EDD SDI vs Unemployment after hospitalization? Laid off then injured before making commission

def go with SDI. UI is for when ur able 2 work but cant find work. if hes in hospital he clearly cant work right now. the SDI is specifically for when u cant work for medical reasons. my cousin had something similar happen.

Your husband should definitely apply for State Disability Insurance (SDI), not Unemployment Insurance (UI). Here's why: 1. UI requires being able and available for work, which he isn't due to his medical condition 2. SDI is specifically for workers who cannot work due to a non-work-related injury or illness 3. SDI benefits are based on wages paid during a specific base period, typically 5-18 months before the claim begins Since he worked at his previous company until March 2025, those wages would be used to calculate his benefit amount, not his current commission-based position. He needs to have his doctor complete the medical certification portion of the SDI application (DE 2501) with details about his condition and expected recovery time. File as soon as possible - there's a 7-day waiting period before benefits begin, and claims can be backdated up to 49 days with good cause for late filing.

my brother got hurt right after starting a new job too and EDD was a NIGHTMARE to deal with!!! kept getting different answers every time we called and they put his claim on pending for like 2 months!!! we were about to lose our apartment and everything!!

yeah he finally got approved but only after calling them like 50 times!!! the trick is you gotta keep calling and calling until you get someone who actually knows what they're doing. some of them just make stuff up i swear!!!

I think everyone is missing something important here - the base period for calculating SDI benefits! Since your husband was laid off in March 2025, and it's now around September 2025, you need to understand how his benefits will be calculated. The base period is divided into quarters: - Jan-Mar - Apr-Jun - Jul-Sep - Oct-Dec SDI looks at wages earned 5-18 months before your disability claim begins. If he files in September 2025, they'll look at April 2024 through March 2025 quarters. Since he worked at his old job during most of that period, those wages will determine his weekly benefit amount. The fact that he hasn't earned commission at the new job doesn't matter for benefit calculation purposes - but he DOES need to have been employed or actively looking for work when the disability occurred. The medical condition must be what's preventing him from working. Get the application in ASAP and make sure the doctor provides detailed documentation about the brain injury and recovery timeline.

wait i'm confused. if he's getting paid on commission but hasn't made any sales yet does that even count as being employed? like legally?

Just want to add that with a traumatic brain injury, your husband may be eligible for longer-term disability support if recovery takes longer than expected. Make sure to keep all medical documentation organized and follow up regularly with EDD if the claim gets delayed. I'm so sorry you're going through this – dealing with EDD while also caring for someone with a serious injury is incredibly stressful. Take care of yourself too during this time.

applyfor BOTH!!! thats what my neigbor did when she got hurt and couldnt decide and she ended up getting aproved for disability even tho she applied for both. they just denied the UI part.

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their helpful advice! I submitted the SDI application online yesterday and made sure his doctor completed the medical certification part today. The doctor included detailed notes about the traumatic brain injury, cognitive impairment, and 8-week minimum recovery timeline. I did mention his current commission-based employment but focused on his previous work history for the base period as suggested. Now I'm just anxiously waiting to see if they approve it. The hospital bills are already coming in, and I'm trying to figure out how to handle all our regular expenses too. I'll update again when I hear something about the claim status. Fingers crossed it won't take too long!