Can doctors directly file EDD SDI claims for patients? My employer says they can

Your employer is partially right but not totally. Your doctor doesn't "apply" for SDI for you completely. The process is split: YOU need to file the initial claim with EDD SDI, but your doctor must complete and submit the medical certification portion (online or by mail). If your doctor participates in SDI Online, they'll get notified when you file and can certify your condition electronically. But you still need to start the claim yourself - the doctor can't initiate it for you. The process is: 1. YOU file initial claim (DE 2501) through SDI Online or paper form 2. YOUR DOCTOR completes medical certification portion (which confirms your disability) 3. EDD processes both parts together I'd recommend filing through SDI Online ASAP and then telling your doctor you've filed so they can complete their part. This way you don't miss out on any benefit days.

ppl get this mixed up ALL THE TIME. ur employer is wrong!! doctor ONLY files the medical part. U HAVE TO apply for SDI yourself first before dr can do anything!!! i almost lost benefits cause i waited for my dr to "file for me" and he was just waiting for me to start the claim lol. dont make same mistake!!

I think I can clear this up. In California's SDI system, there's a common misunderstanding about the doctor's role. Your employer probably meant well but gave you incomplete information. Here's the ACTUAL process: - You file the initial claim (either online through SDI Online or using the DE 2501 paper form) - Your doctor completes the medical certification (Part B if paper form) - Both parts must be received by EDD before your claim is processed Some medical facilities have staff who will help patients complete their portion of SDI paperwork, which might be what your employer was referring to. But legally and procedurally, you must be the one to initiate the claim - a doctor cannot start the process for you. I recommend filing online through SDI Online - it's much faster than paper forms. Then let your doctor know you've filed so they can complete their certification. The waiting period is 7 days, and benefits are calculated from when you file (not when your doctor certifies), so don't delay your part!

When I had knee surgery last year, my doctor's office had a disability coordinator who helped me complete my part of the application, but I still had to be the one to submit it and create my SDI Online account. Your doctor isn't allowed to file the initial claim with your personal information - that violates privacy laws and EDD requirements. The doctor only certifies your medical condition after you've started the claim process. If your employer has a disability insurance coordinator, they might be able to help you complete your portion, but again, you need to be the one submitting it.

Is your employer talking about State Disability Insurance (SDI) or a private disability plan? Some companies have private short-term disability that works differently from state disability. With private plans, sometimes the doctor and employer handle more of the paperwork. But for California SDI, YOU must file first, then your doctor submits their medical certification part.

If you're struggling to reach EDD to ask questions about this (which I did when I was confused about the filing process), I recommend using Claimyr. It got me through to an actual EDD agent in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd that shows how it works. The agent I spoke with walked me through exactly what I needed to do vs what my doctor needed to do. Saved me from making mistakes that would have delayed my benefits.

In my case my doctor REFUSED to fill out disability paperwork until i had already filed my claim with edd!!! said it was policy at their medical group. so even if you wanted the doctor to do it all (which they cant), most doctors wont even start their part until you do yours first.

One important thing to note is that when you file your SDI claim, EDD automatically notifies your doctor through SDI Online if they're registered in the system. The doctor then gets a prompt to complete the medical certification for your specific claim. This electronic system is why some people think the doctor can do everything - because once you've initiated the claim, the doctor can complete their portion without any paper forms changing hands. But to repeat what everyone has said - you must start the process.

Update: I filed my claim online today and called my doctor's office to let them know. They said they already received the electronic notification from EDD and would complete their portion by tomorrow! Thanks everyone for clearing this up - my employer had me totally confused about who does what in this process.

Glad to hear you got it sorted out! Your experience is actually really common - I think a lot of employers mean well but don't fully understand the SDI process. It's great that you caught this confusion early instead of waiting around for your doctor to file something they can't actually initiate. The electronic notification system between EDD and participating doctors really does make the process smoother once you get your part filed. Hope your back improves and you get approved quickly!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to this community and dealing with a similar situation. My manager told me the exact same thing - that my doctor could file my SDI claim for me. I was so confused because when I called my doctor's office, they said I needed to start the process first. Reading everyone's responses here confirms what my doctor's office told me. It's really concerning how many employers seem to misunderstand this process and potentially cause delays for employees who need these benefits. I'm going to file my claim online today and then notify my doctor. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this cleared up so much confusion for me!

This is exactly the kind of confusion that trips up so many people! I work in HR and see this misunderstanding constantly. What often happens is that employers see doctors completing the medical certification part of SDI claims and assume they can handle the whole process. But you're absolutely right to question this - the employee MUST initiate the claim first. One tip I always give people: when you file online through SDI Online, make sure to print or save your confirmation number. Then when you contact your doctor's office, give them that confirmation info along with your claim number. This helps them quickly locate your case in their SDI system and ensures there's no delay in completing their medical certification. Also, since you mentioned severe back issues with a herniated disc, make sure your doctor provides detailed information about your functional limitations and expected recovery timeline. The more specific they are about how your condition affects your ability to work, the smoother your approval process will be. Hope your back heals up and your claim gets processed quickly!