Do I need to submit new paperwork when my EDD SDI disability gets extended? Last payment seemed reduced

You need to have your doctor submit a supplemental medical certification form (DE 2525XX) to extend your claim. This needs to be done BEFORE your current claim period ends or you might have a gap in payments. That smaller payment you received was probably a partial week payment for the last week of your initial certification period. Your doctor needs to certify that you still can't perform your regular work duties due to the same medical condition. No new waiting period required since it's the same condition and continuous disability.

I had this exact situation last year with my shoulder surgery. The doctor just submits the extension form. You don't need to do anything on your end except make sure they actually send it in. My doctor almost forgot and I had to remind them twice lol

Everyone here is giving you good advice, but I want to clarify a couple things: 1) The form your doctor needs to fill out is actually called a "Supplemental Certificate" or "Doctor's Certificate for Continued Disability" (DE 2525XX) 2) This MUST be submitted BEFORE your claim end date on the initial certification 3) The reduced payment you received is definitely a partial week payment 4) Your benefit amount will stay exactly the same during the extension 5) No waiting period applies for extensions Also, watch your SDI Online account for any messages or notices. Sometimes they'll request additional information even with extensions.

@profile7 - You're confusing two different situations. If you're extending a current claim for the SAME medical condition without interruption, there is NO new waiting period. But if you filed a brand new claim for a different condition or after returning to work, then yes, you'd serve a new waiting period. The "benefit year" comment suggests you might have been dealing with a new claim entirely, not an extension.

I've been through this nightmare 3 TIMES with my chronic condition. The system is BROKEN! Even when my doctor submitted everything on time, they still delayed my payments for WEEKS claiming they needed to "review" the extension. Then they randomly reduced my benefit amount claiming my wages changed (THEY DIDN'T). I had to call 47 TIMES before getting through to fix it. The whole system is designed to exhaust you so you give up!!

If ur having trouble reaching EDD on the phone (which is basically impossible these days lol), I used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes after spending DAYS trying on my own. They have this system that keeps calling EDD for you until it gets through. Was totally worth it when I needed to extend my pregnancy disability. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd and the website is claimyr.com

Just make sure your doctor certifies for the MAXIMUM time they think you'll need. My doctor initially put 6 weeks for my extension but then I needed another 2 weeks beyond that, and having to go through the extension process AGAIN was such a headache. Better to have your doctor estimate on the longer side - you can always return to work early if you heal faster, but extending again is a pain.

btw that smaller payment was def your last week. same thing happened to me. if its not a full week they prorate it. youll get full payments again once the extension kicks in

Let us know what happens with your extension! I've found that checking your SDI Online account daily is the best way to track progress. You should see the new end date appear in your claim details once the extension is processed. If you don't see any changes within 7-10 days after your doctor submits the form, that's when you need to start calling.

I went through this exact same situation with my knee injury last year! The key thing is timing - make sure your doctor submits that DE 2525XX form BEFORE your current claim period ends (sounds like that's 3/14/25 based on your last comment). I made the mistake of waiting until the last day and there was a small gap in my payments that took weeks to resolve. Also, keep all your documentation and take screenshots of your SDI Online account showing the current end date - it helps if there are any processing delays later. Your benefit amount should stay exactly the same during the extension period. Good luck with your back recovery!

I'm new to the SDI system and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently on disability for a wrist injury and my doctor just told me I'll need an extension too. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like the most important things are: 1) Getting my doctor to submit the DE 2525XX form well before my current end date, 2) Checking my SDI Online account regularly for updates, and 3) Making sure my doctor certifies for the maximum time they think I'll need to avoid multiple extensions. One question - should I follow up with my doctor's office to confirm they actually submitted the form, or will I see confirmation in my online account? I'm paranoid about it getting lost in the shuffle at their office!

As someone who's been through multiple SDI extensions, I can't stress enough how important it is to stay on top of your doctor's office about submitting that DE 2525XX form. I've had doctors tell me they submitted it when they hadn't, and I've also had offices submit it but to the wrong department at EDD. Here's what I learned: 1) Ask your doctor to submit it at least 2 weeks before your end date (not just a few days), 2) Get a copy of the completed form for your records, 3) Call your doctor's office 3-4 days later to confirm they actually faxed/mailed it, and 4) If possible, ask them what confirmation they received from EDD. The good news is that once it's properly submitted and processed, your payments should continue seamlessly at the same rate. Your reduced payment was definitely just a partial week - that's totally normal for the last week of a benefit period. Don't panic if you don't see the extension reflected in your online account immediately; it can take 5-10 business days to process, but as long as the form was submitted before your end date, you should be covered.

I just wanted to add something that might help ease your anxiety about the extension process - I've been through this twice now (once for surgery recovery and once for a work injury) and while the system can be frustrating, extensions are actually pretty routine for EDD. The key is really what everyone else has mentioned: getting that DE 2525XX form submitted early. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you can also check the status by logging into your SDI Online account and looking at your "Claim Summary" page - when the extension is processed, you'll see your new end date listed there. Also, don't worry too much if your next payment is a day or two late during the transition - that's happened to me both times and the payments always caught up. The most important thing is avoiding any gap by getting the paperwork in on time. Your back injury sounds similar to what I dealt with - these things just take longer to heal than we initially hope. Take care of yourself and don't rush back to work too early!

I'm going through something similar right now with a shoulder injury that's taking longer to heal than expected. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially the detailed advice about timing and follow-up with the doctor's office. One thing I wanted to add is that when I called EDD last week (after many attempts), the representative told me that they're currently seeing longer processing times for extensions due to high volume, so getting that DE 2525XX form submitted as early as possible is even more critical right now. She also mentioned that if there are any issues with the form (like incomplete sections or illegible handwriting), they'll send it back to the doctor which can cause significant delays. I'd recommend asking your doctor to double-check that all sections are complete and legible before they submit it. Also, if your doctor's office has the option to fax it rather than mail it, that tends to be faster. Hope your back heals up soon!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my physical therapist just recommended extending my disability for a torn rotator cuff. This thread has been a goldmine of information! Based on everything I've read here, I'm going to make sure my doctor submits the DE 2525XX form at least 2 weeks before my current end date, and I'll definitely follow up to confirm they actually sent it. The tip about asking for the maximum time needed upfront is brilliant - I don't want to go through this extension process multiple times. One quick question for those who've been through this: when you say "fax is faster than mail," do you know if there's a specific fax number for extensions, or is it the same general EDD fax line? Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's making this whole process much less scary!