Is 3-week medical leave through Sedgwick eligible for EDD SDI benefits?

Yes, she should definitely apply for EDD SDI separately! Sedgwick just manages the leave approval process for her employer - they don't file the disability claim with the state. And yes, a 3-week medical leave absolutely qualifies for SDI benefits as long as her doctor certifies she's unable to do her regular work. Remember there's a 7-day waiting period before benefits start, so she'd potentially get benefits for 2 weeks. She needs to file on SDI Online directly with EDD as soon as possible - there's a 49-day filing deadline from her first day of disability.

Thank you SO MUCH! I just texted her and she had no idea. Her HR just told her to 'contact Sedgwick' but never mentioned filing with EDD separately. So she would have missed out completely! Does she need to create an account on that SDI Online site first? And does her doctor need to do something too?

Had the same situation with my husband last year!! Sedgwick is the worst. They only handle the employer's side of things (making sure the leave is approved, job protection, etc). They won't file for state disability for her - that's totally separate. She's leaving $$$ on the table if she doesn't file with EDD!

That's exactly what I was worried about! Did your husband have any trouble getting approved for just a short period? She's only out for 3 weeks total.

Nope, he was only out for 2 weeks after his procedure and got approved no problem. Just remember there's that 7-day waiting period before benefits kick in. But definitely worth applying!

She needs to file her disability claim ASAP! Here's how it works:\n\n1. Sedgwick = employer's third-party leave administrator. They just track/approve her time off and make sure her job is protected.\n\n2. EDD SDI = California state disability benefits that replace part of her wages while she's unable to work. This is SEPARATE and she must apply herself.\n\n3. For a 3-week leave, she'll only get about 2 weeks of actual benefits because of the 7-day unpaid waiting period.\n\nShe'll need a medical certification from her doctor. Most doctors will complete the online form once she starts her SDI application. She should create an account on SDI Online and start the process immediately - https://edd.ca.gov/Disability/SDI_Online.htm

This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I'll help her set up that account tonight. She's already been out for almost a week so hopefully we're not too late. If her doctor already filled out paperwork for Sedgwick, will they have to do separate paperwork for EDD too?

Yes, unfortunately the doctor will need to complete the EDD medical certification separately from whatever they did for Sedgwick. When she creates her SDI Online account and starts her claim, she'll enter her doctor's information, and the doctor will receive electronic forms to complete. Some doctors charge a fee for completing disability paperwork, so she might want to check with them first.

Thanks again! She's going to call her doctor tomorrow.

this is exaclty why the whole system is BROKEN!!! nobody tells you what to do or that these are TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS until its too late. when i had surgery last year my HR just said \

That's terrible! I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm definitely going to make sure she applies right away. Do you know if there's a way to backdate the claim since she's already been out for almost a week?

yes she can backdate to when her disability actually started! thats not a problem, just make sure she does it within like 30 days or something. dont wait!!

It's actually a 49-day filing deadline from the first day of disability, but yes - always better to file as soon as possible! And yes, she can (and should) use her actual disability start date even if she's filing a week later.

Oh that's a relief about the 49 days! But we're definitely going to get on this tonight.

my job uses sedwick too and they handle everything really different from state disability. i was confused about it when i had my baby. for the leave of absence part my work had me go through sedwick but for the actual money benefits i had to apply with california edd for state disability insurance (sdi). they are completely different!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Did you have any trouble applying with both systems at the same time? I'm worried she'll get confused trying to manage both.

it was definitely confusing but not too bad. what helped me was remembering sedwick was just for my job to know i was out on approved leave, and EDD was for the actual money part. so i had to update both but for different reasons.

That's a good way to think about it - Sedgwick for job protection, EDD for wage replacement. I'll explain it to her that way!

I had so much trouble contacting EDD when I was trying to file my disability claim last year. I kept calling their number for days and could never get through to an actual person. If your sister runs into the same problem while trying to file her claim, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get connected with an EDD agent quickly instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd that shows how it works. It was worth it for me because I had questions about my medical provider certification that I couldn't get answered any other way.

This is really good to know! She tends to get frustrated with automated systems and long hold times, so this might be helpful if she runs into problems with her application. I'll check out that video, thanks!

One important thing to understand is that Sedgwick pays company short-term disability in some cases, while in other cases they just handle leave administration and you need to apply for state disability (SDI). It depends entirely on what disability benefits her employer offers.\n\nShe should ask Sedgwick directly: \

That's a really good point! I'm not sure if her employer offers their own short-term disability plan or not. I'll have her specifically ask Sedgwick that question tomorrow. She has a call scheduled with them anyway to check on her claim status.

Perfect. If they do offer company short-term disability that Sedgwick administers, then that might be easier. But many company plans pay less than state disability or have different waiting periods, so it's still worth understanding both options. Please let us know what you find out!

I definitely will! Thank you so much for all the guidance.

has she been paying into the CA SDI program? i forgot to mention this earlier but if she sees SDI deductions on her paystub (usually listed as CASDI) then she's eligible. some people are exempt if they work for certain state agencies or have elected out of the program. just something to check!

Oh that's a good question! She works for a large retail company as a department manager, so I'm pretty sure she would be paying into SDI, but I'll definitely have her check her paystub to confirm.

Just wanted to add that if she's working for a large retail company, she's almost certainly paying into SDI - those deductions are mandatory for most employees in California. One thing that might help her is to gather all her paperwork before she starts the EDD application. She'll need her employer's information, her doctor's contact details, and the exact dates of her disability. Also, when she calls Sedgwick tomorrow, she should ask them for a copy of any medical documentation they have on file - sometimes that can speed up the EDD process even though the doctor will still need to complete separate forms for the state. Good luck to both of you!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through something very similar! I had a 4-week medical leave last month and was also confused about Sedgwick vs EDD. What really helped me was creating a simple checklist: 1) File leave paperwork with Sedgwick for job protection, 2) Apply for SDI benefits directly with EDD for wage replacement, and 3) Keep both updated separately throughout the process. The key thing I learned is that these are completely independent systems - Sedgwick doesn't communicate with EDD at all. Also, when your sister talks to her doctor about the EDD medical certification, she should mention that it's for state disability (not just the employer leave) since some doctors are more familiar with one type of form than the other. The whole process was way less complicated once I understood they were two separate applications for two different purposes!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I just went through a similar situation with my mom last year when she had knee surgery. One thing I'd add is that your sister should keep detailed records of all her communications with both Sedgwick and EDD - dates, times, who she spoke with, and what was discussed. I learned this the hard way when there was a discrepancy between what Sedgwick told my mom about her return-to-work date and what her doctor had certified for EDD. Having those notes saved us a lot of headaches when we had to sort it out later. Also, if her employer offers any kind of supplemental short-term disability insurance (sometimes called "voluntary" or "buy-up" coverage), that would be handled through Sedgwick separately from the state benefits. It's worth asking HR about that too since it could provide additional income during her recovery. The whole system really is confusing until you understand that each piece serves a different purpose!

I work in HR and deal with Sedgwick regularly, so I wanted to clarify a few things that might help your sister! First, you're absolutely right that Sedgwick and EDD are completely separate - Sedgwick handles the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or company leave policies, while EDD handles the actual disability payments. One thing I always tell employees is to apply for SDI benefits within the first few days of their leave starting, even if they're still waiting for medical clearance from their doctor. You can start the EDD application online and the system will hold it while waiting for the physician's certification. This prevents any delays in processing. Also, make sure she understands that if she does qualify for both company short-term disability (through Sedgwick) AND state disability (through EDD), she typically can't collect both at the same time - whichever pays more would be the primary benefit. But many companies don't offer short-term disability, so state SDI ends up being the only option anyway. The 49-day filing deadline is firm, so definitely don't wait! And yes, she can backdate to her actual disability start date as long as she files within that window.

Just wanted to jump in with one more tip that saved me a lot of hassle when I went through this process! When your sister creates her SDI Online account with EDD, make sure she uses the EXACT same personal information (name spelling, address, etc.) that's on file with her employer's payroll system. Any discrepancies can cause delays in processing her claim. Also, I'd recommend having her take screenshots of every page during the application process - the system can sometimes time out or glitch, and having those screenshots helped me when I had to restart my application partway through. The whole thread has been so helpful to read - it's crazy how many people don't realize these are two separate systems until it's almost too late! Your sister is lucky to have you helping her navigate this.

Wow, this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea that Sedgwick and EDD were completely separate systems. I'm currently dealing with a similar situation myself - I'm scheduled for minor surgery next month and my company also uses Sedgwick for leave management. Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like I need to prepare to file with both systems separately. The checklist approach that several people mentioned seems like the way to go: Sedgwick for job protection/leave approval, and EDD SDI for actual wage replacement benefits. I'm definitely going to bookmark this conversation and use it as a reference guide when my time comes. Miguel, I hope your sister gets everything sorted out quickly! It sounds like she has all the information she needs now thanks to everyone's detailed responses. This is exactly the kind of real-world advice that you just can't find in official documentation anywhere.

This thread is exactly what I needed to read! I'm a benefits coordinator at a mid-size company and I see this confusion ALL the time. Employees constantly think that filing with Sedgwick automatically handles everything, when in reality Sedgwick is just our third-party administrator for FMLA and company leave policies. What I always tell our employees is: Think of it as two completely different buckets - Sedgwick protects your job and tracks your time off, while EDD SDI replaces a portion of your lost wages. They don't talk to each other AT ALL. For anyone reading this who might face this situation in the future, I'd also recommend asking your HR department for a clear breakdown of what benefits are available to you BEFORE you need them. Some companies offer supplemental short-term disability that pays more than state SDI, while others rely entirely on the state program. Knowing this ahead of time can save you stress and confusion when you're already dealing with a medical issue. Miguel, your sister is so fortunate to have you advocating for her. The number of employees who miss out on benefits simply because no one explained the system properly is honestly heartbreaking.

This has been such an educational thread! I'm actually going through something similar right now - my wife is about to start a 4-week medical leave for a procedure, and our HR department gave us the same vague "contact Sedgwick" advice without mentioning EDD at all. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear that we need to be much more proactive about filing separately with both systems. I'm curious - for those who have been through this process, how long did it typically take to get approved and start receiving SDI benefits after filing? My wife is the primary breadwinner in our household, so timing is pretty important for us. Also, did anyone have issues with their doctor being unfamiliar with the EDD medical certification forms? Her surgeon is part of a large medical group, so I'm hoping they deal with these forms regularly, but I want to be prepared in case we need to provide additional guidance to their office. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is going to save us from making the same mistakes that so many others have made!