Confused about switching from SDI to PFL after surgery - timing question

i went thru this last year when i had my knee surgery. def wait until ur doctor extends ur SDI bc u cant get both at same time. PFL is for taking care of family members not for ur own medical stuff thats what SDI is for

The previous comment isn't entirely accurate. Let me clarify: SDI (State Disability Insurance) is for YOUR own medical condition/recovery. PFL (Paid Family Leave) is for when you need to care for a family member OR bond with a new child. If you're having surgery and need recovery time, that's still YOUR medical condition, so you would stay on SDI. Your doctor would need to complete a new medical certification to extend your current claim. You shouldn't apply for PFL unless you're planning to care for a family member or bond with a new child after your recovery. The notice you received is standard - EDD sends it to everyone as their claim end date approaches.

this happens ALL THE TIME! edd always sends the PFL info to everyone when their disability is ending but most people dont actually qualify for it... total waste of paper & gets everyone confused

To extend your SDI benefits for surgery recovery, make sure your doctor completes form DE 2501C (Physician/Practitioner's Supplementary Certificate). This needs to be submitted before your current SDI claim period ends. Your doctor should include the surgery date and estimated recovery time. If there's any gap between your current disability period and your surgery date, you might need to return to work briefly, or your doctor would need to certify that you remain disabled during that gap period as well. For 2025, the maximum SDI benefit period is 52 weeks. Have you checked how many weeks you've already used? That could be important if your recovery might be lengthy.

I've been through the EXACT same situation when I had back surgery last year. The problem is getting through to someone at EDD if there's any issue with your extension. I tried calling for DAYS and couldn't get through. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Made a huge difference when my extension paperwork got delayed and I needed to find out what was happening before my rent was due.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN BY DESIGN!!! I had surgery in 2024 and my doctor submitted extension paperwork FOUR TIMES because EDD kept "losing" it. Then they had the nerve to tell me I didn't qualify for an extension even though my surgeon said I couldn't work!!! Had to appeal and wait 2 MONTHS with ZERO INCOME before they finally fixed it. Make sure your doctor submits that extension form AT LEAST 10 days before your benefits end and CALL THEM to confirm they received it!!! DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!!!

btw when ur doctor fills out the extension make sure they use the right diagnosis codes otherwise edd might deny it my doctor put the wrong code first time and it was a NIGHTMARE to fix

One more important thing: If your doctor extends your SDI claim, make sure you continue to certify for benefits every two weeks through your SDI Online account. Extensions are still part of your original claim, so the certification process remains the same. Also, there shouldn't be any waiting period for the extension since it's a continuation of your current claim. If your doctor doesn't extend your claim and you have to file a new one later for surgery, you'd face another 7-day waiting period with no benefits.

My husband just went through getting his SDI extended for shoulder surgery. His doctor submitted the extension form online and it was processed within 3 days. Super easy, no problems at all. I think it really depends on your doctor being familiar with the system. Some medical offices do this all day long with no issues.

One final tip: When you see your doctor on Thursday, ask them to print you a copy of the completed extension form for your records. Having documentation is helpful if there are any issues later. Also, after the form is submitted, check your SDI Online account daily. You should see your claim end date extended within 5-7 business days. If you don't see the update by then, that's when you'd want to contact EDD to ensure they received the paperwork.