Can I claim SDI benefits for intermittent treatment days after returning to work?

Yes! This is called an Intermittent Claim and you CAN continue your existing claim instead of filing a new one. I went through this exact situation last year after my knee replacement. When you return to work, don't close your claim. Instead, you'll need to do the following: 1. Have your doctor fill out a supplemental certification (DE 2525XX form) stating you need intermittent time off for treatment related to your original condition 2. You'll certify only for the specific days/partial days you miss work 3. For partial days, EDD calculates a percentage of your daily benefit amount Just make sure your treatment plan is clearly documented as related to your original surgery. The doctor's certification is SUPER important - without it, EDD will likely deny the intermittent payments.

WRONG INFORMATION ABOVE!!! You CAN'T continue a claim for intermittent work like that!!! I tried to do this last year and EDD told me I had to file a completely new claim because I had returned to work! They said once you're back full time even for ONE DAY the original claim is CLOSED permanently!!! Don't listen to people who don't know what they're talking about!!!

I'm going through something kind of similar right now after my shoulder surgery. My doctor called it "Reduced Work Schedule" on my SDI forms. When I went back part-time, I still got partial SDI payments for the hours I couldn't work. Not sure if that helps since yours will be more on/off rather than consistently reduced hours.

Have you tried calling EDD directly? I was on hold for THREE HOURS last week trying to ask a similar question about my pregnancy disability claim, and then they hung up on me! So frustrating. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd showing how it works. The agent I spoke with confirmed that you CAN continue a claim for intermittent treatment as long as it's related to the same medical condition and your doctor documents it properly.

Ok but what if the doctor doesn't agree to fill out more paperwork? My doctor charged me $25 to fill out the initial SDI forms and said any additional forms would be another $25 each time! Has anyone dealt with this? Do all doctors charge for disability paperwork?

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - the technical term EDD uses is "Intermittent Disability Benefits" or sometimes "Partial Disability Benefits." The key form is the "Supplemental Certificate" that your doctor needs to complete. Also important to know: there's a time limit for how long you can keep a claim open for intermittent benefits. If I remember correctly, it's 2 years from the date of your original disability. But since your treatment plan is only 3 months, that shouldn't be an issue for you.

I'm an HR manager and deal with this regularly. Here's the official information: Yes, you can receive what's called "partial benefits" or "intermittent benefits" under your existing claim if: 1. The intermittent time off is for the same medical condition 2. Your doctor certifies the need for continued treatment 3. You arrange this before formally closing your initial claim The form needed is DE 2525XX (Supplemental Certificate). For partial days, you'll receive a prorated amount of your daily benefit rate. For example, if you miss 4 hours of an 8-hour workday, you'd receive 50% of your daily benefit amount for that day. The deadline for filing this supplemental certification is typically within 45 days of your last benefit payment, so don't wait too long after returning to work to get this set up.

i went thru something like this after my car accident. my advice is get EVERYTHING in writing from your doc. like super detailed about why u need the time off and how its connected to ur surgery. edd denied me at first but i appealed with more documentation and won. good luck!

Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like you have a good chance of continuing your existing claim for intermittent benefits, but the key is acting quickly and getting the right documentation. I'd recommend: 1. Contact your doctor ASAP to discuss the DE 2525XX form and make sure they understand this needs to be clearly connected to your December surgery 2. Don't formally close your current SDI claim when you return to work - keep it active 3. Consider using that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through to an actual EDD rep to confirm the process The fact that multiple people here have successfully done this gives me hope for your situation. The conflicting experiences seem to come down to timing (setting it up before vs after closing the claim) and documentation quality. Since you're planning ahead, you should be in good shape. Keep us posted on how it goes - your experience could help others in similar situations!