This checklist is amazing! I'm definitely going to copy this format and start gathering everything this week. Having it broken down into specific actionable items like this makes it feel so much more manageable than just "get employer information." The tip about calling the automated system ahead of time to learn the menu options is brilliant - I never would have thought of that! I can already imagine how stressful it would be trying to figure out their phone system while actually needing help with an urgent issue. It's so helpful to hear from someone who literally just went through this process. How long did it take you to gather all the information on your checklist? I'm hoping to get everything organized over the next couple of weeks so I'm ready to apply around the end of December. Thanks for sharing your experience and for the encouragement! It's reassuring to know that the online application actually guides you through the multiple employer process step by step.

Great questions! I handled my leave coordination with both employers independently since EDD is separate from each company's individual leave policies. I just made sure both employers knew my planned leave dates and that I'd be filing for state disability benefits. For the smaller employer concern - you're absolutely right to think ahead about this! My retail job had never dealt with an EDD claim before, so I actually printed out the EDD employer guide from their website and gave it to my manager along with my leave request. I also provided them with EDD's employer phone number (1-877-238-4373) in case they had questions about the verification process. The key is being proactive - give your smaller employer plenty of heads up about the timeline and let them know EDD will be contacting them for wage verification. You might even offer to walk them through what to expect based on all the great advice in this thread! Most smaller employers appreciate the guidance since they don't deal with these requests regularly. One thing that helped me was sending a follow-up email to both employers about a week after I submitted my EDD application, just giving them a heads up that they should expect to hear from EDD soon. This way they were watching for the correspondence instead of it potentially getting overlooked.

So glad to hear this worked out! For anyone else reading this thread in the future, this is why documentation from healthcare providers is so critical during pregnancy disability and PFL claims. Always get paperwork that clearly covers any potential gaps, and don't be afraid to ask your provider to specifically note that a condition was continuous even if there were appointment delays.

Oh great, just what I needed to hear 😩 Thanks for the heads up tho!

Ugh, why am I not surprised? 🙄 EDD and glitches, name a more iconic duo

This is such helpful advice! @Giovanni @Sophia I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and feeling totally overwhelmed by all these different forms. The cheat sheet idea is brilliant - I'm definitely going to make one. Quick question though: when you say "keep copies of everything," do you mean screenshots of online submissions too, or just the physical forms? And how long should I keep them? Thanks for being so supportive in this community! 🙏

Omg yes! I thought I was the only one who noticed this pattern. You might be onto something there.

Oh wow, 3 weeks is brutal! 😬 I'm only at about 10 days and already losing my mind. The spreadsheet idea is actually genius though - I should definitely start doing that too. You're so right about the complete lack of communication, it's like they want us to just forget about our money. Have you tried any of the suggestions people mentioned above, like calling first thing in the morning or checking if there's an online status portal?

Three weeks is absolutely insane! I'm dealing with a similar situation - going on 2 weeks now with zero updates. The spreadsheet tracking idea is brilliant, I'm definitely stealing that! It's so maddening that we have to become our own case managers just to get paid for work we've already done. I tried the early morning calling tip someone mentioned above and actually got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The rep was helpful but basically said "it's in the system" with no timeline. At least it was confirmation they have it I guess? 🤷‍♀️ Hang in there!

Hi Leeann! Great questions - I had similar worries when I was pregnant. For early delivery, don't stress too much about the timing being "off." Your SDI will just start earlier and the same 1-2 week rule applies - you'll just need to count from your actual delivery date instead of your due date. The key is tracking when your doctor says your disability period will end, regardless of when baby arrives. As for applying from the hospital - you definitely don't need to do it right away! Most people apply a few weeks postpartum when they're more settled at home. Your partner can help gather information and even fill out parts of the form, but you'll need to be the one to actually submit it since it's tied to your SSN and employment history. I'd recommend waiting until you're home and feeling a bit more like yourself. The application can wait a few days - you have plenty of time as long as you don't wait until the last minute. Focus on recovery first, paperwork second! 💕

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this recently. The tip about calling the doctor's office during the 2-week checkup is so smart - I'm definitely adding that to my list. I'm curious about the timing with the online application - when you say you set a reminder for 10 days before your SDI end date, how did you know exactly when that would be? Did your doctor give you a specific end date early on, or did you have to estimate based on the typical 6-8 week recovery period? I'm trying to plan ahead but I'm not sure how precise I can be with the timing since every delivery and recovery is different. Also, did you find the online portal easy to navigate? Some of the other comments made it sound like the EDD website can be glitchy. Thanks again for all the helpful details! 🙏

Great question about timing! My doctor actually gave me a pretty specific timeline at my first postpartum appointment. They said for a normal vaginal delivery, they typically release patients from disability at the 6-week mark, and for C-sections it's usually 8 weeks. So I just counted backwards from there and set my reminder accordingly. The online portal was actually pretty user-friendly once I got logged in. I had heard horror stories too, but I applied on a Tuesday morning around 10am and didn't have any technical issues. The form auto-saves as you go, which was nice because I could take breaks if the baby needed attention. One tip: make sure you have your most recent paystub handy when you apply - they ask for employment details that you might not remember off the top of your head. I had to dig through my files to find my exact start date at my current job! The whole process was way less scary than I had built it up to be in my head. You sound super organized and prepared, so I think you'll do great! 😊