Can you collect short term disability and unemployment at the same time in California?

Ok so that's what I was afraid of. Does this mean I need to stop filing my weekly claims right now and switch to SDI? And what happens to the weeks I already certified where I said I was available? Will they automatically flag those?

I went through almost the exact same thing two years ago after a shoulder surgery. Once my doctor cleared me to return to work I switched back to UI without any issues but the SDI period was completely separate. The weekly benefit amounts are actually calculated differently too.

This is accurate. The key phrase California EDD uses is 'able and available' - if your physician has documented work restrictions, you are technically not meeting the UI eligibility requirements for those weeks. Definitely look into filing for SDI instead for your recovery period.

Yeah this is a really common misconception. They serve different purposes - UI is for people who lost a job and CAN work but haven't found employment yet, and SDI covers the period when a medical issue prevents you from working. California EDD manages both programs but they don't stack.

good to know, thanks for clearing that up

My HR actually mentioned both - the company had a private STD plan and I think California SDI too through payroll deductions. I'm not sure which one applies or if both do. This is getting complicated.

Private employer STD plans and California SDI are completely different. You might actually be able to collect from a private employer STD plan while also eventually collecting UI depending on how that plan is structured - private plans don't always have the same 'able and available' requirement tied to them. But for California state SDI specifically, you cannot receive it at the same time as UI.

Good point about the private plan distinction. OP definitely needs to read the actual policy documents from their employer's STD plan because each one has different rules around how it coordinates with other benefits. Some private plans even offset based on what you get from California SDI.

I've literally been trying to get through to EDD for two weeks with zero luck, will check this out. My situation is complicated enough that I really do need to talk to an actual person.

seconded, Claimyr got me a callback within a few hours when I had a complicated adjudication situation. EDD phone lines are brutal without something like that.

Does this work for SDI questions too or only UI? Wondering if they can help with both sides of the transition OP is asking about.

From my experience the agent I reached handled both - they could see my full account including both the UI claim and the SDI filing. California EDD reps seem to have access to everything under your account.

Not a dumb question at all. California EDD can cross-reference your UI certifications against SDI claim dates if you later file for SDI. If both claims show overlapping dates they will flag it and you could end up with an overpayment determination on one of them. It's not always immediate but it does happen, especially now that their data matching systems are more sophisticated post-pandemic.

Also worth noting - if your employer filed any paperwork related to your injury or leave, that information can surface during a routine audit. Better to proactively address any overlap than wait for California EDD to find it.

ok yeah that's what I was worried about, my friend should probably get ahead of it then

This is really useful to know ahead of time, thank you. So I basically need to keep my UI claim from going inactive while I'm on SDI so I can reopen it more easily?

From what I understand you can reopen a UI claim within a certain window without starting completely over - I think California EDD gives you a benefit year to work within. Definitely verify this with EDD directly because the exact rules around reopening can depend on your specific situation.

Yeah the reopen process is straightforward actually, I did it after a medical leave. You just go into your UI Online account and select reopen claim. The tricky part is making sure the SDI end date and UI reopen date don't have gaps that would require explanation.

Oh no - yes not filing at all is usually worse than filing imperfectly because you can potentially lose out on benefits you were entitled to. There are deadline rules around when you can file retroactively. I would strongly encourage you to call California EDD and explain your situation - they deal with overlapping injury/layoff scenarios and there may be options to address the missed weeks.

I didn't know you could potentially file retroactively. How far back does that window go? I'm going on three months now of just sitting here confused.

The general rule for UI is that you need to file your initial claim within a reasonable time, and weekly certifications need to be filed within a certain window of the week in question. Three months out it gets complicated but not necessarily impossible. This is exactly the type of situation where talking to an actual California EDD rep makes a huge difference - the rules around late filing have exceptions depending on circumstances.

Honestly I didn't even think about comparing the amounts. Good point - I should calculate what I'd get from each before assuming UI is the right choice.

how do you find out what your SDI weekly benefit would be before filing? is there a calculator on the EDD site?

Yes, California EDD has an SDI benefit calculator on their website. You plug in your quarterly earnings and it estimates your weekly benefit. The SDI section is separate from the UI Online portal - it's called SDI Online and you'd create or log into that specifically for disability claims.

Really common misconception. California actually has one of the best state disability insurance programs in the country - it's funded through payroll deductions (you probably see it on your paystub as 'CA SDI' or similar). Most California workers are covered automatically. The California EDD administers both UI and SDI.

ohh I do see that on my paystub now that you mention it. good to know I've been paying into it this whole time

Plain English version: 1) Stop certifying for UI for weeks you are medically restricted from working. 2) File an SDI claim through SDI Online on EDD's website for your recovery period - your doctor fills out the medical portion. 3) Once doctor clears you, reopen or resume your UI claim for the job search period. 4) If you already certified UI for restricted weeks, call California EDD to explain and potentially amend those certifications before they cause an overpayment issue. The sooner you deal with it proactively the better.

This is the clearest breakdown I've gotten, thank you. I'm going to file the SDI claim today and then try to get an EDD rep on the phone about the weeks I already certified.

Did you have trouble getting through? I've been calling for weeks and can't get anyone.

Oh it was brutal at first. Someone in another thread mentioned Claimyr and I used it - got a callback from an EDD agent same day I signed up. Made a huge difference. claimyr.com if you haven't tried it yet. Way better than hitting redial 400 times.

Seconding this - I've heard Claimyr works well for complicated situations where you really need to talk to someone. Adding it to my list to try.

Great question. SDI does not pause your UI benefit year - they run on separate tracks. If your UI benefit year expires while you're collecting SDI, you may need to file a new UI claim after your SDI period ends, which would be based on a new base period. Depending on your earnings history this could actually result in a different weekly benefit amount. This is one more reason why timing and documentation matters.

Wow ok I did not know that. So theoretically someone could lose UI weeks they never got to use because their benefit year expired during an SDI period. That seems kind of harsh.

It is what it is unfortunately. The two programs genuinely don't coordinate the way you'd hope. California has been working on various reforms over the years but for now they do run independently. Some people in this situation end up with a new UI claim at a lower weekly benefit if their base period changes. Another good reason to call EDD and understand the specific impact on YOUR claim.

Partial disability is a gray area. If your doctor clears you for limited hours and you are genuinely able and available for part-time work, you might be able to receive partial UI benefits (California EDD does have provisions for part-time availability). However SDI has its own definitions for partial disability. These can potentially overlap in limited circumstances but it's very case-specific and honestly not something to assume - worth verifying directly with EDD.

ok yeah that makes sense, def not a situation to just assume

Right - partial disability situations are genuinely complicated and the eligibility analysis depends on exactly what your doctor documents, what kind of work you're seeking, and how EDD interprets your specific restrictions. Don't guess on this one.

Oh this is a good point - my company's HR person already said something vague about 'waiting periods' for the private plan. I didn't ask enough follow-up questions.

Yeah private STD plans almost always have elimination periods (waiting periods before benefits kick in) typically 7-14 days. During that waiting period you might actually be eligible for California SDI already since SDI has its own waiting week. They don't always align cleanly. If the private plan denies your claim you definitely still have the California SDI option, they are completely independent.

Also worth knowing - if you have a private employer STD claim in dispute, that's handled separately through the insurance carrier and possibly through your employer's HR. California EDD has no jurisdiction over private employer benefit plans. Keep those complaint/appeal processes completely separate from anything you're doing with EDD.

Honestly yes, thank you. I've been feeling kind of dumb for not knowing all this but it is genuinely complicated.

not dumb at all. the fact that SDI and UI are both under California EDD but are basically completely separate programs with their own portals, their own rules, their own calculation methods - it makes no sense from a user perspective.

Will update! So far I filed my SDI claim online this morning and it was actually easier than I expected. The online application walked me through it pretty clearly. Now waiting for my doctor to complete their part of the form. Still trying to get EDD on the phone about the already-certified weeks but will report back.

Thank you! And good luck. The doctor certification part took about a week in my friend's experience FYI, so plan for some waiting time there.

Good luck OP - for reaching EDD about those already-certified weeks, try Claimyr if you haven't. The hold times to get a live California EDD agent are insane right now and that service got me through in a reasonable amount of time. https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 has a walkthrough if you want to see how it works before signing up.

Good reminder, thank you. I was doing the job search log religiously before my surgery situation so at least I know the process. Just need to make sure I have everything documented cleanly when I transition back.

Yes this is important. California EDD can audit your job search contacts and if you can't document them it can trigger a disqualification issue. Keep everything in CalJOBS where possible since that creates an automatic record.

Exactly - CalJOBS is the safest place to log them because it's timestamped and directly accessible to EDD if they ever pull your records. Email applications are also acceptable but you need to save documentation yourself.