Self-employed mom-to-be: Can I qualify for EDD disability for maternity in 2025?

Unfortunately, self-employed individuals don't automatically contribute to CA SDI unless you've elected to participate in Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC). If you haven't been paying into the system, you typically wouldn't qualify for pregnancy disability or PFL baby bonding benefits when your baby arrives. For future planning: You could enroll in DIEC now, but there's a waiting period of 24 months for pregnancy-related benefits. So it wouldn't help for your March 2025 delivery, but could be useful for any future pregnancies. Alternatives to consider: - If you have any W-2 employment alongside your self-employment that does withhold SDI, you might qualify through that work - Look into private short-term disability insurance (though they typically have pre-existing condition exclusions) - Some credit unions and professional associations offer hardship loans for members

When I had my baby last year, I was in a similar boat - partially self-employed but also had a small W-2 job. The good news is you CAN qualify through your part-time W-2 employment! BUT there are base period earnings requirements. The EDD will look at your earnings 5-18 months before your claim starts. You need to have earned at least $300 during your highest quarter in that base period from the W-2 job that withheld SDI. Here's what you should do: 1. Check your pay stubs to see if SDI is being withheld (look for "CASDI") 2. Calculate if you earned at least $300 in your highest quarter from that job 3. File form DE2501 about 4 weeks before your due date If you qualify, you'd get pregnancy disability for 4 weeks before birth and up to 6-8 weeks after (depending on delivery type) plus 8 weeks of PFL baby bonding. But benefit amount will be based only on your W-2 earnings, not your self-employment income.

I tried getting benefits when I was self employed and it was a NIGHTMARE. Even though I had signed up for elective coverage they denied me saying I hadn't paid enough quarters and some other technical nonsense. Wasted WEEKS trying to get through to an actual person at EDD. The whole system is designed to make it impossible for freelancers! Then when I finally did get through the lady told me I should have applied for some other program instead but it was too late. INFURIATING! 😡

if ur making $4800 a month self employed i rly recommend u start saving NOW for ur maternity leave, like put away as much as possible cuz even if u qualify thru ur tiny w2 job the benefit will be super small. my friend got like $78/week cuz that was based on her part time retail job even tho she made way more from her consulting. better than nothing i guess but not enough to live on obvs

When I had my baby I was working part time at Starbucks and running my own Etsy shop. The benefit amount was pathetically small based on just my barista income, but I still applied because every little bit helped. The most frustrating part was trying to reach EDD when I had questions!! I spent HOURS on hold and kept getting disconnected. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD rep in under 5 minutes after I'd wasted days trying on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. Totally worth it for the time saved and stress reduction when I was already hormonal and exhausted.

One more tip: Make sure your part-time employer completes all their quarterly reports correctly. My friend had a small W-2 job and qualified for benefits, but her claim was delayed because her employer hadn't submitted some required quarterly wage information. Also, start gathering documentation now: 1. All pay stubs showing SDI withholding 2. Find an OB who will support your disability claim (most do, but some are better with paperwork than others) 3. Get a DE2501 form from your doctor around week 36 of pregnancy 4. Save screenshots of your online EDD account setup info - you'll need this to check claim status And track your base period quarters - if you're due in March 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024, so make sure you have those W-2 earnings documented.

my sister is havin a baby too! congrats!!!! her doctor told her sumthing about getting 4 weeks off before the baby and then like 8 weeks after? but i think she has regular job not self employed. good luck!!

Just to clarify what others have said, the benefit periods in California are: - Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL): Up to 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after (depending on delivery type) paid through SDI - Paid Family Leave (PFL): Up to 8 weeks of baby bonding time If you qualify through your W-2 job, you could potentially receive benefits for up to 16-18 weeks total. The weekly benefit amount would be approximately 60-70% of your W-2 wages (not including self-employment income). Also, your W-2 employer (even the part-time one) may be required to hold your job for you if they have 5+ employees and you've worked there 1+ year with 1250+ hours in the past 12 months (under CFRA/FMLA). Something to look into for job security.

Hey Kristin! I'm also self-employed (freelance writer) and went through this exact situation two years ago. Here's what I learned that might help: Since you have that part-time W-2 job, you're actually in a much better position than many self-employed folks! Like others mentioned, check if SDI is being withheld from those paychecks. Even at $90/week, you'd hit the $300 quarterly minimum easily. A few things I wish I'd known earlier: - Start documenting EVERYTHING now - pay stubs, SDI withholdings, work hours - Set up your EDD online account before you need it (much easier when you're not sleep-deprived!) - Consider applying for a business credit line or personal loan while you're still earning full income - banks are more willing to lend when you don't desperately need it Also, don't forget about the baby bonding PFL after your disability period ends. Even if the weekly amount is small, those extra 8 weeks of partial income can be a lifesaver when you're figuring out childcare. One last tip: Start networking with other freelance parents in your area. I found a great group of moms who trade childcare, share clients during busy periods, and just generally support each other. Having that community has been invaluable! You've got this mama! 💪

As someone who's been self-employed for 8 years and had two babies during that time, I wanted to share some additional resources that might help! Since you're in LA, check out these local options: - LA Freelancers Union (they have monthly meetups and a Slack channel) - Working Moms of LA Facebook group - tons of freelancers in there - Creative Mornings LA often has networking events with other independent creatives For the financial planning piece, I'd also suggest: - Look into whether your clients would be willing to pay invoices early or set up a retainer system before your due date - Consider raising your rates now if you haven't in a while - easier to do before you're juggling a newborn - Some freelancers I know have had success with "maternity packages" where they pre-sell a bundle of work at a discount to create cash flow And definitely get that EDD account set up ASAP! When I had my second baby, the website was super glitchy and it took me three tries to get my claim submitted properly. Having everything ready in advance was a game-changer. One more thing - if your part-time job qualifies you for benefits, make sure to coordinate the timing carefully. You want to maximize your coverage without any gaps. The EDD can be particular about when you start and stop claims. Wishing you all the best with your pregnancy and planning! 🌟

Hey Kristin! I just went through this exact situation last year as a freelance marketing consultant with a tiny part-time retail job. Here's what saved me: First, definitely check if SDI is being withheld from your boutique paychecks - look for "CASDI" on your pay stub. At $90/week you'd easily meet the $300 quarterly requirement. But here's the reality check: my benefit was only $67/week based on my part-time earnings, which barely covered groceries. So start saving NOW and consider these strategies: **Before baby arrives:** - Set up payment plans with all your regular bills (utilities, phone, etc.) - Stock up on non-perishables and baby essentials while you have income - Ask clients for 50% deposits on future projects to create a cash cushion - Look into local food banks and WIC programs you might qualify for temporarily **During leave:** - Many freelancers do light work during bonding leave (emails, quick edits) since PFL allows some part-time work - Consider subcontracting easier tasks to other designers while keeping client relationships **For next time:** - Definitely sign up for DIEC, but also look into private disability insurance through organizations like Freelancers Union The mental load is tough, but you'll figure it out! Start that EDD account setup this week while you have energy. Good luck! 🍀