When should I apply for CA Pregnancy Disability Leave at 7 months? Will I get benefits for bed rest before birth?

You need to apply for Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) through EDD as soon as your doctor takes you out of work! The form is called DE2501, and your doctor needs to complete their portion certifying your disability. You CAN get benefits before birth - usually up to 4 weeks before your due date for a normal pregnancy, but if your doc puts you on bed rest earlier due to your BP issues, you'd be covered from that point! After birth, you typically get 6 weeks for vaginal delivery or 8 weeks for C-section under disability. THEN you can transition to Baby Bonding (PFL) for another 8 weeks. For your freelance income - it's complicated. Your disability benefits are based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period, but the self-employment might not count unless you've been paying into SDI for it.

Idk I'm in a similar situation & the EDD website is SO confusing!!! I've been trying to call their customer service for 2 weeks now with questions about my SDI to PFL transition and literally cannot get through. Just endless busy signals or being on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. Feels impossible to get real answers!!

girl i was in ur EXACT situation last year!! Freakin stressful!!! For me, dr put me on bedrest at 32 wks (preeclampsia) and i got disability from that point. The money took like 2-3 wks to start coming tho so have some savings!! after baby came i got another 8 wks disability and then had to file SEPERATE paperwork for the 8 wks baby bonding. big tip: don't wait till ur disability ends to file the baby bonding!!!! start that paperwork early b/c theres often a gap between payments while they process it.

A few clarifications since there's some confusion here: 1. For Pregnancy Disability (SDI): You can get up to 4 weeks before birth in a normal pregnancy, and more if medically necessary (like bed rest). After birth, it's typically 6 weeks for vaginal delivery or 8 for C-section. 2. For Baby Bonding (PFL): This is a separate 8-week benefit that starts after your pregnancy disability ends. 3. For your freelance work: Unless you've been paying into SDI through self-employment contributions, only your W-2 wages will count toward your benefit calculation. 4. Application timing: Have your doctor complete the DE2501 form when they determine you should stop working. You can't file more than 49 days before your disability begins. 5. For the transition from SDI to PFL: You'll need to file a separate claim form (DE2508) for baby bonding. Start this process 1-2 weeks before your disability ends. The 2025 maximum weekly benefit is currently $1,727, but what you'll actually receive depends on your documented earnings.

When I was pregnant in 2023 I got disability starting 4 weeks before my due date and then I think it was 6 or 8 weeks after (can't remember because I ended up with a C-section and sleepless nights lol). One thing that tripped me up was the base period for calculating benefits. They use earnings from about 5-17 months before your claim, not your most recent income. So keep that in mind if your income has changed recently.

To answer the question about self-employment specifically - if you've opted into paying SDI taxes on your freelance income (this would be something you'd have set up with your tax preparer), then yes, it would count toward your benefit amount. If you haven't been paying SDI on that income, then only your W-2 wages will be considered. And you asked about unemployment for bed rest - that's not correct. Unemployment is for when you're able to work but can't find a job. Bed rest would be covered under disability since you're unable to work due to a medical condition.

Has anyone had experience with getting the pregnancy disability claim approved QUICKLY? My sister said hers took forever and she had no income for almost a month while waiting!