Confused about end date of SDI payments - gap before returning to work?

Yes, there will be a gap in payments unless you start your PFL baby bonding immediately after your SDI ends. SDI for pregnancy disability only covers up to 6-8 weeks after delivery (8 weeks for c-section), which is why your last payment is 5/12. If you're not returning until 5/26, you have two options: 1. Start your baby bonding PFL immediately to cover that gap 2. Return to work on 5/12 instead (which it sounds like you don't want to do) Unfortunately, there's no way to extend SDI beyond what your doctor certified for your recovery period.

i had this exact same thing happen last year!!! my dr only certified me til a certain date but i wasnt ready to go back yet. you can actually ask ur doctor to extend your disability if you're still healing from your c-section. sometimes they'll give you a couple more weeks especially if ur havin complications or recovery issues

the system is SO MESSED UP!! i had a 2-week gap between my SDI and when i started work and they wouldn't pay me anything even though i had a doctor's note. EDD doesn't care if you fall through the cracks! you should call them and argue your case because sometimes the reps will tell you different things depending who you talk to.

I just went through this in March. Had to use 2 weeks of my bonding time right after my disability ended because there's no other coverage. It's actually a good transition period before going back to work anyway, so it worked out ok. Just make sure you file the PFL claim BEFORE your SDI ends to avoid payment delays!

I see you're in the same boat I was in last year! After trying for DAYS to reach someone at EDD, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a representative in less than 30 minutes. Totally worth it when I needed answers about the gap between my disability and return-to-work date. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 and their website is claimyr.com. The rep I talked to confirmed I could either use some of my bonding time or take unpaid leave for those weeks.

To clarify how the benefits timeline works for everyone: 1. Pregnancy Disability (SDI): Covers 4 weeks before birth + up to 8 weeks after for c-section recovery (6 for vaginal delivery) 2. Baby Bonding (PFL): 8 weeks total that can be taken all at once or split up, but must be used within the first year of your child's birth 3. Gap Coverage: There is no specific benefit to cover gaps between SDI and returning to work if you don't want to use PFL yet Your options are: - Use some PFL time now to cover the gap - Return to work when SDI ends - Take unpaid leave for those two weeks - Check if your employer offers any supplemental leave programs I recommend filing your intent to take PFL later in the year now, so it's in the system for when you're ready to use it.

Just an additional tip - make sure you file your baby bonding claim at least 2 weeks before you want it to begin later this year. Many people wait until the last minute and then experience payment delays. And remember you can split your 8 weeks of PFL bonding time however you want within the first year, so you could also choose to use just 2 weeks now and save 6 weeks for later.

I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what my HR department told me - some employers have their own short-term disability policies that can bridge gaps like this. It might be worth checking with your HR to see if they offer any supplemental coverage for those two weeks between your SDI ending and when you want to return. My company has a policy that covers up to 2 weeks of unpaid leave at partial pay in situations like this. Also, don't forget that you might be eligible for other benefits during that time - like continuing your health insurance through your employer or potentially using accrued vacation/sick time if your company allows it for maternity leave extensions.

I went through this exact same situation 6 months ago and it's so frustrating how confusing the system is! I ended up taking the unpaid leave option for the 2-week gap because I really wanted to save my full 8 weeks of bonding time for later when my partner returned to work. A few things that helped me: 1) I used some of my accrued vacation days to get partial pay during the gap (check if your employer allows this), 2) I made sure to notify my employer well in advance about the gap so they could plan coverage, and 3) I kept all my documentation organized because EDD asked for proof of my intended return date. The good news is that the gap is only temporary and you'll have your full bonding time available later when you really need it. Just make sure to file your future PFL claim early like others mentioned - I filed mine 3 weeks before I wanted to start and it went smoothly!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now too! My SDI ends in a few weeks but I'm not ready to go back to work yet. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - I had no idea about some of these options. I'm leaning toward using 2 weeks of my PFL bonding time now instead of taking unpaid leave, mainly because I'm worried about the financial gap. Has anyone had experience with how quickly the PFL payments start after SDI ends? I'm concerned about any delay between the two benefit programs. Also, for those who used vacation time to bridge the gap - did your employer require you to use ALL your accrued time before taking unpaid leave, or were you able to just use a portion of it?

I'm currently navigating this same situation and it's such a relief to find this thread! My SDI ends next month but I won't be ready to return to work for another 3 weeks after that. After reading everyone's experiences, I think I'm going to go with the partial PFL route - maybe use just 1-2 weeks of my bonding time now to minimize the financial gap, then save the remaining 6-7 weeks for when I really need them later in the year. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my benefits counselor: if you do decide to use vacation time to bridge the gap, make sure to check if your state has any regulations about how employers can require you to use accrued time during family leave. Some states have protections that prevent employers from forcing you to exhaust all your vacation/sick time before taking unpaid family leave. Also, keep track of all your dates and documentation - I've been keeping a spreadsheet with all my benefit periods, filing dates, and payment schedules because the overlap between different programs can get really confusing. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it makes this whole process feel less overwhelming!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My SDI ends in two weeks but I'm not planning to return to work for another month. After reading all these responses, I think I'm going to take a hybrid approach - use about 2-3 weeks of my PFL bonding time to cover most of the gap, then maybe use a few vacation days to bridge any payment delays between the programs. One thing I learned from calling my HR department yesterday is that they actually have a supplemental short-term disability policy that can cover up to 2 weeks at 60% pay if there are complications from delivery. Since I also had a c-section and am still having some recovery issues, my doctor might be able to certify that I need those extra weeks for medical reasons rather than just personal preference. It's worth asking your doctor if there are any ongoing medical concerns that would justify extending your disability period. Also, has anyone dealt with the tax implications of switching between SDI and PFL? I'm wondering if there are any differences in how they're taxed that I should plan for. The whole system is so unnecessarily complicated - why can't they just make it seamless when you're clearly transitioning from recovery to bonding time with the same baby!

I'm currently in the middle of this situation too and wanted to share what I just learned from my experience! My SDI ended last week and I had the same 2-week gap before my planned return date. I ended up calling EDD (finally got through after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned - totally worth it!) and the representative explained something really important that I hadn't seen mentioned here yet. If you have ANY ongoing medical issues from your c-section - even minor ones like incision pain, difficulty lifting, or fatigue that impacts your ability to work - your doctor can potentially extend your pregnancy disability beyond the standard 8 weeks. The key is that it has to be for medical reasons, not just because you want more time off. I was having persistent pain at my incision site and my doctor was able to extend my disability for 2 additional weeks, which covered my gap perfectly. The other thing I learned is that if you do decide to use some PFL bonding time now, you can file it as "intermittent" leave, which means you could potentially use just a few days here and there rather than full weeks. This might help you preserve more of your bonding time for later while still getting some financial support during the gap. Just wanted to throw these options out there since I wish I had known about them earlier in the process!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! My SDI ends in 3 weeks but I'm not ready to return to work for another month after that. Reading everyone's experiences has given me so much clarity on my options. I think I'm going to try the approach @Norman Fraser mentioned about getting my doctor to evaluate if there are any ongoing medical issues that could justify extending my disability period - I've been having some lingering fatigue and back pain from my c-section that I hadn't really considered "serious enough" to mention, but maybe they are legitimate medical reasons for needing more recovery time. If that doesn't work out, I'm leaning toward using 2-3 weeks of my PFL bonding time now and saving the rest for later in the year. The intermittent PFL option sounds really interesting too - I had no idea that was even possible! One question for those who have been through this: when you filed for PFL to start right after SDI ended, did you need any special documentation from your employer or just the standard PFL paperwork? I want to make sure I have everything ready to avoid any delays. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences - it's made this whole confusing process feel so much more manageable!