Doctor delaying disability form after job denied return - can my husband get paid for the gap?

same thing happened to my wife, it will work out! doctor offices are soooooo slow with paperwork

This happens so often! Your husband should be able to receive disability benefits for this period as long as the doctor certifies he was still disabled. The key here is getting that medical certification completed. Since there's a gap, EDD might consider it a late certification rather than a new claim, which is actually better in this case. He should: 1) Call his doctor's office daily to check on the form status 2) Ask if he can speak directly with the office manager 3) Explain the financial hardship the delay is causing If the doctor certifies the entire period, EDD should backdate the payments to cover the gap since his medical condition never actually changed. The fact that his employer couldn't accommodate light duty works in his favor.

the disability office DOES NOT care about doctor delays!!! they WILL deny his claim if it's past 30 days from end of first claim, happened to me!!! I had to file an appeal and it took MONTHS to get paid. The system is broken and they punish YOU for the doctors being slow!!!

have u tried going to the doctor office in person? sometimes that works better than calling. bring donuts for the office staff lol that's what I did

I've been through this exact nightmare myself. One thing I realized is that trying to reach EDD directly to explain the situation is nearly impossible with their phone lines. After spending 3 days getting disconnected repeatedly, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD agent in about 20 minutes. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Once I got through to an agent, they were able to note on my account that my doctor was delayed in submitting forms, which helped when the certification finally went through. They also told me exactly what forms the doctor needed to complete for a continuation claim versus a new claim. Saved me a ton of stress during an already stressful time.

Your husband's situation involves what's called a "Continued Claim Certification" rather than a brand new claim. Here's what you need to know: 1. For disability extensions/continuations, Form DE 2501C needs to be completed by both your husband and his doctor. 2. As long as the continued disability is certified within 20 days after his previous claim ended, he should be eligible for continuous benefits. If it's beyond 20 days, it's considered late certification. 3. Late certifications are still allowed with "good cause" - doctor delay often qualifies as good cause. 4. The gap period should be payable if the doctor certifies he was disabled during that entire time. 5. Have your husband get documentation of when he submitted forms to the doctor and all follow-up attempts. This creates a paper trail to support "good cause" for late filing. 6. Once the doctor finally submits the certification, your husband should immediately contact EDD to explain the situation. For the light duty issue - when an employer cannot accommodate light duty restrictions, the employee is typically still eligible for disability benefits. Make sure the doctor notes this on the form.

theres a special form for when your job denies you light duty its called DE 2525XX i think?? my doctor filled it out when my job said they couldnt let me come back with restrictions. its different than regular disability form

Just wanted to follow up on something important - make sure your husband's doctor understands this is causing financial hardship. Medical offices prioritize disability paperwork differently, and many don't realize how quickly families can face financial crisis when benefits are delayed. Sometimes having your husband specifically request the office manager to expedite the paperwork due to financial hardship can move it to the top of the pile. Also, the doctor needs to clearly document that your husband was continuously disabled from the end of his previous claim to now. Any gaps in the certification dates could cause problems with payment.

My wife went through something similar last year and we discovered that California actually has laws about how fast doctors have to complete disability forms! I think they're supposed to do it within 10 business days. You could mention this to the doctor's office. Remind them they have a legal obligation to complete these forms in a timely manner. That got my wife's doctor moving pretty quickly!

UPDATE: My husband went to the doctor's office today with donuts (lol thanks for that suggestion!) and spoke directly with the office manager. He explained our financial situation and mentioned the legal timeframe for completing forms. The office manager was super apologetic and promised the forms would be completed and faxed to EDD by tomorrow! She even gave him a copy for our records with the doctor's signature. Fingers crossed that EDD processes everything quickly now! Thank you all for your help - this forum has been a lifesaver! ❤️