Pregnancy harassment at work led to early SDI leave - should I quit or let them fire me for unemployment benefits?

Do NOT quit! If they fire you without documented cause after putting you on pregnancy disability leave, that potentially opens them up to discrimination claims. Also, voluntarily quitting would likely disqualify you from unemployment benefits. Let them make the move.

omg i went thru almost the same thing last year!!! dont quit!!! they r counting on u quitting so they dont have to pay unemployment. my manager did the same harassment bs when i was pregnant. document EVERYTHING. save txts emails etc

Here's what you need to know about your benefits situation: 1. You're currently on SDI (State Disability Insurance) through your doctor's certification. That continues regardless of employment status until your doctor releases you or you reach maximum benefit period. 2. After SDI ends following childbirth, you're eligible for Paid Family Leave (PFL) for bonding time - also not affected by employment status. 3. Only AFTER both SDI and PFL end would you potentially need unemployment benefits, and for that, being terminated without cause is much better than quitting. If they fire you while you're on protected pregnancy disability leave, you may also have grounds for wrongful termination. Document everything and consider consulting with an employment attorney.

I'd let them fire you and then file for unemployment afterwards. Being pregnant is protected status anyway so they might be setting themselves up for a lawsuit if they fire you because of it. That's what I'd do anyway but I'm not a lawyer so take my advice with a grain of salt lol

Wait wait wait. I think everyone's missing something REALLY important here. If your doctor put you on early disability leave due to work-related stress and harassment, you should definitely consider filing a workplace harassment claim. Pregnancy discrimination is illegal under both California and federal law. This isn't just about unemployment - you might have a much stronger case here.

Has ANYONE actually been able to get through to EDD on the phone lately??? I've been trying for THREE WEEKS to update my address on my claim and literally cannot get a human. Either busy signals or disconnected after waiting forever. OP might need to call about this situation and it's literally impossible to reach anyone.

My wife went tgrough somethign similar but with a different outcome. Her work tried to push her out but backed down when she got a lawyer involved. Sometimes just having a consultation with an employment lawyer (many do free consultations) can give you leverage. Just a thought.

Just want to clarify something important - pregnancy disability leave in California offers job protection similar to FMLA/CFRA. If your company has 5+ employees, they generally cannot terminate you while you're on pregnancy disability leave without facing significant legal consequences. The fact that they put you on SDI 9 weeks early due to work conditions makes their position even more precarious legally. However, this protection doesn't necessarily extend after your disability leave ends. That's when the question of unemployment vs. quitting would become relevant.

UPDATE: I consulted with an employment attorney today (free consultation) who confirmed I'm in a protected status while on pregnancy disability leave. The attorney is sending a letter to my employer reminding them of my legal protections. I'm going to stay on SDI, document everything, and follow the advice here about not quitting. Thank you everyone for your help - this forum has been incredibly supportive and informative during such a stressful time.