California State Disability Insurance in 2025: What Pregnant Agricultural Workers Should Know

State Disability Insurance May Be an Option Earlier In Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant and your job exposes you to health risks, like pesticides, you can file a claim for State Disability Insurance (SDI) as soon as a doctor or other licensed healthcare provider certifies that it is not medically safe for you to do your usual work.

State Disability Insurance is managed by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and is different from Social Security managed by the Federal Social Security Administration.

Talk to Your Doctor about Work-related Risks

Typically, pregnant California workers are eligible for State Disability Insurance starting at 36 weeks of pregnancy. 

But your healthcare provider can certify you to start SDI earlier in pregnancy if your job requirements pose a health risk to you or your baby. 

Talk to your healthcare provider about your usual work activities and possible health risks, including:

• Your occupation
• Exposure to pesticides or other chemicals
• Lifting
• Continuous standing
• Other medical condition(s)

Submit Your SDI Claim with California EDD

You will follow the usual process to file a State Disability Insurance claim with the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD). 

The key difference is that your healthcare provider needs to use specific codes on their part of the form to certify your disability claim. 

Your healthcare provider can find more information in the FAQ for Physicians/Practitioners on EDD.ca.gov.

Related resource: State Disability Insurance and Pregnancy FAQ on EDD.ca.gov

State Disability Insurance for Undocumented Workers

You can receive State Disability Insurance benefits regardless of your citizenship status. Applying for SDI will not impact your eligibility for U.S. citizenship, and any information you share on your SDI claim is confidential. 

Some instructions about how to complete your claim form may be different if you are undocumented. Learn more about SDI for undocumented workers.

Increased SDI Benefits in 2025

In the past, workers would receive SDI wage replacement benefits of 60-70% of their regular income. 

Starting in 2025, California workers who earn less than roughly $62,000.00 per year will receive 90% of their income as a benefit. 

This change in the law can help make taking time off a more accessible option to support a healthy pregnancy.

CRLA Works for Rural Health Equity

California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) is an anti-poverty law firm that dismantles unjust systems through community lawyering in California’s historically rural areas.

In 2019, following advocacy by CRLA, Monterey County Health Department patients and physicians, and other advocates across the state, EDD officially adopted a disability standard and guidance that made SDI benefits more accessible for agricultural workers earlier in pregnancy.