EDD SDI and UI overlap dilemma - disability payments blocked after work injury

oh man this happened to my brother last year! u cant get paid from both programs at the same time. UI is for when ur able to work but cant find a job, disability is for when ur unable to work cuz of medical stuff. so ur basically blocked for the period u already got UI for

Thanks for replying! So after the block period ends, will the SDI payments automatically start, or do I need to do something extra? I definitely don't want to get paid twice for the same period, I just want to make sure I eventually start getting the disability benefits.

You're in what's called a \

Thank you so much for that clear explanation! I'll stop certifying for UI right away. Do you know if there's any way to check exactly when the 23-day block period will end? I don't see specific dates in my SDI Online account, just the message about being blocked.

omg the EDD is so frustrating!!! i had something similar happen but with paid family leave and UI and ended up with NO MONEY for like 6 weeks while they figured it out. calling them is impossible too, i wasted like 4 days trying

That sounds awful! Did you ever manage to get through to someone? I'm worried I'll end up in the same situation with no payments for weeks while this gets sorted out.

I went through this exact nightmare in 2025! You need to call them ASAP to make sure the transition happens properly. Here's the thing - the block isn't always automatic, and sometimes you need to speak with a claims specialist to confirm that your SDI will activate properly after the block period.\n\nWhen I tried calling the regular EDD number, I could never get through. After 3 weeks of trying, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD representative within 15 minutes. It saved my sanity! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd\n\nOnce I got through, the rep fixed my claim on the spot and my payments started the following week. Don't wait - get this sorted now before you end up with an even longer gap in payments.

is that service legit? sounds kinda sketchy to me. why would u need a service to call EDD?

It's completely legit. They basically just keep auto-dialing EDD until they get through, then connect you. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for weeks. Worked exactly as advertised and fixed my claim issue in one call.

I've worked with many clients in similar situations. Here's what you need to understand:\n\n1) UI and SDI are mutually exclusive programs. UI requires you to be able and available for work, while SDI requires you to be unable to work due to a medical condition.\n\n2) The 23-day block corresponds to the weeks you incorrectly received UI while you were actually disabled.\n\n3) Your SDI claim should automatically begin paying after this block period, but sometimes the system needs manual intervention.\n\n4) The block period calculation starts from your SDI claim beginning date, which should be the date your doctor certified your disability began.\n\nYou should definitely stop certifying for UI immediately. You should also contact EDD to confirm your SDI will automatically begin after the block period. If you received UI payments for weeks when you were actually disabled (after your injury), you may eventually receive an overpayment notice for those UI benefits. This is because you technically weren't eligible for UI once you became disabled.

Thank you for all this information! I'm worried about potentially getting an overpayment notice. Would it be better to proactively contact EDD about this situation, or just wait and see if they send me a notice? I didn't intentionally try to get paid twice - I was just waiting for my doctor to submit the paperwork.

It's generally better to be proactive. Document exactly when your disability began (date of injury), when your doctor submitted paperwork, and which weeks you received UI payments. When you speak with EDD, explain that you weren't attempting to double-dip, but were simply waiting for your disability claim to process. In many cases, they'll take your situation into consideration when handling any potential overpayment. The most important thing now is to stop UI certification and ensure your SDI starts properly.

wait i'm confused... so if ur on unemployment and then get hurt, ur supposed to switch to disability? but what if u get better and need to go back on unemployment?? do u have to file a whole new claim?

Yes, if you're on UI and become disabled, you should stop UI certification and apply for SDI. When you recover, you can resume your existing UI claim if it's still within your benefit year (typically 12 months from when you first filed). You don't need to file a completely new UI claim unless your benefit year has expired. Your remaining UI balance should still be available, though you'll need to start certifying again once you're able to work.

I think you're getting some good advice here, but I wanted to share my experience too. I had a similar situation last year where I was on UI, then needed surgery unexpectedly. The whole overlap thing was a NIGHTMARE to sort out! \n\nOne thing nobody mentioned yet - you should check your UI claim statement and make sure you know EXACTLY which weeks you were paid for. Then check your SDI claim to see what your official disability start date is. The 23-day block is probably calculated based on these dates.\n\nAlso, just a tip - when your SDI does start, make sure you continue certifying for your disability on time. If you miss certifications, your payments can be delayed even more. And definitely keep checking your SDI Online account at least twice a week. Sometimes they need additional information from you or your doctor but don't clearly notify you about it.\n\nIn my case, I had to call about 35 times before getting through to someone who could help. It was worth it though because they fixed my claim right away once I finally reached the right person.

Thank you for the tip about checking both claim statements! I'll do that right away. Do you remember how long it took for your disability payments to start after sorting everything out with the representative?

After I finally got through to someone who fixed the issue, my first SDI payment showed up in 3 business days. But it really depends on your specific claim situation. The rep will be able to tell you exactly when to expect it once they fix the overlap issue in their system.

THIS IS WHY THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! They make it IMPOSSIBLE to navigate between programs even when you're following the rules! I was in this EXACT situation in 2024 and got hit with a $2,900 overpayment notice 6 months later because apparently I was supposed to know I couldn't get UI while waiting for SDI to process?? I appealed and got nowhere. The entire EDD system is designed to trap people and then punish them for not understanding their ridiculous bureaucratic processes!!

Oh no, that's exactly what I'm afraid of! Did you have any documentation that showed you were waiting for your doctor to submit paperwork? I'm wondering if that would help if I end up in an appeal situation.

I had EVERYTHING documented - emails with my doctor's office about the delayed paperwork, screenshots of my claim status, everything. They didn't care. The appeal judge said I should have known I wasn't eligible for UI once I became disabled, regardless of whether my SDI claim was active yet. It's a complete scam. If I were you, I'd call RIGHT NOW and try to get ahead of this before it becomes an overpayment issue.

I'm new to this whole EDD system and reading through everyone's experiences is honestly terrifying! I had no idea there could be so many complications between UI and SDI. Lorenzo, your situation sounds incredibly stressful - having to deal with a serious injury AND navigate all this bureaucracy at the same time. From what I'm gathering from everyone's advice, it seems like the key points are: 1) Stop UI certification immediately, 2) Call EDD to confirm your SDI will start after the block period, and 3) Document everything in case of future issues. The fact that people like Isaiah are getting hit with huge overpayment notices months later even when they tried to follow the rules is really concerning. It sounds like the system almost sets people up to fail by not making these rules clear upfront. Lorenzo, I hope you can get through to someone soon and get this sorted out without any further complications. Keep us updated on how it goes - your experience could really help other people who find themselves in similar situations!

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was on UI and then had a workplace accident that required surgery. My doctor submitted the SDI paperwork pretty quickly, but I'm still getting the overlap block message. One thing I learned from calling EDD (took me 2 weeks to get through) is that they can actually tell you the exact date your block period will end if you ask specifically. The representative told me to look for the "benefit begin date" on my SDI claim - that's when payments should start, not just when the block lifts. Also, for anyone dealing with this - make sure you have your doctor's office give you a copy of the exact date they submitted your disability certification. I found out my doctor's office submitted it 3 days later than they told me, which affected my block period calculation. Lorenzo, definitely stop the UI certifications now. Even though it's scary to have no income coming in, continuing to certify while you know you're disabled could make the overpayment situation much worse. I hope you can get through to someone soon to get this straightened out!

I'm really sorry you're going through this Lorenzo - dealing with a serious injury and EDD bureaucracy at the same time sounds incredibly stressful! I'm relatively new to understanding these programs, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been really eye-opening. From what I'm gathering, it seems like you're definitely on the right track listening to everyone's advice about stopping UI certification immediately. The overlap situation sounds frustrating but fairly common based on what others have shared. One thing I noticed from reading through the responses is that multiple people mentioned the importance of calling EDD directly to confirm your SDI will automatically start after the block period. Given Isaiah's experience with the overpayment notice, it sounds like being proactive about communicating with them could really help prevent bigger issues down the road. I hope you're able to get through to someone soon and that your disability benefits start without any further complications. Your leg injury sounds really serious - I hope you're healing well despite all this administrative stress!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this Lorenzo! Reading through everyone's experiences really highlights how confusing and stressful these overlapping claims can be. As someone who's new to understanding the EDD system, I had no idea that UI and SDI were mutually exclusive like this. It seems like such a common situation - being laid off, then getting injured while waiting for work - but the system doesn't make it easy to navigate the transition between programs. From everything I've read here, it sounds like you're getting really solid advice from the community. The consensus seems clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI transition, and document everything just in case. Ana's point about being proactive rather than waiting for potential overpayment notices makes a lot of sense, especially after reading Isaiah's experience. I really hope you can get through to EDD soon and that your disability benefits start without any additional complications. A three-fracture leg injury sounds incredibly painful, and having to stress about benefit payments while you're trying to heal is just awful. Please keep us updated on how your call with EDD goes - your experience will definitely help other community members who might find themselves in similar situations!

As someone who's new to the EDD system, I have to say this thread has been incredibly enlightening - and honestly pretty scary! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with such a complex situation while recovering from a serious injury. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how the EDD system seems to create these overlap situations almost by design. The fact that you have to wait weeks for medical certification while still needing income, but then get penalized for continuing UI during that waiting period, seems fundamentally unfair. From all the advice shared here, it sounds like the immediate priorities are crystal clear: stop UI certification right away, call EDD to confirm your SDI transition details, and document absolutely everything. Isaiah's overpayment story is terrifying, but it also reinforces why being proactive now is so important. I really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences here - Ana's professional insights, Fidel's practical tips about checking claim statements, and Anastasia's specific advice about asking for the "benefit begin date" are all incredibly valuable for understanding how to navigate this system. Lorenzo, I hope your call with EDD goes smoothly and that your disability benefits start without any further complications. Please keep us updated - your experience is already helping so many people understand this confusing process!

Wow Lorenzo, reading through your situation and everyone's responses has been both incredibly helpful and honestly terrifying as someone new to the EDD system! Your story really highlights how confusing these program transitions can be, especially when you're dealing with a serious injury. The consensus from everyone seems crystal clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD ASAP to confirm your SDI transition, and document everything. After reading Isaiah's overpayment nightmare, I can see why being proactive now is so crucial - waiting for the system to sort itself out seems like a recipe for disaster. What really strikes me is how common this overlap situation appears to be, yet EDD doesn't provide clear guidance on handling it. The fact that you were doing everything "right" - filing UI after being laid off, then SDI after your injury - but still ended up in this bureaucratic maze is so frustrating. Having to choose between going without income for weeks while waiting for medical paperwork or risking overpayment penalties later is an impossible position to be in. I really hope your call with EDD goes smoothly and that your disability benefits start without further complications. A three-fracture leg injury sounds incredibly painful, and dealing with all this administrative stress while trying to heal is just awful. Please keep us updated - this thread has become such a valuable resource for understanding these complex benefit transitions. Wishing you a smooth resolution and speedy recovery!

This whole thread has been such an eye-opener for me as someone who's completely new to the EDD system! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare while trying to recover from such a serious injury. What really frustrates me reading through everyone's experiences is how the system seems to create these impossible situations where you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. You were supposed to magically know to stop UI certification the moment you got injured, even though your SDI claim took 5 weeks to process? That's completely unreasonable, especially when you have bills to pay and are dealing with a three-fracture leg injury! The advice from everyone here seems spot-on though: call EDD immediately, stop UI certification now, and document absolutely everything. Isaiah's overpayment horror story really drives home why being proactive is so important - waiting for the system to sort itself out seems like a guaranteed way to end up in an even worse situation. I'm really hoping your call goes smoothly and you can get some concrete answers about when your SDI payments will start. This thread has already become such a valuable resource for people navigating these confusing benefit transitions. Please keep us updated on how it goes - your experience could save others from going through the same stress!

As someone completely new to the EDD system, reading through Lorenzo's situation and all these responses has been both incredibly informative and honestly quite alarming! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic maze while trying to recover from such a serious injury. What strikes me most is how many experienced community members have faced this exact same overlap issue, yet it seems like EDD provides virtually no clear guidance on how to handle these transitions properly. The fact that you were doing everything logically - filing UI after being laid off, then SDI after your injury - but still ended up in this 23-day block situation really highlights how poorly designed the system is. The consensus from everyone seems very clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI will automatically start after the block period, and document everything. After reading Isaiah's terrifying $2,900 overpayment story, I can see why being proactive now rather than waiting is absolutely crucial. Anastasia's tip about asking specifically for the "benefit begin date" when you call seems really valuable, and Ana's advice about documenting when your disability actually began versus when the paperwork was submitted could be important if you face any future appeals. I really hope you can get through to EDD soon and get this resolved without any further complications. A three-fracture leg injury sounds incredibly painful, and having to navigate all this bureaucratic stress on top of recovery is just awful. Please keep us updated on how your call goes - this thread is already helping so many people understand these confusing benefit transitions!

Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really eye-opening as someone new to the EDD system! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this confusing overlap situation while recovering from such a serious injury. What really stands out to me is how this seems to be such a common problem - so many people have shared nearly identical experiences of getting caught between UI and SDI programs. The fact that you were following what seems like the most logical sequence (UI after layoff, then SDI after injury) but still ended up in this bureaucratic mess really shows how poorly the system handles these life transitions. The advice from everyone seems really consistent: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI will start after the block period, and document everything thoroughly. After reading Isaiah's scary overpayment story, I can definitely see why being proactive now is so important rather than just hoping the system sorts itself out. I'm particularly struck by Ana's point about being upfront with EDD about the situation - explaining that you weren't trying to double-dip but were simply waiting for your medical certification to process. And Anastasia's tip about asking for the specific "benefit begin date" when you call seems really valuable for getting concrete information. I hope you can get through to EDD soon and get this resolved quickly. A three-fracture leg injury sounds incredibly painful, and dealing with all this administrative stress on top of recovery must be exhausting. Please keep us updated on how your call goes - this thread has already become such a helpful resource for anyone facing similar benefit transition issues!

As someone who's completely new to the EDD system, reading through Lorenzo's situation and all these detailed responses has been both incredibly educational and honestly quite concerning! Lorenzo, I'm really sorry you're navigating this complex bureaucratic maze while trying to recover from such a serious three-fracture leg injury. What strikes me most from everyone's shared experiences is how this UI/SDI overlap issue seems to be incredibly common, yet EDD apparently provides very little clear guidance on how to handle these transitions properly. You were following what seems like the most logical path - filing UI after your layoff, then applying for SDI after your injury - but the system somehow treats this normal life sequence as problematic. The 5-week delay with your doctor's medical certification (especially with it getting lost initially!) really highlights how these administrative delays can create impossible situations where you're forced to choose between having no income or risking future overpayment issues. After reading through all the advice here, especially Isaiah's terrifying $2,900 overpayment experience, the consensus seems very clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI will automatically begin after the 23-day block period, and document everything thoroughly. Anastasia's tip about asking specifically for the "benefit begin date" when you call seems particularly valuable for getting concrete information. I really hope you can get through to EDD soon and get this resolved without any additional complications. Please keep us updated on how your call goes - this thread has already become such a helpful resource for anyone trying to navigate these confusing benefit program transitions. Wishing you a smooth resolution and continued healing!

As someone completely new to the EDD system, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly pretty alarming! Lorenzo, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare while trying to recover from such a serious injury. What really strikes me from reading everyone's experiences is how this UI/SDI overlap situation seems to happen to so many people, yet EDD doesn't provide clear guidance on handling these transitions. You were doing exactly what makes logical sense - filing UI after being laid off, then SDI after your injury - but the system somehow penalizes you for this normal sequence of events. The 5-week delay with your doctor's certification (especially with it getting lost initially!) really shows how these administrative delays can trap people between programs through no fault of their own. Having to choose between going without income or risking future overpayment issues is just an impossible position. After reading through all the advice here, especially Isaiah's terrifying overpayment story, the consensus seems crystal clear: stop UI certification immediately, call EDD to confirm your SDI transition, and document everything. Anastasia's tip about asking for the specific "benefit begin date" and Ana's advice about being proactive rather than waiting really seem like crucial steps. I hope you can get through to EDD soon and get this resolved without further complications. A three-fracture leg injury sounds incredibly painful, and dealing with all this bureaucratic stress while trying to heal must be exhausting. Please keep us updated - this thread is already helping so many people understand these complex benefit transitions!