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.