Confused on question for SDI claim that says " Why did you stop working?" I was laid off Dec 2024. I have been collecting UI up until today since I am now 36 weeks pregnant and am filing for SDI. I am going to call EDD and have them stop my claim and also certify that i'm unable to work at my next UI certification which is this Sunday...  I am filling out the SDI claim and am confused on how to answer the "why did you stop working?" on the first series of questions. Should I put Layoff or Illness/Pregnancy Disability? I would think I should put Pregnancy since that is why I am "unable to work" as of my disability date starting today since I am after all applying for SDI and not UI. I don't want to mess anything up but this question is throwing me for a loop!!

The confusion is totally understandable! For your SDI claim, you should select "Illness/Pregnancy Disability" as the reason you stopped working. Even though you were initially laid off in December, you're now transitioning from UI to SDI because pregnancy is currently what's preventing you from working. The "why did you stop working" question on the SDI application is asking about your current inability to work (which is pregnancy-related), not your original separation from your employer. Since you're applying for pregnancy disability benefits, selecting "Illness/Pregnancy Disability" accurately reflects your current situation. When you certify for UI this Sunday, make sure to indicate you're unable to work due to pregnancy, which will help properly close your UI claim as you transition to SDI. And your plan to call EDD is excellent - they can ensure there's no overlap between your benefits. Just make sure you have your doctor's certification ready for your SDI claim, as that's a crucial part of the application process.

This is such a common source of confusion! Miguel is absolutely right - you should select "Illness/Pregnancy Disability" for the SDI application. Think of it this way: the SDI system needs to know what's currently making you unable to work, not what originally separated you from your job. Your pregnancy is the medical condition that's preventing you from working now, which is exactly what SDI covers. Your timeline sounds perfect - transitioning from UI to SDI at 36 weeks is very typical. When you call EDD, they can also confirm that selecting pregnancy disability is correct and help ensure a smooth transition between the two programs. One tip: keep documentation of both your layoff (for UI records) and your pregnancy disability dates (for SDI) - having clear records of the transition will be helpful if any questions come up later. You're handling this exactly right by being proactive about the switch!

I completely agree with Miguel and Mei - definitely select "Illness/Pregnancy Disability" on your SDI application! You're absolutely doing the right thing by transitioning from UI to SDI at 36 weeks. That question on the SDI form is specifically asking about your current medical reason for being unable to work, not your employment history. Since pregnancy is what's preventing you from working now (not the layoff from December), that's what SDI needs to know about. Your plan sounds solid - calling EDD to stop your UI claim and certifying as unable to work this Sunday will create a clean transition. Just make sure you have your healthcare provider complete the medical certification portion of your SDI claim, as that's required for pregnancy disability benefits. Don't stress too much about this - you're being very thoughtful about the process and asking the right questions. The EDD representatives should be able to confirm everything when you call them. Good luck with your claim and congratulations on your upcoming arrival!