EDD SDI extension after pregnancy: Haven't been paid since Jan - still eligible?
I started my pregnancy disability leave on November 10th, 2024 and gave birth on December 12th. I was initially supposed to return to work on January 24th, 2025, but developed postpartum complications that required my doctor to extend my disability. My doctor provided notes extending first to February 7th and now until March 5th. I've submitted all required medical documentation to EDD, but my payments completely stopped after January 25th. It's been almost three weeks with no payments! I've spent HOURS trying to get through to EDD with no luck. Can anyone tell me if I'm still eligible for SDI benefits during these medical extensions? Or does pregnancy disability have some kind of maximum timeframe that I've exceeded? I received payments for about 4 weeks before birth and 6 weeks after, but nothing since then despite being officially on disability extension. Bills are piling up and I'm getting really worried. Any advice would be so appreciated!
22 comments
Zoe Gonzalez
Yes, you're still eligible! Pregnancy disability transitions to regular SDI when you have complications after the standard recovery period. The standard is 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after (depending on delivery type). After that, it's considered regular disability if you can't work for medical reasons. Your doctor needs to certify that you have a disability separate from normal pregnancy recovery. It sounds like you've done this correctly by submitting the medical documentation. The issue is probably just processing delays at EDD - they're notoriously slow with claim transitions. Keep certifying for benefits every two weeks while you wait for them to process your extension. The payments will eventually come through retroactively.
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Avery Flores
•Thank you so much for explaining this! That makes me feel a bit better. Do you know if there's anything specific I should do to make sure they process the transition correctly? I've been certifying regularly but I'm worried something is wrong with my claim.
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Ashley Adams
the same thing happened to me last year!!! i had a csection then got a really bad infection and my dr extended my leave by 5 weeks. edd stopped paying me too and i freaked out. turns out they have to like process the extension as a seperate claim kinda? it took them like 3 weeks to start paying me again but they DID backpay everything i was owed. just keep certifying every 2 weeks!
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Alexis Robinson
•This isn't entirely accurate. While you do continue certifying, pregnancy disability and regular SDI are actually part of the same program. What happens is they need to validate the new medical condition, which requires additional processing time. The pregnancy portion has predetermined timeframes, but a new medical condition requires physician verification which creates the delay. But yes, they do backpay!
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Aaron Lee
I had PPD after my baby and my payments stopped too when I got extended. It took EDD almost a MONTH to start paying me again. They're so slow!!! Did you call them yet?
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Avery Flores
•I've tried calling at least 15 times but I can never get through to an actual person. I either get disconnected or told to call back later. It's beyond frustrating, especially when I need to know if my family will have money for rent next month.
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Chloe Mitchell
I work in HR and deal with this often. Here's what's happening: Your claim is transitioning from pregnancy disability (which has predetermined time periods) to a standard disability claim. This requires additional review, which is causing the delay. What you need to do: 1. Make sure you've completed Form DE 2501 (Notice of Continued Claim) with your new disability information 2. Verify your doctor completed the ongoing certification with the new diagnosis codes 3. Continue certifying for benefits through SDI Online every two weeks 4. Contact EDD directly to check your claim status The good news is that you ARE still eligible. The payments should eventually be made retroactively once the extension is processed. The standard pregnancy disability period (4 weeks pre-birth and 6-8 weeks post-birth) transitions into regular SDI when medically necessary.
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Avery Flores
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I've definitely done points 1-3, but I'm struggling with #4. I can't seem to get through to anyone at EDD. I've tried calling multiple times at different hours but no luck.
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Michael Adams
Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to EDD? I was in a similar situation last month and was going crazy trying to reach someone. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd When I finally spoke with an EDD representative, they told me my claim had a flag on it that needed manual review because of the transition from pregnancy disability to regular SDI. They fixed it right away once I actually talked to someone. Definitely worth trying!
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Ashley Adams
•is that service legit? i'm always worried about these things being scams
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Michael Adams
•Yes, it's legitimate. They don't access your EDD account or ask for any personal information besides your phone number. They just connect you with EDD faster than you could on your own. They use a system that basically keeps dialing for you. I was skeptical too but it actually worked.
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Natalie Wang
THE EDD SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! They ALWAYS do this transition garbage. My sister had her baby in October and then developed severe postpartum anxiety. They stopped paying her for SIX WEEKS while they "processed" her paperwork even though her doctor sent everything on time!!! The problem is that pregnancy disability and regular disability are handled by different departments in their outdated system and they DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER!!! My sister couldn't pay her rent on time and got charged late fees. When she finally got through to someone, they told her "sorry for the inconvenience" like it's just a minor annoyance and not putting families at risk of HOMELESSNESS!!!! The system is designed to make you give up!!!
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Avery Flores
•That sounds absolutely terrifying. I'm already worried about making rent next month. Did they eventually pay your sister everything she was owed?
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Natalie Wang
•Yes, she eventually got ALL the back pay but only after getting through to a supervisor who "expedited" the claim. The regular agents either couldn't or wouldn't help. They do this on purpose to save money hoping people will give up!!
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Zoe Gonzalez
To clarify a few things based on the other comments: 1. You are still eligible for disability benefits beyond the standard pregnancy recovery period if you have qualifying medical complications. The California SDI program allows for this. 2. The delay is because EDD needs to process this as a continued claim with a new medical condition, rather than the standard pregnancy recovery. 3. Your payments will be backdated once approved, so you'll receive everything you're owed. 4. The most important thing is to make sure all documentation is submitted properly. Double-check that your doctor clearly indicated this is for a condition beyond normal pregnancy recovery. 5. Contacting EDD directly is your best option to resolve this quickly. If you can't get through by phone, you might try visiting an EDD office in person if possible. Many new mothers experience this same issue, so you're not alone. The system does work, but unfortunately it can be slow during these transitions.
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Avery Flores
•Thank you for the detailed explanation. I think I'll try calling again tomorrow morning right when they open. My doctor definitely specified that this is for postpartum complications beyond normal recovery, so hopefully that part is clear in their system.
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Aaron Lee
My friend had her claim stop for almost a month after pregnancy too! But then she got all the money at once. EDD is just REALLY SLOW with paperwork.
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Noah Torres
Hi there, I had my baby last year and went through something similar. What helped me was sending a message through the SDI Online portal - go to Contact Us and select "Where is my payment?" as the subject. I got a response within 5 days and they fixed my claim. Sometimes their messaging system works better than calling. Just make sure to mention you've submitted all the medical documentation already.
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Avery Flores
•I'll try that today! I didn't realize the messaging system might be faster. At this point I'm willing to try anything.
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Alexis Robinson
UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD this morning after using Claimyr (thanks for the recommendation). They confirmed my extension is valid but it was sitting in a review queue. The agent manually moved it forward and said I should see payments within 3-5 business days for all back weeks. She also said they've been experiencing higher than normal volumes of claims in January/February which is causing delays. Just wanted to update in case anyone else has this issue!
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Zoe Gonzalez
•Great to hear! This is exactly why it's so important to keep following up. Sometimes claims just need a little push from a representative to move them along in the system.
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Michael Adams
•So glad Claimyr worked for you! It's such a relief to finally talk to a real person who can help.
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