If I get injured outside of work can I get unemployment in California?

Oh wow I had no idea SDI was even a thing. I always just assumed it was like a retirement thing. So I should NOT file for unemployment at all then?

Correct - filing for UI when you're medically unable to work would likely result in a disqualification because you'd have to certify that you're able and available for work each week, which wouldn't be true. SDI through the California EDD is the right path. You can file at edd.ca.gov/disability.

seconding this, SDI saved me when I had surgery two years ago. totally different from UI but same California EDD website basically

Do I submit the form online or mail it in? And does my doctor submit their part separately?

You can file your portion online through SDI Online at edd.ca.gov. Your doctor has to submit their medical certification separately - they can do it online too if they're registered, otherwise they mail it in. The two parts get linked by your claim number.

this is good info. the doctor part is always the bottleneck in my experience

That's exactly the kind of situation I'm worried about getting into. Did switching from UI to SDI cause any lasting problems with your record or anything?

No lasting issues at all. The agent I spoke to was actually really helpful once I got through. She said it's a common mix-up and they handle it regularly. Just make sure you don't certify for any UI weeks before you get it sorted because that's where complications can happen.

claimyr is legit I used it last year. worth it when you absolutely need to talk to someone at California EDD and can't spend 3 hours redialing

wait so if you accidentally file UI when you should have filed SDI you can actually fix it by calling? I thought once you filed that was it

This is incredibly helpful thank you. So worst case scenario if they don't hold my job - I could potentially qualify for UI once I'm physically recovered and ready to work again?

Exactly right. California has pretty strong protections for employees out on disability leave depending on company size (CFRA applies to employers with 5+ employees). But if the employment does end once you're recovered, you'd file a UI claim at that point showing you're now able and available to work.

good breakdown. a lot of people dont know the difference between these three and end up filing the wrong thing and losing weeks of payments

Did your cousin end up getting everything resolved okay?

yeah eventually but it took like 6 extra weeks which was really stressful for her. she kept getting notices about her UI claim being denied and couldn't figure out why until someone explained the difference

Ugh okay so there's a gap week at the beginning. Does my employer have to pay me for that week or is that just a loss?

Your employer isn't required to cover it unless you have paid sick leave or PTO you can use. Many people use their accrued sick time to cover that first week. Check your company's leave policy.

the waiting period is so annoying but at least it's only 1 week. some states make you wait longer i think

Interesting question. If the injury physically prevents work regardless of location, SDI is still the right benefit. But if someone could technically do their job remotely but employer refuses, that gets into more complicated UI territory - possibly a constructive discharge or employer-imposed separation situation. In OP's case though, the doctor says they physically cannot work for 6-8 weeks so SDI is clearly the right fit.

Ohh okay that makes sense. So the determining factor is really whether the doctor says they're physically unable to work, not whether there's work available to do.

Processing times vary but California EDD typically says to expect your first SDI payment within 2 weeks of submitting a complete claim - meaning both your portion and your doctor's medical certification are submitted. The delays usually come from incomplete claims or the doctor not submitting their part in time.

that's actually not as long as I thought. my friend's situation must have been a documentation issue then

Also worth noting you can check your SDI claim status through SDI Online. Saves you from having to call and wait on hold just to get a status update.

Yes that's exactly the right selection for a non-work back injury. You're on the right track.

Perfect, and make sure you have your doctor appointment scheduled or confirmed before you finish filing because they'll need to provide dates of treatment. If you haven't seen a doctor yet that can delay things.

Already saw a doctor this week and have the paperwork, just need to get her to submit her portion. Really appreciate everyone's help on this thread.

It depends on intent. Genuinely not knowing about SDI and filing UI is a mistake, not fraud. Fraud requires knowingly making false statements. That said, you'd want to correct it as quickly as possible by contacting California EDD to explain the situation. If you certified that you were 'able and available to work' while knowing you weren't, that's where it gets complicated. Honest mistakes can usually be resolved by calling EDD.

okay good to know. asking for a friend lol

your 'friend' should call EDD asap and explain the mix-up. the sooner the better before it goes to adjudication

Same honestly. The California EDD website doesn't make it super obvious that UI and SDI are completely different programs even though they're both run by EDD.

right like i just assumed everything under EDD was unemployment. learned something today

seconded. EDD phone system is genuinely one of the most frustrating experiences i've had dealing with any government agency

Do you have to give them a lot of personal info to use it?

Nah it's pretty simple to set up, nothing unusual. The point is just to get you connected to an EDD agent so you can handle whatever your specific situation is.

Hopefully it won't come to that but good to know there are options if recovery takes longer than expected.

Exactly. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Back injuries can be unpredictable but 6-8 weeks is a pretty typical timeline for what you're describing.

Your employer isn't directly notified by EDD when you file an SDI claim - SDI is between you and EDD. However, you'd obviously need to inform your employer that you're going to be out on medical leave separately. Most employers require their own leave paperwork regardless of what benefits you're filing for.

That makes sense. So it's two separate processes - telling your job you need leave, and filing SDI with EDD independently.

Correct. And if your company has 5+ employees, you may also want to look into CFRA (California Family Rights Act) to protect your job while you're out - that's handled through your HR department, not EDD.

SDI denials can happen if the medical certification is insufficient or if EDD determines the condition doesn't meet their definition of disability. You have the right to appeal within 30 days of the denial notice. The appeal goes to an Administrative Law Judge hearing - similar to UI appeals. Having thorough medical documentation is key.

Good to know. Do most SDI denials get overturned on appeal or is it pretty hit or miss?

I don't have exact statistics but appeals where there's solid medical documentation supporting the disability claim generally have decent outcomes. The initial denial is sometimes just due to incomplete paperwork rather than a genuine eligibility issue.

I KNOW. I feel like nobody talks about SDI. It's one of the most useful benefits California has and half the workforce doesn't know it exists.

going to tell everyone I know about this. genuinely frustrating that it's not more widely known

The SDI deduction is literally on every California employee's pay stub as CASDI and yet most people have no idea what they're paying into. The state does a terrible job of explaining it.

Thank you, really appreciate it. Reading that your dad went through something similar and came out okay is actually reassuring.

He did eventually get back to work full time. Just took patience. Hope the SDI comes through for you quickly.

This is actually a valid point. While EDD doesn't routinely monitor social media, if a claim gets flagged for investigation, they can look at public information. This is more of a concern for longer-term disability claims but worth being mindful of.

yeah exactly. not saying OP would do anything sketchy just something to be aware of that a lot of people don't think about

Honestly my back is so messed up right now the last thing I'm doing is anything physical. But noted, I hadn't even thought about that angle.

You would file a new UI claim at that point - it's a separate process from SDI. The good news is your SDI period doesn't affect your UI base period earnings calculation, so you wouldn't be penalized for having been on disability. Just make sure when you file UI that you indicate your last day of work and the reason for separation accurately.

Got it. So SDI and UI don't interfere with each other's eligibility calculations. That's actually really good to know.

Saving this whole thread. Thank you everyone seriously. Filed my SDI claim today and my doctor said she'd submit her certification by end of week. Fingers crossed.

Good luck! SDI is generally a pretty smooth process once everything is submitted correctly. You've got this.

update us when it gets approved!