Can I reopen my EDD SDI claim after brief return to work made condition worse?

You'll need to file what's called a "Recurrence Claim" since you're disabled again from the same condition within 90 days of returning to work. You don't need to file a completely new claim. Ask your doctor to complete a new medical certification form (DE 2501) indicating this is a recurrence of your previous condition. Submit this through your SDI Online account. There should be an option to file a recurrence claim when you log in.

same thing hapend to me last year with my shoulder!! went back 2 work after 3 months, lasted 2 weeks and boom - right back to square 1. u dont have to do waiting period again if its within like 2 or 3 months i think

I JUST went through this exact nightmare scenario. Fyi - EDD is NOT going to make this easy for you! I filed my recurrence claim and they sat on it for 3 weeks with no response. I called 47 TIMES before finally getting through to a rep who told me they "needed more information" but never bothered to tell me! The system is BROKEN and they don't care that people are suffering without income while they drag their feet!!

Quick correction to some of the advice here - you DO need to serve another waiting period if it's been more than 14 days since your benefits ended, not 90 days. Since you said you stopped benefits on 9/9 and are filing again now (which I assume is October?), you'll likely have to serve another 7-day unpaid waiting period. Just want you to be prepared for that possibility.

I work in HR and deal with SDI claims regularly. Here's exactly what you need to do: 1. Log into your SDI Online account 2. Select "File a New Claim" 3. When asked if this is for the same condition as a previous claim, select "Yes" 4. Complete the form with your return-to-work date and new disability start date 5. Make sure your doctor completes a new medical certification If it's within 14 days of your previous claim, you won't serve a new waiting period. Based on your dates, you should qualify for this exception. Your weekly benefit amount should be the same as your previous claim. If you have any issues with the online system, calling the EDD directly is your best option.

When I had to reopen my claim last year for my surgery complications, I actually had to go into the local EDD office to get it sorted out. The online system kept giving me errors. Might be worth checking if your local office takes appointments if you run into problems with the online application.

did u try talking to ur job about light duty? my company let me do desk work for 3 weeks when i couldnt do my regular job. might be worth asking before going thru all the edd hassle again

One more important tip - make sure you save copies of EVERYTHING. EDD has been known to lose documentation, especially for recurrence claims. Take screenshots of your online submissions and keep confirmation numbers. If your doctor faxes anything, get a fax confirmation. This will save you huge headaches if they claim they never received something.

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what happened. I submitted my recurrence claim online and got my doctor to submit the new certification right away. It took about 10 days, but my claim was approved! Since it was within the 14-day period, I didn't have to serve another waiting period. Thank you all for your help - especially the detailed steps from the HR person. You saved me so much stress during an already painful time!