Switched from UI to SDI mid-claim - will EDD adjust benefits or demand repayment?

i had something like this happen! was on UI then got sick and switched to SDI. they didnt reduce anything for me bc UI and SDI are different programs. as long as you were ABLE to work when on UI you're fine. they only care if you were claiming UI when you weren't able to work. if your dr says you became disabled in jan 2025 then you're all good since that's after your UI ended.

The key issue here is the effective date of disability that your doctor certified. Based on what you've written, your doctor dated your disability as beginning in January 2025, which is AFTER your UI benefits ended in December 2023. This timing is crucial because you cannot legally receive UI and SDI simultaneously. When you certify for UI, you're declaring you're able and available to work. When you apply for SDI, you're declaring you cannot work due to disability. As long as these periods don't overlap, you should be fine. If your medical condition existed during your UI period but didn't prevent you from working at that time (based on your doctor's assessment), then there's no conflict. The fact that the same condition later worsened to the point of disability doesn't invalidate your earlier UI claims. However, if there's any documentation suggesting you were unable to work during your UI period, that could potentially cause issues. Make sure your medical certification clearly shows January 2025 as the disability onset date.

they WILL investigate this!!!! EDD is super strict about this stuff now. I had a friend who got hit with fraud charges for something similar. they made her pay back ALL of her UI because she had a pre-existing condition. be careful!!

Hey, I've been dealing with the EDD system for years and just want to share that getting through to EDD right now is nearly impossible. I spent THREE WEEKS trying to reach them about a similar issue with my claim. After getting hung up on dozens of times, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd When I finally spoke to someone, they explained that the key is what your doctor certified as your disability start date. If there's no overlap between your UI and SDI periods, you're generally fine. But it's definitely worth talking to an actual EDD rep to get confirmation for your specific situation rather than stressing about it.

Is anybody else SICK AND TIRED of EDD's broken system??!! I swear they INTENTIONALLY make it impossible to reach anyone! Then they send these confusing letters with threatening language about overpayments and fraud. The whole system needs to be rebuilt from scratch!!!!

I work with disability claims often, and I want to clarify a few important points: 1. UI and SDI Base Periods: These two programs calculate benefits using different base periods. UI typically uses earnings from 5-17 months before your claim, while SDI uses earnings from 5-18 months before your disability began. This means there could be some overlap in the earnings used to calculate both benefits. 2. No Double-Dipping: You cannot receive UI and SDI for the same time period. Since your UI ended in December 2023 and your disability began in January 2025, there's a clear separation. 3. Medical Condition Timeline: Having a medical condition while on UI isn't automatically problematic. The question is whether you were able and available to work during your UI period. If your condition worsened later to the point where you could no longer work, that's a valid reason to transition to SDI. 4. Documentation: Make sure your medical certification clearly indicates January 2025 as the onset of disability (meaning you became unable to work due to your condition). This timing is crucial. 5. Benefit Amount Adjustment: EDD will not reduce your SDI payment based on UI you received in the past for non-overlapping periods. These are separate benefit calculations. In summary, based on the timeline you've described, you should be fine as long as your medical documentation clearly shows the disability preventing work began in January 2025, after your UI benefits ended.

My sister had almost this exact situation last year. She was on unemployment, then her health got worse and she had to go on disability. There was about a 3 month gap between her UI ending and her SDI starting. EDD didn't give her any problems at all. I think what matters is that you weren't collecting both at the same time. But definitely keep an eye on your mailbox because EDD loves sending important notices that require quick responses!

i had something similar happen but i went from sdi to ui and they made me do an interview to make sure i was able to work for the ui claim so maybe they'll do something like that for you but backwards? ui to sdi instead of sdi to ui like me

Thank you everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel much better about my situation now. To summarize what I understand: 1. Since my UI ended in December 2023 and my disability began in January 2025 (with over a year gap between them), there's no overlap period where I was claiming both benefits. 2. Having a medical condition while on UI wasn't necessarily a problem as long as I was still able to work during that time (which I was - it only became disabling later). 3. The key is making sure my doctor clearly certified January 2025 as when my disability began (meaning when I became unable to work). 4. EDD won't reduce my SDI benefits because of previous UI payments since they're separate programs with different calculation periods. I'll try to contact EDD to confirm all this for my specific situation. If I can't get through on my own, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. I'll update this thread once I hear back about my claim! Thanks again everyone!

You've got a great understanding of your situation! One additional tip - when you do get through to EDD (or use Claimyr), ask them to make a note in your file about the timeline discussion. Sometimes having that documentation can help if any questions come up later during processing. Also, keep copies of everything - your UI certification history, your medical certification form, and any correspondence. The fact that you have such a clear timeline with over a year between benefits should make this pretty straightforward. Good luck with your SDI claim!