EDD SDI pregnancy claim website error: 'Last day worked is required' keeps showing despite entering date

I had a similar issue filing my pregnancy claim about 3 months ago! For me, the problem was actually that when I entered my last day worked, I was putting in a future date (since I was filing in advance). The system won't accept a future date even though logically that's exactly what we need to do when planning for pregnancy disability. Try putting in yesterday's date temporarily just to get past that screen, then call EDD to update the correct date once your claim is in their system.

omg been there!!! the EDD website is TRASH honestly. i was crying trying to do this at 35wks. ended up having to call and the lady fixed it in like 2 minutes. but took 3 days of calling to get someone

I work as an HR benefits coordinator and see this issue frequently with our pregnant employees filing for SDI. Here's what's happening: the system has a validation check that won't let you enter a future date as your "last day worked" even though that's exactly what you need to do when filing a pregnancy claim in advance (which is actually recommended). Two solutions: 1. Enter yesterday's date temporarily to get the claim submitted, then call EDD to update it to your actual last day once you've stopped working 2. Wait until after your last day worked to file the claim Important note about the waiting period: The 7-day waiting period begins on your first day of disability (as certified by your doctor), not the day you file. So this website issue won't affect your benefits as long as you get it corrected. However, don't wait too long to file - claims must be submitted within 49 days of your disability date to avoid potential penalties or benefit reductions.

Ran into the EXACT same issue last month!!! The whole system is garbage. I tried calling for 2 weeks straight and either got hung up on or was on hold until they closed for the day. Totally ridiculous when you're pregnant and just trying to get what you're entitled to. I finally got through to someone by using Claimyr.com - it basically calls EDD for you and connects you when an agent picks up so you don't have to sit on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd It was a lifesaver because the agent was able to submit my claim over the phone and bypass the website error completely. Considering how stressful pregnancy is already (especially late term), it was worth it to not spend days calling.

The SAME EXACT THING happened to me with my pregnancy claim!!! It kept telling me the last day worked was required when I HAD ALREADY PUT IT IN!!! So maddening!!! What ended up happening was I put in the wrong DATE FORMAT. Try entering it as MM/DD/YYYY instead of selecting from the calendar. For some weird reason the calendar date wasn't registering properly. If that doesn't work, honestly just give up on the website. The EDD systems are notoriously awful. I ended up just mailing in a paper form (DE 2501) which you can download from their website. Yes it's slower but at least it got processed without the technical glitches.

I encountered this same frustrating issue when filing my pregnancy claim last year. What helped me was using a different date entry method - instead of using the calendar picker, I manually typed the date in MM/DD/YYYY format directly into the field. For some reason, that worked when the calendar selection didn't. Regarding your 7-day waiting period concern - don't worry! That's calculated from your first day of disability (which your doctor certified), not from when your claim is processed. So even if there's a delay in processing your claim, you won't lose any benefits. The waiting period will still start on your first official day of disability. If your doctor is concerned about your blood pressure, make sure they document any need for an earlier disability start date. The medical necessity will override your previously planned start date if needed.

When I filed my pregnancy disability last year I kept running into website errors too. Somehow my claim went through but then they sent me unemployment paperwork?? Took FOREVER to get it fixed. The EDD system is seriously broken. Good luck girl!

Quick update from my earlier comment - I just realized I didn't mention that even after you get past this error and submit your claim, you'll still need to do your certification when the time comes. Make sure you're certifying for DISABILITY (SDI) and not unemployment by mistake. The systems look similar and I've seen people accidentally certify for the wrong program. Also, since you mentioned your doctor might need you to stop working earlier - that's completely fine! Just have your doctor submit an updated medical certification with the new disability start date if that happens. Your claim can be adjusted.

UPDATE: Success! I tried entering yesterday's date manually (typing it in instead of using the calendar) and it worked! My claim is now submitted. Thanks everyone for your help! I'm going to call EDD next week after my actual last day worked to update the date. Fingers crossed that goes smoothly too.

So glad you got it working! I'm 31 weeks and dealing with similar EDD website headaches for my upcoming maternity leave. This thread has been super helpful - I had no idea about the future date issue or the manual typing vs calendar picker problem. Definitely saving this for when I file my claim in a few weeks. Hope your call to update the actual date goes smoothly and wishing you the best with the rest of your pregnancy! 💕

Just wanted to add another potential workaround that worked for me when I had similar issues with the EDD pregnancy claim form last year. If the manual date entry and tab navigation don't work, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies completely, then restart your browser before attempting to fill out the form again. Sometimes the form gets "stuck" with cached validation errors that prevent it from accepting new data properly. Also, I found that using Chrome in incognito mode helped bypass some of the persistent form errors. It's like starting with a completely clean slate without any stored form data that might be causing conflicts. The whole EDD system is definitely a nightmare to navigate, especially when you're already stressed about preparing for baby's arrival. But don't give up - there are always workarounds, and this community is proof that we can figure them out together! Glad you got your claim submitted successfully!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now at 35 weeks! Thank you so much for posting this and to everyone who shared solutions. I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure out why the form keeps rejecting my last day worked even though I clearly entered it. The future date validation issue makes perfect sense - of course the system would have problems with that logic even though it's exactly what we need to do for pregnancy planning. I'm going to try the manual date entry method with yesterday's date to get it submitted, then call to correct it later. Really appreciate everyone breaking down the technical workarounds and clarifying that the waiting period won't be affected by filing delays. This thread is like finding gold when you're drowning in EDD bureaucracy! Has anyone had success getting through to EDD by phone recently, or is it still the multi-hour hold nightmare? Trying to mentally prepare for that part of the process.