Do I need to certify weekly for EDD SDI like unemployment? First time disability claim confusion

No, State Disability Insurance (SDI) is different from unemployment. With SDI, you don't have to certify every two weeks like unemployment. Your doctor provides the initial certification, and you only need to submit continuing certification if your disability extends beyond the period your doctor initially certified. The medical provider will need to submit a supplemental form if your disability continues longer than expected. Just make sure your doctor completed the medical portion correctly initially, and you should be good until/unless you need an extension.

when i was on disabilty last yr i didnt have to do anything after i applied. just waited for the money to come. its WAY easier than unemployment!!

THANK GOD disability isn't like unemployment!!! I had unemployment in 2023 and it was a NIGHTMARE!!!! Had to certify every 2 weeks and if you made ONE mistake they'd freeze your account and good luck ever reaching anyone to fix it. Took me 3 MONTHS to get my account unfrozen last time because some EDD rep accused me of fraud when I accidentally put the wrong date on something. The disability system is WAY better - you apply once, doctor confirms, and then you get paid. No weekly nonsense!!!

Just to clarify a couple of important points about SDI vs. unemployment: 1. With SDI, your doctor provides the medical certification, and you typically don't need to do bi-weekly certifications like unemployment. 2. However, if your disability extends beyond what your doctor initially certified, you'll need a supplemental certification from your doctor (form DE 2525XX). 3. For Pregnancy Disability claims, there's a special form after delivery (DE 2501FP) to transition to bonding time if you're eligible. 4. If you return to work part-time while still disabled, you DO need to report those wages by calling EDD or completing a form. The main thing to watch for is any correspondence from EDD requesting additional information. They might send forms if they need clarification on anything. Make sure your address is up-to-date in the system.

I've been on both unemployment and disability in the past year, and they are completely different systems. With unemployment, you have to certify every two weeks and answer those questions about looking for work, etc. With disability, once your claim is approved, the payments just come automatically based on your doctor's certification. However, trying to get through to EDD if there are ANY problems with your disability claim is absolute torture. I tried for 2 weeks straight when my payments suddenly stopped - calling from 8am until the lines closed, getting disconnected, waiting on hold for hours...

just make sure ur doctor put the right dates on the form. my doc accidentally put that i could return to work in 2 weeks when i was getting surgery that needed 8 weeks recovery and they only paid me for 2 weeks then cut me off. huge mess to fix.

Just to add some clarification - SDI pays approximately 60-70% of your wages, up to a maximum benefit amount. Payments are based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit amount is $1,720. Also, there's a 7-day waiting period before benefits begin. This means you won't be paid for the first week of your disability period. This waiting period is unpaid unless your employer provides paid sick leave. If all your paperwork is in order, most claims begin processing within 7-14 days, and you'll typically receive your first payment within 14-21 days after filing. You can check your claim status through your SDI Online account.

One thing I'll add that helped me when I was on SDI - make sure to keep all your documentation organized! Save copies of everything your doctor submits, any correspondence from EDD, and keep a record of your claim number. Even though SDI is much simpler than unemployment, if anything goes wrong you'll want to have all your paperwork ready. Also, sign up for direct deposit if you haven't already - it's faster than waiting for checks in the mail. The whole process really is much less stressful than unemployment once you get it set up correctly. Hope your back heals up quickly!