Filing EDD SDI claim for pregnancy disability before 36 weeks - system won't let me apply early
I'm due with my first baby in February and my doctor recommended I start my disability leave at 36 weeks (starting 12/30). My HR department told me I need to file my SDI claim 5 days before my last day of work, but when I tried to do this on the EDD website, the system gave me an error saying I can't file that many days before my disability begins. I'm totally confused now! Is there a specific timeframe when I'm supposed to file? Do I wait until exactly the day my leave starts? My HR person isn't being very helpful and I'm worried about missing something important since I've never filed for disability before. Has anyone gone through this with pregnancy disability recently?
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Nalani Liu
You can't file for pregnancy disability until AFTER your last day of work. Your HR person is giving you incorrect information. The system won't let you file early because that's how it's designed. You can file your claim the day after your last work day (12/30 or whenever your actual last day is).
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Thais Soares
•Thank you! That makes so much more sense. So I should file on 12/31 then? Will there be any delay in getting my first payment since I'm filing the day after my leave starts?
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Axel Bourke
i had my baby last yr and did the same thing ur doing. tried 2 file early bc work told me 2 & got same error. just wait til ur actual last day, do it that night or next morning. ur fine!
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Thais Soares
•That's a relief to hear! Did you have any issues with your payments getting delayed because you filed on your last day?
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Aidan Percy
The EDD system is SO FRUSTRATING with pregnancy claims!! When I had my baby in 2024, I got the same error message. Your HR is WRONG - they don't understand how the system actually works vs what their handbook probably says. You CAN'T file until after your last day worked. Period. EDD doesn't want claims filed too early because circumstances can change. Just make sure you have your doctor complete the medical certification form BEFORE you file your claim. That's the most important part!
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Thais Soares
•Thank you for confirming! My doctor already filled out the medical certification form at my last appointment, so at least I have that part ready. Does the doctor send it directly to EDD or do I need to upload it somehow when I file?
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Aidan Percy
•Your doctor should send it electronically to EDD, but not all of them do. ASK YOUR DOCTOR if they submitted it electronically! If not, you'll need to get a physical copy and upload it when you file your claim. This is the #1 reason pregnancy claims get delayed!!
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Fernanda Marquez
To clarify for you: You can file your SDI pregnancy claim no earlier than the day after your last day worked, and no later than 49 days after your disability begins. For pregnancy disability claims, the standard timeframe is: - 4 weeks before your due date (36 weeks pregnant) - 6-8 weeks after birth (depending on delivery type) When you file, you'll need: 1. Your physician's information 2. Your last day worked 3. Your employer information If your doctor has already provided you with the medical certification (Form DE 2501), make sure it's been submitted to EDD. Some physicians submit electronically, while others give you a copy to submit with your claim. File your claim the day after your last work day. Don't worry about the 5-day recommendation from HR - that's not how the EDD system works for SDI claims.
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Thais Soares
•This is SO helpful, thank you! I'll make sure to file on 12/31 then. My doctor gave me a copy of the form but said she'd submit it electronically too. Should I still upload my copy just to be safe?
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Fernanda Marquez
•Yes, I would recommend uploading your copy as well. It's better to have the documentation submitted twice than not at all. When you file online, there will be a step where you can upload documents. Make sure the form is completely filled out with your doctor's license number and signature before uploading.
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Norman Fraser
My sister just went through this last month! Her job told her the same thing about filing early and she got all stressed out for nothing. The EDD website won't let you file until after your last day worked. That's just how it is. File on 12/31 and you'll be fine.
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Kendrick Webb
I went through this exact situation last year with my pregnancy disability claim. The conflicting information between employers and EDD is maddening. If you want to speak directly with an EDD representative to confirm everything (which I highly recommend), try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I wasted days trying to get through to EDD on my own, but Claimyr got me connected to a real person in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The agent confirmed exactly what others here have said - you file AFTER your last day worked, not before. Also make sure you have your correct last day worked on the claim - if you put a future date it will cause problems.
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Thais Soares
•Thank you for the tip! I might try that service if I have any issues after filing. It's so frustrating that HR gives incorrect information about this process!
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Hattie Carson
wait im confused now... so for pregnancy disability you have to stop working and THEN file? i thought you could file before you stop working so the money comes faster? I'm 30 weeks and getting nervous about all this paperwork!!
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Fernanda Marquez
•Yes, for SDI (including pregnancy disability), you must file AFTER your last day worked. You cannot file before you stop working. This is different from Paid Family Leave (PFL), which you'll use after your pregnancy disability ends. For PFL, you can file up to 30 days before your PFL period begins. Many people confuse these two programs which is why there's so much misinformation. If you're 30 weeks now, start gathering your documentation, but you won't actually file until after your last day at work.
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Destiny Bryant
I work in HR and I see this confusion ALL THE TIME. Your company's HR is probably thinking of how Voluntary Disability Insurance works (if they use a private carrier) OR they're thinking of the FMLA paperwork which CAN be filed 30 days before leave starts. For state disability, you cannot file until after your last day worked - that's just how California's system is set up. BTW when you do file, print a copy of your confirmation page or take a screenshot! I've seen too many people have no proof they filed when something goes wrong.
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Thais Soares
•That's a great tip about saving the confirmation page! I'll definitely do that. And you're right, we do have both FMLA paperwork and the state disability, so maybe that's where the confusion is coming from.
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Nalani Liu
One more important thing: make sure you're entering the correct "date disability began" on your application. For pregnancy disability, that date should be your first day OFF work (so 12/30 in your case), not your last day AT work. Getting this wrong can cause payment delays.
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Melina Haruko
I'm also currently pregnant and planning to go on disability leave soon. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) File AFTER your last day worked (not before like HR suggested), 2) Make sure your doctor submits the medical certification electronically OR upload your copy when filing, and 3) Double-check that your "date disability began" matches your first day off work. Thanks everyone for clearing up the confusion - it's so frustrating when different sources give conflicting information about something this important!
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