Can I delay starting EDD SDI pregnancy benefits until after delivery?

you cant do that. SDI is for when ur disabled from pregnancy and recovery. if ur already recovered u cant claim disability. the 4 wks before is optional but after birth u need to start SDI right away. ur company leave and SDI usually run at same time.

This is a common question with pregnancy disability! Let me clarify: SDI pregnancy benefits cover your disability period, which includes recovery from childbirth. This period is typically 6-8 weeks depending on delivery type (vaginal vs. C-section). You cannot postpone the start of your SDI benefits after delivery, as the disability period begins when you give birth. However, what many people don't realize is that you don't HAVE to claim the pre-delivery disability period (the 4 weeks before your due date) if you don't want to or if you're still working. What you CAN do is coordinate your company's paid leave with Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits, which are separate from SDI. After your recovery period covered by SDI, you can transition to PFL for bonding time. I suggest talking to your HR department again for clarification on how your company's paid leave integrates with state benefits. Many employers have policies where they supplement the state benefits to provide full salary.

I tried to do something similar last year and it was a NIGHTMARE!!!! EDD denied my claim because I put the wrong start date and then I had to appeal and it took FOREVERRR to get my money. Don't mess around with the dates - just do what the doctor certifies you for!

You should check if your company's policy allows for what's called "wage supplementation" instead of trying to delay SDI. My company did this - basically I filed for SDI normally, received those payments, and then my company paid me the difference to get me to 100% of my salary. This way you don't risk losing any benefits but still get your full pay. Worth asking HR specifically about this.

When I had my baby in 2023 I was SOOO confused by all this too! What I learned is that there are 3 parts to maternity leave in California: 1) Pregnancy disability before birth (optional up to 4wks) 2) Recovery disability after birth (6-8wks) 3) Baby bonding time (8wks PFL) You can't really move these around - they happen in this order. But your company benefits might cover different parts or supplement the state benefits. BTW my doctor ended up giving me 10 weeks after birth because I had complications, so sometimes you can get more time if medically necessary.

I had the same question when I was pregnant last year and spent HOURS trying to reach an EDD representative to get a clear answer. After getting disconnected multiple times, I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which connected me to an actual EDD agent in less than 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The agent confirmed what others are saying - you can't postpone SDI after birth because it's specifically for your recovery period. They explained that my employer's benefits could either run concurrently with SDI (with the employer making up the difference to my full salary) or my employer could offer additional time off before/after the state benefits. It really depends on your specific company policy.

my sister works for hr at a big tech company and she says lots of ppl get confused about this. she says almost all companies run their paid leave CONCURRENT with state disability. so u get both at same time. usually company pays the difference between SDI and ur regular pay. its SUPER RARE to find companies that let u stack the benefits back to back. good luck!

One important thing to note is that EDD bases your eligibility for SDI on your doctor's certification. Your doctor will certify when you become disabled due to pregnancy (either before birth or at birth) and how long your recovery period should be. EDD follows this medical determination, not your preference for when benefits start. If you try to file a claim with dates that don't match your medical certification, you'll likely face delays or denials. I recommend having an honest conversation with your doctor about your situation during your next prenatal visit.

Based on all the comments, it sounds like you now understand you can't postpone SDI after birth. But I wanted to add that it's worth comparing these two scenarios with actual numbers to see which is better financially: 1) Receiving SDI + company supplemental pay during recovery period, then PFL for bonding 2) Using company leave for part of your recovery time, then SDI for remaining recovery, then PFL In almost all cases, scenario #1 works out better because you don't risk losing any SDI benefits. Remember that SDI and PFL pay approximately 60-70% of your wages up to a maximum weekly benefit amount ($1,620 in 2025), so if your company is offering full salary, you're better off getting both simultaneously.

I went through this exact situation 18 months ago and totally understand your confusion! I also thought I could strategically time my benefits to maximize my time off, but learned the hard way that SDI isn't flexible like that. What ended up working for me was having a detailed conversation with both my doctor and HR about the timeline. My doctor certified me for 6 weeks post-delivery (vaginal birth), and my company's policy was to supplement my SDI payments to bring me up to 100% salary during those 6 weeks. Then I used PFL for bonding time after that. The key thing I learned is that "disability" for pregnancy purposes is a medical determination, not a personal choice. Once you give birth, you're medically considered disabled for recovery purposes regardless of how you feel or what your company offers. One tip: make sure you file your SDI claim within 49 days of your delivery date, even if you're still getting paid by your company. You can always coordinate the payments later, but you can't get the benefits back if you miss the filing deadline. Good luck with your pregnancy and figuring out the best plan for your family!

I'm a new mom who went through this process just 6 months ago and want to echo what others have said - you really can't delay SDI after delivery. I initially had the same idea as you because my company also offered some paid leave, but here's what I learned: SDI isn't something you can schedule around your preferences - it's tied to your medical disability period. Your doctor will certify when you're disabled (usually starting at delivery) and for how long (typically 6-8 weeks). EDD follows that medical certification. What worked best for me was having my company's HR explain their "integration" policy. Most companies don't give you their paid leave ON TOP of state benefits - they coordinate them. So during my 6-week recovery period, I received SDI payments PLUS my company paid the difference to get me to my full salary. Then after recovery, I used PFL for bonding time. My advice: Ask your HR specifically about "benefit integration" or "wage supplementation" rather than trying to sequence the benefits. You'll likely end up with more total compensation that way, and you won't risk any issues with EDD timing requirements. The system is designed to work together, not separately!

I just went through this same situation 4 months ago and can confirm what everyone else is saying - you cannot delay SDI benefits after delivery. I had the exact same misconception initially! What helped me was understanding that SDI pregnancy benefits are structured in two distinct phases: 1. Pre-delivery disability (up to 4 weeks before due date) - this part IS optional 2. Post-delivery recovery disability (6-8 weeks after birth) - this part is NOT optional and must start at delivery The key insight is that once you give birth, you're automatically considered medically disabled for recovery purposes. Your doctor will certify this disability period, and EDD requires you to claim benefits starting from your delivery date if you're taking any time off work. However, I found a great solution working with my HR department: they coordinated my company's paid leave with SDI through "concurrent benefits." During my 8-week recovery period (I had a C-section), I received both SDI payments AND my company topped up the remaining amount to reach my full salary. This gave me the best of both worlds without any timing games. My suggestion: Schedule a meeting with HR and ask specifically about "concurrent benefits" or "wage supplementation during SDI." Most established companies have policies for exactly this situation. You'll likely end up with better total compensation than trying to sequence the benefits separately, plus you avoid any risk of EDD issues. The system really is designed to work together - I just wish someone had explained it to me this clearly from the start!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm 32 weeks pregnant and was having the exact same confusion about timing SDI benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly enlightening. Just to add my perspective as someone currently navigating this - I met with my HR representative last week after initially thinking I could delay SDI, and they confirmed what everyone here is saying. Our company has a "benefit coordination" policy where they supplement SDI payments to bring you up to 100% salary during the disability period. What I found really helpful was asking HR for a written timeline showing exactly how the benefits work together. They gave me a document that breaks down: - Weeks 1-6 post-delivery: SDI + company supplementation = full salary - Weeks 7-14: Paid Family Leave for bonding - Additional weeks: Company's separate parental leave policy (if applicable) I think the key thing I learned is that most established companies have already figured out how to coordinate state and company benefits optimally. We don't need to game the system - the system is designed to work together! For anyone else in this situation: definitely ask your HR for a written breakdown of how your specific company coordinates benefits. It takes all the guesswork out of it and helps you plan your finances properly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this community is so valuable for navigating these complex systems!