EDD SDI extension ending but employer saying FMLA running out - totally confused!

Your employer is actually correct about this. In California, when you go on SDI, most employers automatically start the FMLA clock at the same time, even if you didn't specifically apply for it. FMLA provides job protection for up to 12 weeks, but your disability benefits through EDD can last much longer (up to 52 weeks). Once your FMLA protection runs out, technically your employer doesn't have to hold your position anymore, even if you still have valid disability benefits. You should immediately talk to your doctor about completing CFRA paperwork (California Family Rights Act), which can sometimes provide additional job protection after FMLA expires. Also, request accommodation paperwork under ADA if your condition qualifies as a disability. Both of these might help protect your job beyond the FMLA period.

my company did the exact same thing to me!! i was on disability for 4 months for a back injury and they never told me they were counting FMLA the whole time. then they suddenly said i had to come back or lose my job even tho my doctor said i needed 2 more weeks. its total BS how they do this!!!

Did you get the FMLA designation notice when you first went out on disability? Your employer is required to provide written notification within 5 business days of determining your leave qualifies for FMLA. The notice should specify how much FMLA time you have available and when it will exhaust. If they never provided this, you might have a case that your FMLA hasn't properly started yet.

I've been through this EXACT situation with SDI and FMLA running concurrently, and getting to EDD on the phone was absolutely impossible when I needed to sort things out. After days of calling and getting hung up on, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an EDD representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The EDD rep explained that they only handle the disability benefits part, not job protection, but they were able to explain exactly how the benefits work which helped me when I went back to talk to my employer. Definitely worth it when you're trying to navigate these complicated situations.

It's completely legitimate - I was skeptical too until I tried it. They don't handle your personal information or talk to EDD for you - they just connect your call and get you past the busy signals and automated hang-ups. When you're desperate to speak to someone about your benefits, it's worth every penny. I spent 3 days trying to get through on my own with no luck before using this.

YOUR EMPLOYER IS SCREWING YOU OVER!!!! This happened to me and I SUED and WON!!!! If they didn't SPECIFICALLY tell you about FMLA when you went out on leave, they CAN'T count it!!! Talk to a lawyer IMMEDIATELY!!! The law is VERY CLEAR about this!!!!

my situation was different but sorta similar. i was on sdi for pregnancy and thought i had more time but my hr told me fmla was ending sooner. turns out pregnancy disability leave in california is separate and gives extra time beyond fmla for recovery from childbirth. not sure if that helps you but just sharing that there are different types of leaves that work differently.

To clarify a few things for everyone: 1. FMLA (federal) and CFRA (California) both provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave 2. SDI can provide wage replacement for up to 52 weeks 3. Employers can and usually do run FMLA concurrently with disability leave 4. The designation notice is the legal requirement for notification 5. Once FMLA/CFRA protection ends, your job is no longer legally protected even if you still receive SDI benefits Your best options now are: 1. Request ADA/FEHA accommodations if your condition qualifies as a disability 2. Talk to your employer about any company-specific extended leave policies 3. See if you qualify for CFRA if it hasn't already been used concurrently with FMLA Don't wait - address this immediately as the clock is ticking.

wat happens to ur health insurance after fmla runs out? thats wat really screwed me when this happened

Regarding health insurance: When FMLA protection ends, employers are no longer legally required to maintain your health benefits. However, many employers have policies that extend health coverage during approved medical leaves beyond FMLA. You should specifically ask about this during your HR meeting. If they don't extend coverage, you would be offered COBRA continuation, which allows you to keep the same insurance but you pay the full premium (including the portion your employer used to pay). This can be very expensive but maintains your coverage. Also, losing employer coverage is a qualifying event that would allow you to purchase insurance through Covered California, potentially with subsidies depending on your income while on disability.

That's fantastic news about the company policy for extended leave! It's such a relief when employers go beyond the legal minimums to support their employees during medical situations. Many people don't realize that companies often have these additional policies buried in their employee handbooks. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation - this is exactly why it's so important to have that direct conversation with HR rather than just assuming the worst. Companies vary widely in their leave policies, and some are much more generous than others. Always ask specifically about: - Extended medical leave policies beyond FMLA - Whether health benefits continue during extended leave - What documentation is required - Timeline for approval decisions Javier, I hope your extended leave gets approved quickly so you can focus on your recovery without the job stress hanging over you. Thanks for sharing your update - it gives hope to others facing this same confusing situation!

I'm so glad to see this thread - I'm currently going through almost the exact same situation and it's been incredibly stressful! I've been on SDI since September for chronic fatigue syndrome and just got the dreaded "FMLA exhaustion" letter from my employer last week. Like you, I had no idea they were running concurrently and was completely blindsided. Reading through everyone's experiences has been eye-opening. I never realized that disability benefits and job protection were two completely separate things handled by different systems. The whole time I thought being approved for SDI meant my job was automatically protected for the full duration. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about checking my employee handbook for extended leave policies and talking to my doctor about ADA accommodations. The part about COBRA vs company-extended health benefits is also crucial information I hadn't considered. Has anyone here had success with getting ADA accommodations approved for mental health conditions like anxiety/depression? I'm wondering if that might be a viable path forward for maintaining some job protection beyond FMLA.

I'm going through something similar right now and this whole thread has been incredibly educational! I've been on SDI for a work-related injury since October and just realized my employer has been counting FMLA time this whole time without me really understanding what that meant. What really struck me from reading everyone's experiences is how the system seems designed to confuse people. You're dealing with your medical condition, trying to navigate EDD's disability system, and then suddenly you're hit with employment law complexities that most people (myself included) don't fully understand until it's almost too late. I'm going to take the advice here about immediately checking my employee handbook for any extended leave policies and scheduling a meeting with HR. The success stories about company policies going beyond FMLA requirements give me hope that there might be options I haven't considered. One question for the group - for those who had success with extended company leave policies, did you find that having your doctor proactively provide additional documentation helped? I'm wondering if I should ask my doctor to write a more detailed letter about my recovery timeline and why additional leave would be beneficial, rather than just the basic disability certification. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's so valuable to learn from others who've navigated this confusing maze!