Transitioning from UI to EDD SDI for pregnancy - Help with the process?

I did this last year! You need to STOP certifying for UI as soon as you start your disability claim. You can't collect both at the same time - that's considered fraud. Your doctor needs to complete the medical portion of the DE 2501 form and indicate when your disability begins. That date is important because it determines when you stop UI and start SDI. There's a 7-day waiting period for SDI that you won't get paid for, so plan for that gap in income. Also, make sure your doctor puts a clear pregnancy-related diagnosis on the form.

yea i went thru this 2 years ago. its a nightmare honestly. dont expect payments right away theres always delays and u gotta call them like crazy

Be careful with the timing! I messed up and had a 3-week gap with no money coming in because I stopped UI too early. Make your last UI certification end just before your disability date starts.

I went through this process in 2025 with my second pregnancy. Here's a clear step-by-step on transitioning from UI to Pregnancy Disability: 1. Have your doctor determine your disability start date and document it 2. File your SDI claim ONLINE through SDI Online (create an account if you don't have one) 3. Complete your portion of the claim form 4. Your doctor completes their portion (they can do this electronically) 5. Stop certifying for UI the week your disability begins 6. Remember there's a 7-day unpaid waiting period for SDI 7. After approval, you'll get payments for 4 weeks before your due date and 6-8 weeks after (longer for c-section) After your pregnancy disability ends, you can also apply for Paid Family Leave (PFL) for bonding time with your baby - that's an additional 8 weeks of benefits at the same rate as your SDI.

I tried to do this last year and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! EDD's phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE. I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone to explain why my claim was pending. My doctor had already submitted everything but apparently there was some issue with my last employer info that needed to be resolved. By the time I finally got it figured out I was already 2 weeks postpartum!!! THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!

my sister in law did this last year she said make sure you dont overlap benefits they check that stuff and you could get in trouble for double dipping

To answer your question about the DE 2501 form - you can start your claim online at SDI Online, and your doctor submits their portion electronically. The system will guide you through it. Just make sure you select "Pregnancy" as your reason for disability. They'll automatically calculate your benefits based on your previous income (when you were working before unemployment).

One more thing - your SDI benefit amount will likely be different from your UI amount. It's calculated at approximately 60-70% of your wages during your base period (looking back at your highest-earning quarter). If you were working good hours before going on unemployment, your SDI might actually be higher than your UI payment.

Does anyone know if the waiting period counts if you're still on UI? Like can I apply for disability a week before I need it so the waiting period overlaps with my last week of UI?

Thank you all SO much for the helpful information! I'm going to talk to my doctor this week to set a specific disability start date, then make sure I time everything correctly with stopping UI right before that. I'll update this thread once I get through the process in case it helps someone else!