Can I transition directly from UI to SDI for back problems without calling EDD first?

DO NOT just mark yourself as too ill to work on your UI certification without having your SDI claim ready to go!!! I did this last year and ended up with a 3 week gap with NO BENEFITS because UI stopped immediately but my SDI took forever to process. Call EDD first (good luck with that) or have your doctor submit the medical certification BEFORE your next UI certification.

You need to time this carefully. Here's what worked for me when I had to switch from UI to SDI for a surgery: 1. Have your doctor complete the medical certification form first (DE 2501) 2. File your SDI claim online BEFORE your next UI certification 3. When you certify for UI, then mark yourself as unable to work 4. Print confirmation of both your SDI application and your UI certification Keep documentation of everything. The systems don't communicate well with each other, so you might need to explain the transition if there are questions later.

u can just say ur 2 sick 2 work on ur UI form and then apply 4 disability. thats wat i did last yr for my back probs and it worked fine. took like a week 4 UI to stop and then maybe 10 days 4 SDI to start paying. not a big deal just have ur doc do the medical form asap

I went through exact same thing with my knee injury while on UI. The proper way is to get your doctor to fill out disability paperwork first, then apply for SDI, THEN on your next UI certification you mark that you were unable to work. If you do it right there's minimal gap.

The transition from UI to SDI is a common issue many claimants face. To clarify the correct process: 1. Your doctor must complete the medical certification form (DE 2501) establishing the first day you became disabled 2. You should apply for SDI immediately after receiving this certification 3. When you next certify for UI, indicate you were unable to work during the period your disability began 4. UI benefits will stop as of the date your disability began 5. SDI benefits should begin after the standard 7-day waiting period from your disability date Important: The disability date on your medical certification is crucial - it establishes when UI ends and when your SDI waiting period begins. Make sure your doctor dates it accurately to minimize any gap in benefits.

To answer your question about the waiting period - it depends on timing. If your disability date falls in the middle of a UI certification period, you might receive partial UI for the days you were able to work, then have your 7-day SDI waiting period, then SDI benefits begin. There will likely be some gap, but careful timing can minimize it.

Has anyone else noticed how impossibly difficult it is to reach ANYONE at EDD to ask questions like this??? I spent 4 WEEKS trying to get clarification when switching from UI to SDI last year. Called hundreds of times and got disconnected every single time. The system is completely broken!

My brother tried switching from unemployment to disability and accidentally created an overpayment situation by certifying for both at the same time. Took him 8 months to fix!!! Be super careful about the dates.

I think it depends on what kind of unemployment your on! Regular UI is different from pandemic unemployment (PUA) which is different from disability. My cousin got denied cause she didnt know the different types. Maybe check if your on regular UI first?

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I've scheduled an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to get the DE 2501 form completed. Based on your suggestions, I'll file for SDI immediately after getting that certification, and then indicate I'm unable to work on my next UI certification. I'm still nervous about a potential gap in payments, but it sounds like that's just part of the process. I'll update this thread after I go through the transition in case it helps someone else.

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow! One small tip that helped me - when your doctor fills out the DE 2501, make sure they're specific about your functional limitations (like the 30-minute sitting/standing restriction you mentioned). The more detailed they are about how your scoliosis affects your ability to work, the smoother your SDI approval tends to go. Also, keep copies of everything - the medical form, your SDI application confirmation, and your final UI certification. Having that paper trail saved me when I had questions about my case later. You're doing the right thing by getting all the info first instead of just winging it!