Laid off while pregnant - EDD unemployment to disability transition questions

Your sister can absolutely apply for Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) before delivery! She should stop claiming unemployment as soon as her doctor confirms she's unable to work due to pregnancy. Her doctor will need to complete the DE2501 medical certification form stating when she became disabled due to pregnancy. The standard is 4 weeks before expected delivery date, but can be earlier with complications.\n\nShe'll need to clearly communicate with EDD that she's transitioning from UI to disability. The claims systems are separate, and continuing to certify for unemployment while disabled is considered fraud. The pregnancy disability benefits can last up to 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after depending on delivery type.

Thank you so much! That makes sense. So she should apply for disability as soon as her doctor says she can't work anymore? Do you know if there's any waiting period between the last unemployment payment and when disability kicks in?

i was in almost the EXACT situation in 2024!!! got laid off at 20wks, collected unemployment until 34 weeks when my doctor wrote me out. just make sure she STOPS certifying for unemployment the week her doctor says she cant work. they dont talk to eachother and she could get in huge trouble for double dipping!!! the disability form (DE2501) has to be signed by her doctor with the date she became disabled. she definitely can get disability without a job! but ur right abt the PFL part, she won't qualify for baby bonding after since that requires returning to a job.

That's so helpful to hear from someone who went through it! Did you find that the disability payments were similar to what you were getting on unemployment? She's worried about the change affecting her budget right when baby expenses are starting.

the disability was actually MORE for me than unemployment! it's based on her highest quarter of earnings in the base period. so if she was making decent money b4 layoff it might be higher than UI. tell her to check out the SDI calculator on EDD website.

I handle these situations frequently as an HR consultant. Here's the correct process for your sister:\n\n1. She should have her doctor complete DE2501 form stating when she became disabled due to pregnancy (can be up to 4 weeks before due date or earlier with complications)\n\n2. She must STOP certifying for unemployment the day before her disability date - this is critical as receiving both is fraud\n\n3. File the disability claim online at SDI Online or by mail using the doctor's certification\n\n4. There's no waiting period for pregnancy disability if filed within 49 days of disability start\n\n5. After birth, disability continues for 6 weeks (vaginal delivery) or 8 weeks (c-section)\n\n6. She is correct that she won't qualify for PFL baby bonding since that requires job attachment\n\nThe disability benefit amount is approximately 60-70% of her highest quarter earnings during the base period (12-17 months before claim). If she was earning a good salary before layoff, this might be higher than unemployment.

This is WRONG information. I tried to do exactly what you're suggesting last year and got DENIED for pregnancy disability after being on unemployment. The EDD agent told me I couldn't get disability benefits because I was already receiving unemployment and that I was trying to \

You were likely denied because you continued certifying for unemployment after your disability date began. You cannot receive both benefits simultaneously - that would be double-dipping. However, you absolutely CAN transition from unemployment to disability when you become medically unable to work due to pregnancy. These are separate benefit programs with different eligibility requirements.

I had a similar experience but it was because I answered the UI certification questions wrong after my doctor wrote me out. You have to stop saying you're \

Try calling EDD to clarify the transition process - hahahaha good luck with that!! I spent 3 WEEKS trying to reach someone when I had questions about my pregnancy claim. Called literally 47 times, got disconnected 39 times, and waited on hold for hours when I finally got through only to be transferred to another department and disconnected again. The system is completely broken for pregnant women who need help.

After dealing with that same calling nightmare, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD agent in about 10 minutes. Saved me hours of redial hell. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 \n\nTheir website is claimyr.com - seriously a lifesaver when I needed to sort out my transition from disability to baby bonding. Figured out my issue in one call after weeks of trying on my own.

Really?? Never heard of this but definitely checking it out. At this point I'd try ANYTHING to avoid the EDD phone system torture.

Just want to add that I went through something kinda similar and one thing to remember is that she needs to make sure she's paid into SDI (state disability insurance) during her base period to qualify for pregnancy disability. Most W2 employees have this deduction automatically, but if she was a contractor or 1099 worker before, she might not qualify. The base period for disability claims is different from unemployment too - it's the 5-18 months prior to when she files for disability.

That's a good point to check. She was a full-time W2 employee for 3 years before the layoff, so I think she should be covered for SDI contributions. I'll make sure she double checks her pay stubs though.

Another important tip: when your sister applies for disability, she should explicitly mention in the comments section that she's transitioning from an unemployment claim. This helps prevent confusion in processing. \n\nAlso, the timing of her application matters - she should apply for SDI as soon as her doctor certifies she can't work, but not before. The online SDI application will ask for her last day of work - she should use the last day she was able and available for work according to her doctor, not her layoff date from months ago.

Thank you! I'll make sure she knows to note the UI transition in the comments and to use the correct

One thing nobody mentioned yet... if your sister's doctor writes her off work at 36 weeks, she'll get disability until 6-8 weeks postpartum depending on delivery type. But then she should apply for unemployment AGAIN after recovery. Being pregnant or having a baby doesn't disqualify her from unemployment after she's physically able to work again! Many new moms don't realize they can go back on UI after disability ends.

But how does that work with having a newborn? When I was on unemployment they required me to be actively seeking work and available to start immediately. Hard to do interviews while recovering and with no childcare lined up!

You're right that childcare is a real challenge! Technically she would need to have childcare arrangements to be \

This is really helpful information everyone! I'm in a similar situation - currently 32 weeks pregnant and was laid off 2 months ago. My doctor just told me today that I might need to stop working earlier than expected due to some pregnancy complications. @Naila Gordon - when you mention the DE2501 form, does the doctor need to specify an exact date when disability starts, or can it be a range? My OB said "probably within the next 2-3 weeks" but wasn't super specific about timing. Also wondering if anyone knows - once I transition from unemployment to disability, will I need to reapply for a new unemployment claim after I recover postpartum, or can I somehow reopen my existing claim? The thought of going through that whole application process again while dealing with a newborn sounds overwhelming!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant and just got laid off from my marketing job last week. Reading through everyone's experiences is giving me hope that there's actually a path forward through this maze of benefits. One question I haven't seen addressed yet - does anyone know if the pregnancy disability benefits count toward your overall SDI benefit year maximum? I'm wondering if using SDI for pregnancy now would limit my ability to claim regular disability later if I had other health issues. Also, @Ben Cooper - how is your sister doing now? Did she manage to get everything sorted out with the transition? Would love to hear an update on how it all worked out for her! The timing aspect seems so crucial based on what everyone is saying. Sounds like the key is having that clear cutoff date from the doctor and making sure to stop unemployment certification immediately. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences - it's way more helpful than trying to decipher the EDD website!