Can my doctor extend my EDD pregnancy disability before original return date? Need urgent advice!

YES, your doctor can absolutely extend your pregnancy disability before the original end date! My OB extended mine twice during my last pregnancy due to complications. Have your doctor complete a Supplemental Certification (DE 2525XX) form as soon as they determine you need additional time. You don't need to wait until your current certification expires. Actually, it's better to do it earlier so there's no gap in your benefits. Make sure your doctor clearly indicates the new end date on the form. And definitely give your HR the heads-up since they mentioned that 30-day policy.

my cousin had same situation last year but waited too long n had a gap in payments for like 2 weeks... dont wait!! get ur dr to do it asap

I'm an HR benefits coordinator, and I can tell you that California law allows doctors to extend pregnancy disability leave certifications at ANY point - you don't have to wait until the original end date. Most employers (including yours with that 30-day notice policy) just want advance planning for staffing purposes, but the EDD only cares about the medical necessity as certified by your doctor. Have your doctor submit the supplemental certification form (DE 2525XX) as soon as possible. You should also log into your SDI Online account and check that the extension appears in your claim history after your doctor submits it. Sometimes there can be processing delays, so don't panic if it doesn't show up immediately. If you're planning to transition to Paid Family Leave (PFL) after your pregnancy disability ends, remember that's a separate application process you'll need to initiate.

Make sure your doctor is very specific about the medical reason for the extension. My OB wasn't clear enough on my form and EDD sent me this annoying clarification request that delayed everything by 2 weeks. Have them be super detailed about why you need more time beyond the original certification. Also if youre planning to do Paid Family Leave afterward make sure the dates line up perfectly with no gaps.

When I was pregant last year my doctor just filled out the form and everything was fine but then EDD sent me an overpayment notice 6 months later saying I got benefits I wasnt supposed to get?? Make sure you save EVERYTHING and keep copies of all papers your doctor fills out just in case they try to come after you later.

To update everyone - I just spoke with my OB about this exact situation last week (I'm 38 weeks). The process is: 1. Doctor submits Supplemental Certification (DE 2525XX) with new end date 2. You continue certifying bi-weekly as normal 3. Extension should appear in your SDI Online account within 7-10 days 4. If it doesn't appear, have your doctor's office verify it was submitted And yes, as others mentioned, make sure your doctor includes specific medical details. My OB said they're getting more strict about requiring detailed medical justification for extensions beyond the standard recovery periods (which are typically 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for C-section).

Just wanted to add my experience - I had my doctor submit an extension 3 weeks before my original end date when complications arose at 35 weeks. The key is being proactive! My doctor used very specific language about "medically necessary extended recovery due to pregnancy-related hypertension requiring continued monitoring" rather than vague terms. One thing I learned: if you're working with a large medical practice, make sure the person filling out your forms is familiar with EDD requirements. My first form got delayed because the medical assistant wasn't sure what details to include. I ended up having a brief chat with my actual OB to make sure everything was properly documented. Also, don't stress too much about the HR 30-day notice - that's more about them planning coverage for your position. The medical necessity is what matters for EDD approval. Good luck with your appointment tomorrow!

I went through this exact situation 8 months ago! Your doctor can definitely extend before the original end date - mine did it 2 weeks early when I developed gestational diabetes complications. The most important thing is timing and documentation. Here's what worked for me: I called my doctor's office and specifically asked to speak with someone who handles disability paperwork regularly (not just any nurse). I explained that I needed a Supplemental Certification form (DE 2525XX) submitted ASAP due to new complications. My doctor included very specific medical language like "insulin-dependent gestational diabetes requiring extended monitoring and modified activity restrictions" rather than just saying "needs more time." The form was processed within a week and showed up in my SDI Online account. No gap in benefits at all! Just make sure you keep doing your bi-weekly certifications during the extension period. One tip: ask your doctor's office to give you a copy of the completed form before they submit it, so you have it for your records. This saved me when EDD had questions later. You've got this - being proactive now is exactly the right move!

As someone who recently went through this process myself, I can confirm that your doctor can absolutely extend your pregnancy disability before the original end date! I had mine extended twice - once at 36 weeks due to severe morning sickness that wasn't improving, and again closer to delivery due to high blood pressure. The key things that helped me: 1. Don't wait - contact your doctor's office this week to discuss the extension 2. Be specific about your complications when talking to your doctor so they can document them properly on the DE 2525XX form 3. Ask your doctor to use detailed medical terminology rather than general phrases like "needs more recovery time" 4. Request a copy of the completed form for your records before they submit it I found that being proactive actually made the whole process smoother. My extensions showed up in SDI Online within about a week each time, and I never had any payment gaps. Your HR's 30-day notice request is really just for their planning purposes - the medical necessity is what matters for EDD. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: if you're planning to use Paid Family Leave after your pregnancy disability ends, start thinking about that transition now so there are no gaps between the two benefits. Feel free to ask if you have other questions - this community has been so helpful during my own journey!