD representative in under 25 minutes after I'd spent literally hours getting hung up on. The agent confirmed everything people are saying here - you should apply for SDI immediately regardless of your PTO situation. There's a really helpful video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The EDD rep told me that your employer policy only dictates whether you have to use PTO, but it doesn't affect when you can apply for state disability. Get your claim in ASAP because processing can take 2+ weeks even when everything goes smoothly!

Every company is different with PTO policies, but the state rules are the same. My company also made it sound like I had to use all my time before applying for disability and I ended up losing money because I waited too long to file my claim. Don't make my mistake! Also important: when you're on SDI, you're still accruing PTO at your company if that's part of your benefits package. A lot of people don't realize this. So even though you're using some PTO now, you'll still be earning more during your leave.

All of this advice is wrong. I work in HR and we ALWAYS require employees to exhaust their sick leave before SDI kicks in. California law clearly states that employers can force you to use your sick time before disability. Please don't listen to random internet people. Talk to your HR department and have them explain your company's specific policies.

one more thing!!!! make sure when u file for SDI that u use the FIRST day u stopped working as ur disability date, not the day ur doctor wrote the note. i messed that up and it caused so many problems with my claim. and definitely do it online instead of paper forms, way faster

Thank you all so much! I'm going to apply for SDI today and talk to HR about using some of my PTO to supplement the disability payments. It's a huge relief to understand how these benefits work together - my employer really didn't explain anything clearly.