Can I qualify for EDD SDI if I need surgery but don't have a job at the time?

Yes, you can potentially qualify for EDD SDI even without current employment, but there are specific requirements. You need to have been looking for work (essentially available to the labor market) when you became disabled. Since you mentioned you were planning to take time off before job hunting, this could be problematic. EDD will look at your base period earnings - typically 5-18 months before your disability claim - to determine eligibility. As long as you have sufficient wages in your base period and meet the minimum threshold (around $300 now), you could qualify. But the key is whether you're considered 'attached to the labor market' when your disability begins. I'd recommend filing anyway and explaining your situation truthfully. Sometimes EDD is more understanding with planned medical procedures.

u might have a problem. when i had my shoulder surgery last year i had to have my doc fill out forms saying i couldnt do my JOB anymore. if u dont have a job how can u prove ur too disabled to work? just my 2 cents

I was in almost the EXACT same situation back in 2023!! Had to have major abdominal surgery but was between jobs. I DID qualify for SDI but there were some hoops to jump through. Here's what happened: I had to provide proof that I was actively seeking work (saved all my job applications). They asked for a phone interview to determine if I was "available to the labor market" when I became disabled. The key part was having my surgeon document exactly when my condition became disabling - which was before the actual surgery date (when he determined surgery was medically necessary and my pain was preventing normal functioning). It took about 6 weeks to get approved but I did eventually get benefits for my recovery period. Don't give up!!

When does ur doctor say u cant work anymore? Thats ur disability start date. If ur not working NOW but ur doctor says ur condition makes u unable to work starting TODAY then u can apply right now. U dont need to have a job to lose.

I work for a disability advocacy organization, and this is a common question. The key factor is whether you're considered "attached to the labor market" when your disability begins. Since you recently left your job and hadn't yet started your job search, EDD might question this. Here's my advice: 1) Have your doctor document when your condition became disabling (even if it's before surgery), 2) If you've done any job searching activities since leaving your job, document those, 3) File your claim based on when your doctor certifies you became unable to work, not necessarily the surgery date. Also important: be prepared for additional questions from EDD. They'll likely want to determine if you were truly available for work when your disability began or if you were already planning time off. Be honest but make sure to emphasize that your job separation was unrelated to your medical condition.

Have you tried calling EDD directly to ask about your specific situation? Their website has so much general info but doesn't cover unique cases like yours. I was trying to get through to them for weeks about my own disability claim and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. Worth it to get a definitive answer directly from EDD about your eligibility before surgery.

SDI eligibility can be tricky in your situation. You don't necessarily need current employment, but you DO need to have been available for work when you became disabled. Your base period earnings will determine your weekly benefit amount. Since you worked until recently, you should have sufficient earnings in your base period. The real question is whether EDD will consider you "attached to the labor market" if you were planning to take time off. Honestly? It could go either way depending on who reviews your claim. I'd recommend filing as soon as your doctor says your condition prevents you from working, and be prepared to appeal if denied initially.

One important thing to note that I don't think others have mentioned: Even if you qualify based on labor market attachment and base period earnings, there's still the 7-day waiting period before benefits begin. So if your surgery is scheduled, plan for that week without benefits. Also, your weekly benefit amount will be based on your highest quarter of earnings during the base period, maxing out at around $1,560 per week in 2025 (though most people get less than the maximum). Make sure you understand what your financial situation will look like during recovery so you can plan accordingly.

After reading all these responses, I think you should: 1) Talk to your doctor ASAP about documenting your current limitations (this establishes your disability start date), 2) File for SDI based on your doctor's assessment, not waiting until surgery, 3) Be prepared to show you were available for work when you became disabled (maybe start some job searching activity that you can document), 4) If you get denied, definitely appeal! Many claims are denied initially but approved on appeal. Good luck with your surgery and recovery!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through a similar situation. I had to have knee surgery while unemployed and was initially denied SDI because they said I wasn't "available for work" when I became disabled. However, I appealed and won by providing evidence that: 1) My condition was progressively worsening (got documentation from my doctor showing the timeline), 2) I had been actively looking for work until my pain became too severe, and 3) My surgeon confirmed that my condition would have prevented me from performing any work duties even if I had a job. The appeal process took about 3 months but I eventually received retroactive benefits back to my disability start date. Don't let an initial denial discourage you - the appeals process exists for situations exactly like yours where the circumstances are more complex than the standard case.

I went through something very similar last year with a herniated disc surgery while between jobs. Here's what I learned: the timing of when your doctor says you became "unable to work" is crucial - not just the surgery date. My orthopedist documented that my condition became disabling 3 weeks before my actual surgery when the pain made it impossible to sit/stand for normal work periods. I filed my SDI claim based on that date, not the surgery date. Even though I wasn't employed at the time, I had been doing some light job searching (keep those application emails!). EDD initially questioned my "labor market attachment" but ultimately approved my claim because my doctor clearly documented that my medical condition, not personal choice, was preventing me from working. The key was showing that I WOULD have been available for work if not for the medical condition. Got approved for the full recovery period (about 16 weeks in my case). Start documenting everything with your doctor now!

I'm actually dealing with a very similar situation right now! I have a chronic back condition that's been getting worse, and my doctor is recommending surgery in the next few months. I've been nervous about the whole SDI process since I'm currently between jobs too. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about the distinction between when you become "unable to work" versus the actual surgery date. I hadn't realized that the progressive worsening of a condition could establish your disability start date before the procedure itself. @Joshua Hellan your experience with the herniated disc sounds almost exactly like what I'm going through. Did you find that having documentation of job search activities was crucial, or was the medical documentation more important in your case? I'm trying to figure out how much I should focus on each aspect. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is amazing for navigating these complex situations!

I'm a newcomer to this community but going through something very similar! I have a shoulder condition that requires surgery in about 6 weeks, and I recently left my job (unrelated reasons). Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea that the disability start date could be based on when your doctor determines you're unable to work rather than the actual surgery date. This makes so much sense for progressive conditions that worsen over time. What I'm taking away from everyone's experiences is that documentation is absolutely crucial - both medical documentation showing the timeline of your condition worsening, and some evidence that you were available for work when you became disabled. It sounds like many of you successfully navigated this situation even without current employment. Thank you all for sharing your detailed experiences! It's given me hope that I might be able to qualify for SDI during my recovery period too. I'm planning to meet with my doctor next week to discuss documenting my current limitations and when he thinks my condition became disabling. This community is such a valuable resource for understanding these complex situations!

I'm new to this community but facing a very similar situation with a spinal fusion surgery coming up in about 8 weeks. I left my job a few weeks ago for personal reasons (completely unrelated to my medical condition), and now I'm worried about SDI eligibility during my recovery. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! The distinction between disability start date vs surgery date that several people mentioned is something I hadn't understood before. My chronic pain condition has definitely been getting worse over the past few months, affecting my ability to lift and stand for long periods. Based on what I'm learning here, I should probably get my doctor to document these current limitations ASAP rather than waiting. Has anyone dealt with spinal fusion specifically? I'm looking at a 3-4 month recovery period according to my surgeon. Also wondering - for those who were successful, did you file your SDI claim before your surgery date once your doctor documented you were unable to work? Thanks so much for all the detailed information everyone has shared!

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with a very similar situation! I have a cervical spine condition that requires surgery in about 10 weeks, and I recently became unemployed (also for reasons unrelated to my medical condition). Reading through all these detailed experiences has been incredibly enlightening and honestly quite reassuring. What really stands out to me from everyone's stories is how crucial the timing and documentation aspects are - particularly the distinction between when you become "unable to work" versus the actual surgery date. My neck condition has progressively worsened over the past several months, now causing numbness in my hands and making it difficult to maintain proper posture for desk work. Based on all the advice shared here, I think I need to get my doctor to document these current functional limitations immediately rather than waiting closer to surgery. The success stories from @Joshua Hellan with the herniated disc and @Asher Levin with their abdominal surgery give me hope that this can work out even when unemployed. I'm planning to schedule an appointment this week to discuss establishing a disability start date based on my current symptoms. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences - this thread has been invaluable for understanding how to navigate this complex situation!