Can I get disability benefits between now and maternity leave for pregnancy complications/contractions?

You can apply for CA State Disability Insurance (SDI) for the time before your due date! This is separate from Paid Family Leave (PFL). For pregnancy, SDI typically covers up to 4 weeks before your expected delivery date, but can start earlier with medical documentation, which it sounds like you have with your doctor's note. You'll need to file a DE2501 form for disability. Your doctor will need to certify that you can't perform your regular work due to your pregnancy complications. Once your baby is born, you'll transition from SDI to PFL for bonding time.

i had same thing happen last yr!! my ob wrote me off at 32 wks for high bp and swelling. job had no light duty. you need to file for disability NOW not maternity leave yet. maternity is actually 2 parts - disability before birth then baby bonding after. call your dr office they prob have the disability forms

You need to apply for SDI (State Disability Insurance) ASAP! This covers pregnancy disability BEFORE birth when you can't work due to pregnancy. The 4 weeks before your due date are automatically covered, but with your doctor's documentation about contractions, you can get approved for longer. This is technically the first part of "maternity leave" in California. After you give birth, you'll be on SDI for 6-8 weeks depending on delivery type, THEN you transition to PFL (Paid Family Leave) for baby bonding time. Get that DE2501 form filed immediately! You're losing money every day you wait!

Just to add some clarity - in California, "maternity leave" is actually two separate benefits: 1. Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) through State Disability Insurance: This covers time before birth when you can't work due to pregnancy, and recovery time after birth (usually 6-8 weeks). 2. Paid Family Leave (PFL): This is specifically for bonding with your new child after birth (up to 8 weeks). You need to file a disability claim (DE2501) now for your current situation with contractions. Your doctor needs to certify this. After you give birth, you'll continue on disability for recovery, then transition to PFL for bonding. I recommend calling EDD directly to explain your specific situation and get guidance on filing the right paperwork right away.

Girl!! I spent TWO DAYS trying to reach someone at EDD when I was 30 weeks and having the same issue. Eventually I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to EDD in like 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 They basically hold your place in line so you don't have to keep redialing. The person I talked to at EDD confirmed I needed to file disability for the pre-birth period (my doctor had to fill out part of the form). Don't wait bc you're losing benefits every day you're not on claim!

Ok so I see everyone is saying file SDI but I just want to warn u that it can STILL take a few weeks to process ur claim even with doctor's note!!! When I did mine they needed extra info from my doc and it was almost 3 weeks b4 I got paid. Just prepare urself for that. While ur waiting, make sure ur doctor fills out ALL parts of the form correctly...that's usually where claims get held up.

Everyone is confused about this! The CA system is so weird. When I was pregnant last year my HR kept calling it all "maternity leave" but actually it's: - Disability BEFORE birth (what you need RIGHT NOW) - Disability AFTER birth (6 wks for vaginal, 8 wks for c-section) - Then Baby Bonding (the 8 weeks PFL) So you actually need to file two completely different claims with EDD - first disability, then later PFL. Your doctor needs to certify your disability claim. If your doctor says you can't work now, you should be covered from now until delivery, then for recovery time after. Don't wait for your "official" leave date - that's probably just what your company's policy calls it.

Quick update on timing - make sure you file your DE2501 (disability form) within 49 days of when you became disabled (when your doctor wrote you out of work). If you wait too long, you could lose benefits. The claim can be backdated to when your disability actually began as long as you have medical documentation.

Just to be super clear: 1. File for SDI now for your current situation (use form DE2501) 2. Stay on SDI through delivery and recovery period 3. File for PFL after that recovery period for baby bonding And yes - these are two entirely separate claims! Many women don't realize this and miss out on benefits they're entitled to. Don't let your employer's terminology confuse you - they often lump it all under "maternity leave" which isn't technically correct in California.