How to notify EDD about extended maternity leave SDI benefits? Urgent help needed!

you need to get your doctor to submit a supplemental medical certification. theres a form i think its called DE 2525XX or something like that. your doc has to fill it out saying why you need more time.

Your doctor needs to submit a Supplemental Medical Certification form (DE 2525XX) to extend your disability period. This is different from your initial claim. The form should clearly state your new anticipated recovery date and explain the medical necessity for the extension. Your doctor should submit this BEFORE your current disability period ends to avoid payment gaps. As the claimant, you don't need to file a new claim, but you should contact your doctor ASAP to make sure they submit this form promptly. Once EDD receives the extension certification, they'll continue your payments automatically if approved. Make sure to keep certifying for benefits while this is processing!

Congrats on your baby! I just went through this exact thing in January. Had complications after delivery and needed an extra 4 weeks. My doctor submitted that form and it was pretty smooth actually! Benefits just kept coming without any gap. Sending you healing vibes!!

I was in a similar situation last year with my maternity leave extension. My doctor submitted the form, but EDD took FOREVER to process it, and I ended up with a 3-week gap in payments that nearly destroyed my finances. I tried calling EDD literally 50+ times a day and could never get through. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual EDD representative in about 25 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The rep was able to expedite my extension approval and even got my back payments processed. Seriously worth it when you're in a time crunch with bills coming due!

am i the only one who thinks its RIDICULOUS that we have to jump through all these hoops?!?! other countries give like a YEAR of paid maternity leave and here we are begging for a few extra weeks when our bodies are literally still healing from CREATING HUMAN LIFE!!!! the whole system is broken!!!!!

There are a few important details others haven't mentioned yet: 1. The correct form is actually the "Physician/Practitioner's Supplementary Certificate" (DE 2525XX). 2. While your doctor submits this form, you should also contact EDD directly through your SDI Online account. Go to "Contact EDD" and send a message explaining your situation. This creates a record of your request and can help prevent claim closure. 3. The processing time for extensions in 2025 is averaging 10-14 days currently, so having your doctor submit at least 2 weeks before your benefits end is ideal. 4. You'll receive a notice in the mail when your extension is approved, showing the new end date for your claim. You can also check your claim status in SDI Online. 5. Continue certifying for benefits as normal during this transition period. If you run into any issues where the extension isn't processed in time, don't panic. Extensions are processed retroactively, so even if there's a gap in payments, you'll receive back pay for any eligible weeks.

wait a sec... isnt there a maximum amount of weeks for maternity disability? i thought it was like 8 weeks for normal delivery and 10 for c-section? how are u getting more weeks?

My cousin had her baby last year and her doctor just kept extending her leave for like 6 months lol. Some doctors will just keep writing those notes if you ask them nicely 😉

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what happened! My doctor submitted the DE 2525XX form last week, and I also sent a message through my SDI Online account as suggested. I got a notice in the mail yesterday that my extension was approved for the full 6 weeks! No gap in payments at all. Thanks everyone for your help and advice! This forum has been a lifesaver!

Congratulations on your new baby and I'm so glad everything worked out smoothly for you! Your update is really helpful for other parents who might find themselves in a similar situation. It's great that you documented the process by messaging through SDI Online - that seems to have helped expedite things. Hope you're healing well and enjoying those precious early weeks with your little one! 💙

This is such valuable information for new parents! I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and bookmarking this entire thread for reference. It's reassuring to see that when you follow the proper steps (getting your doctor to submit the DE 2525XX form and messaging through SDI Online), the process can actually work smoothly. @6b519d0a2948 congratulations on your baby and I'm so glad your extension was approved without any payment gaps! The step-by-step advice from everyone here is exactly what expecting parents need to know. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it really helps reduce the anxiety around navigating these benefits during such an already stressful time.