I've been through a very similar EDD overpayment hearing for COVID-era benefits and want to echo what everyone else has said - your brother absolutely has grounds to challenge this based on the notice timing alone. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that he should also prepare a brief statement about his financial situation during 2020 and why he needed the UI benefits. Judges often consider the human impact, especially for COVID cases. Also, if his employer has any records of the closure (like company-wide emails announcing the shutdown due to health orders), those are incredibly powerful pieces of evidence since they prove the decision to stop working wasn't his. The fact that his San Jose office was completely shut down by government mandate puts him in a strong position. I'd also suggest he mention early in the hearing that he's willing to work with EDD on any legitimate overpayment issues but wants to ensure due process is followed. This shows good faith while still asserting his rights. The judges I've encountered really appreciate when people approach these hearings with that kind of cooperative but firm attitude. Hang in there - with all the documentation and preparation advice from this thread, he's going to be well-prepared for Wednesday!

Wow, what a situation! I'm really glad your brother has you advocating for him. I've been reading through all this advice and it's incredible how helpful this community is. One small thing I wanted to add - when your brother calls EDD tomorrow morning about the notice timing, make sure he gets the name and employee ID of whoever he speaks with, plus asks them to document the conversation in his case file. Sometimes having that paper trail of who acknowledged the procedural issue can be helpful if it comes up again later. Also, I know everyone's mentioned staying calm during the hearing, but I wanted to emphasize that if he feels overwhelmed at any point, it's totally okay to ask the judge for a moment to collect his thoughts or refer to his notes. The judges expect people to be nervous and are usually patient about that. Your brother is lucky to have someone like you helping him through this mess. The fact that you're both being so thorough with preparation really shows good faith, and that matters a lot in these hearings. Best of luck on Wednesday - you've got this!

This whole thread is exactly why I love this community! Connor, I went through almost the identical situation last fall with a herniated disc from a workplace accident. The confusion around EDD forms is maddening - they really need to train their staff better on using consistent terminology. From everything I learned (the hard way), it definitely sounds like you need the DE 2501HC for benefit continuation since your doctor thinks you'll need more recovery time. When I had to extend my benefits, the key was getting my doctor to provide a really detailed assessment. Don't just ask for "more time" - get specific functional limitations documented like "unable to lift over 10 lbs," "cannot stand for more than 15 minutes," "requires frequent position changes," etc. Also, if you do end up needing to visit the EDD office in person like Amina suggested, call ahead to make sure they're doing walk-ins that day. Some locations require appointments now. The office staff are usually way more helpful than the phone representatives - they actually seem to know which forms do what! One last tip: when you submit the DE 2501HC, make copies of EVERYTHING and send it certified mail. EDD has a terrible habit of "losing" paperwork, and having that tracking number has saved me more than once. Hope your back heals up soon and the paperwork nightmare gets resolved quickly!

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my own back injury claim, I can confirm what others have said - there's no actual "hardship form" for extra money beyond your weekly benefit amount. Your case manager was likely referring to the DE 2501HC (benefit continuation form) since you mentioned needing additional recovery time. I made the mistake of not being prepared when I first talked to my doctor about extending benefits. Based on everyone's great advice here, make sure to ask your doctor for very specific functional limitations like "cannot lift more than X pounds" or "unable to sit for more than X minutes." The vague "needs more time" notes I initially got were rejected by EDD. Also, if you're still having trouble reaching EDD by phone, I had good luck using their online portal to submit questions. Sometimes you get clearer responses in writing than over the phone where everything gets lost in translation. Hope your recovery goes smoothly and you get the extension approved without too much hassle! This thread has been super helpful for understanding all the different form options.

Just wanted to follow up - how did things work out with your transition from UI to SDI? Were you able to submit your claim online?

I'm going through something similar right now - just found out I need shoulder surgery next month and I'm currently on unemployment. This thread has been incredibly helpful! Quick question though - if I know my surgery date in advance (it's scheduled for April 15th), should I wait until after the surgery to file the SDI claim, or can I file it beforehand with the future surgery date? I want to minimize any gap in benefits but also don't want to mess up the timing.

Update: I spoke with my workers' comp attorney again and got more details. The settlement is primarily for permanent disability and future medical costs, not for lost wages during any specific time period. She said I should be fine continuing to certify for UI as long as I'm able to work and looking for work, but I need to report the settlement when I receive it. I'm going to try contacting EDD directly to confirm this information. Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - waiting on my WC settlement while on UI. One thing I learned is that you should definitely get the settlement agreement in writing that specifies exactly what each portion covers (permanent disability vs lost wages vs medical). This documentation will be crucial when reporting to EDD. Also, don't wait until you receive the money to contact EDD - call them as soon as you have the settlement details so they can flag your account and avoid any automatic overpayment notices. The earlier you're proactive about it, the smoother the process usually goes.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - EDD's timing and communication issues are absolutely infuriating! The fact that they disqualified you literally ONE DAY after you mailed the documents they requested is just cruel. I went through something similar with my workers' comp claim that transitioned to SDI. Here's what worked for me: Call back and ask to speak with a "disability determination specialist" specifically - not just regular customer service. When you get one, explain the exact timeline: you called on the 14th and 15th, were told to mail docs, sent them priority mail on the 15th, then got disqualified on the 16th. Ask them to put detailed notes in your file about this timeline discrepancy. Also, since you have that priority mail tracking, that's PROOF you sent everything when they told you to. Make sure to give them that tracking number - it shows you acted in good faith and their system failed you, not the other way around. The assembly member route really does work in California. I contacted mine through their website and got a response within 2 days. They have dedicated staff who deal with EDD issues all the time because this stuff happens constantly. Definitely file the appeal as backup, but given that your documents are already in their system and you have proof of when you sent them, there's a good chance this gets resolved without needing the full appeal process. Keep us posted on what happens with the claim specialist review!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - the EDD system seems to have some serious timing issues that hurt people when they're most vulnerable. The fact that they disqualified you just one day after you mailed the documents they specifically requested is absolutely ridiculous. From reading through all the responses here, it sounds like you're getting some really solid advice. The key things that stand out to me are: 1) You have proof you sent everything when they asked (that priority mail tracking), 2) EDD confirmed your documents arrived and are just waiting to be processed, and 3) Multiple people have had success getting these types of administrative errors fixed by speaking with the right people. I'd definitely recommend doing both the phone approach (asking specifically for a disability determination specialist) AND contacting your assembly member's office at the same time. Don't put all your eggs in one basket - use every avenue available since you're dealing with a time-sensitive financial situation. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you end up getting this resolved and receiving back pay, make sure to ask about interest or penalty payments if there were any delays in processing that weren't your fault. California sometimes provides additional compensation when their administrative errors cause financial hardship. Hang in there, and please keep updating us on how this goes. Your situation is unfortunately common enough that other people will probably benefit from hearing how it gets resolved!