Can I get unemployment after pregnancy disability if my position was eliminated?
I've been out on pregnancy disability for almost 4 months (thank goodness for California SDI!). My doctor just cleared me to return to work next week, but I just got a call from HR saying my position has been eliminated due to department restructuring! I'm completely panicking right now. Does anyone know if I can apply for unemployment benefits after being on SDI? Or does being on disability somehow disqualify me? I've never been in this situation before and have a newborn to support now. Any advice would be so appreciated!
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Ian Armstrong
OMG the same thing happened to my sister last year!!! Companies can be so heartless. I think she was able to get unemployment after her maternity disability but I'm not 100% sure. Something about needing to be 'able and available' for work which you should be now if doc cleared you?
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Molly Chambers
•Thanks for responding! Did your sister have to do anything special when applying? I'm worried they'll see I was just on disability and automatically deny me.
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Eli Butler
Yes, you absolutely CAN apply for unemployment after your SDI pregnancy disability ends if your position was eliminated. The key is timing - you need to be medically cleared to work (which you are), able and available for work, and actively seeking employment. Your previous SDI claim doesn't disqualify you as long as you're now able to work. Make sure you apply for UI as soon as your SDI ends - don't wait or there could be a gap in benefits.
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Marcus Patterson
•Listen to this person!! I messed up and waited too long after my disability ended before applying for unemployment and had to fight with EDD for weeks to backdate my claim. DON'T make my mistake
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Lydia Bailey
You should also check if youre eligible for Paid Family Leave after your SDI! You can get 8 weeks to bond with your baby before you even need to worry about unemployment.
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Molly Chambers
•Oh! I completely forgot about PFL! That would give me some breathing room to figure out the job situation. Do you know if I apply for that the same way I did for SDI?
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Eli Butler
•Yes, you apply for PFL through the same SDI Online portal you used for your pregnancy disability claim. The transition from SDI to PFL is pretty seamless. After PFL ends, that's when you'd apply for unemployment if you're still jobless. Just remember that each program has different eligibility requirements: SDI is for your medical recovery, PFL is for bonding with your baby, and UI is for when you're able to work but unemployed through no fault of your own (like position elimination).
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Mateo Warren
Wait is your company big enough to have FMLA protection?? If they have 50+ employees and you worked there over a year, they CANT eliminate your position while youre on protected leave! That might be illegal!! You should talk to a lawyer!!!
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Molly Chambers
•We're definitely under 50 employees (small tech startup), so I don't think FMLA applies in my case unfortunately. But thank you for mentioning it - that's good info for others reading this thread!
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Sofia Price
I went through this exact nightmare scenario in 2023 after my pregnancy. Here's what you need to know: 1. First, transition from SDI to PFL for baby bonding (8 weeks) 2. After PFL, apply for unemployment immediately 3. When you apply for UI, make sure to clearly explain your availability for work 4. You'll need to certify every two weeks that you're looking for work The most frustrating part was trying to get through to EDD when I had questions about transitioning between programs. I spent DAYS getting disconnected or waiting on hold. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD rep in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd It was so worth it to actually talk to someone who could explain my benefits and fix an issue with my claim.
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Molly Chambers
•Thank you so much for the detailed steps! I'll definitely check out that service if I run into problems. The idea of spending hours on hold with a fussy newborn sounds impossible.
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Alice Coleman
The EDD system is DESIGNED to confuse people and deny benefits!! I bet they'll find some reason to deny your claim even though you DESERVE those benefits after your company threw you away!!! The whole system is broken and they don't care about new mothers AT ALL.
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Eli Butler
•While EDD can certainly be frustrating to navigate, they do have specific provisions for situations exactly like this. The transition between benefit programs is actually quite well established in California. The key is understanding each program's purpose and applying at the right time with the right documentation.
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Marcus Patterson
quick question did u get the debit card for ur SDI already? cuz when u switch to PFL or UI they use the same card to deposit ur $$$ so dont lose it
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Molly Chambers
•Yes, I have the EDD debit card! Good to know they'll use the same one for different benefits. One less thing to worry about!
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Owen Jenkins
when i had my baby last year my doctor gave me extra time on disability bc of postpartum depression maybe ask your doctor if you can extend your disability? just a thought if your not ready to work yet
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Molly Chambers
•That's a good point about possibly extending disability if I wasn't ready, but honestly I was looking forward to getting back to work! Just didn't expect to be job hunting with a newborn. But thank you for mentioning this option for others who might need it.
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Eli Butler
One more important thing to note: your UI benefit amount might be different from what you received on SDI. Unemployment is calculated based on your highest-earning quarter during your base period (typically 5-18 months before filing), while SDI is based on a percentage of your regular wages. Make sure to check the EDD website for the UI benefit calculator so you can budget accordingly.
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Molly Chambers
•Thank you for this information! I'll definitely check the calculator. Do you know if they look at my income before I went on disability? My base period would include several months where I was working full-time.
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Eli Butler
•Yes, they'll look at your income before disability. For UI claims filed in 2025, the standard base period would typically be the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file for UI. Since those quarters would be when you were working full-time (pre-disability), that works in your favor for calculating your benefit amount.
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NeonNinja
I'm so sorry this happened to you - what a stressful situation on top of having a new baby! I went through something similar (though not exactly the same) when my company had layoffs right after I returned from maternity leave. From what I learned, you should be eligible for unemployment after your disability ends since your job loss was due to company restructuring, not your performance. The key things the EDD will look at are: 1) you're medically cleared to work (which you are), 2) you're able and available for work, and 3) you lost your job through no fault of your own. A few practical tips: Keep all your documentation from HR about the position elimination, and when you apply for UI, be very clear about the timeline - that you were cleared to return to work but then informed your position was eliminated. Also, definitely look into the PFL option others mentioned for bonding time with your baby. Hang in there - you've got this! The system can be overwhelming but there are safety nets in place for exactly these situations.
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Ava Kim
•Thank you so much for the encouragement and practical advice! It really helps to hear from someone who went through something similar. I'm definitely going to keep all the HR documentation about the restructuring - that's a great point about being clear on the timeline when I apply. It's reassuring to know that these safety nets exist, even if the process seems intimidating right now. Having a newborn makes everything feel more urgent, but you're right that I need to take it one step at a time.
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Anastasia Popova
I'm a single mom who went through almost the exact same situation 6 months ago! Position eliminated while on pregnancy disability - it felt like the worst possible timing. Here's what worked for me: 1. Apply for PFL immediately after your SDI ends (don't wait!) - those 8 weeks gave me crucial time to job search without the pressure 2. Start updating your resume and LinkedIn NOW while you're still on disability 3. When you do apply for UI after PFL, emphasize that you're "able and available" - I even mentioned in my application that I had childcare arrangements in place 4. Network like crazy - I found my current job through a former colleague who saw my LinkedIn post about looking for work The transition between programs was smoother than I expected. EDD actually has pretty good resources for new parents, even though the system can be confusing at first. You're going to get through this! Having a baby AND job hunting is exhausting, but remember that companies that eliminate positions of new moms during disability probably weren't great places to work anyway. You'll find something better! 💪
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Ravi Patel
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience and the actionable steps! As someone new to this whole situation, it's incredibly helpful to hear from someone who not only went through the same thing but came out the other side successfully. I especially appreciate the tip about updating my resume and LinkedIn now - I hadn't even thought about getting a head start on that while still on disability. And you're absolutely right about companies that would eliminate a new mom's position during disability - probably a blessing in disguise even though it doesn't feel like it right now! Did you find that having recent maternity leave/disability on your timeline affected how employers viewed your applications, or was that not really an issue?
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