The state of California has a number of programs in place that are designed to aid those who might struggle with the modern cost of living.
If you are suffering from any kind of disability, it can be difficult to find work and make ends meet. Filing for disability within the state can provide many benefits.
You might not be familiar with the reason for this kind of filing. You can actually make your life easier in a great many ways by looking to the California state government for help.
What do you need to know about filing for disability? Read on and we’ll walk you through the basics.
What is the State Disability Insurance Program?
California’s State Disability Insurance program, often abbreviated as the SDI program, is a government project maintained by the Employment Development Department.
Those who file and are approved by the program can receive weekly benefits based on their average wages for up to a year. Typically, you’ll receive 55% of what your average working wages were, and you can receive these benefits for up to a year.
Anyone can apply, as long as they meet a few simple requirements. They must either have a non-work-related illness or injury, be pregnant, or have some other disability that prevents them from active labor.
In most cases, the program is paid for out of taxes that have historically been taken out of your paycheck.
You can apply for this program online, over the phone, or in person at a government office.
Benefits of Filing for Disability
There are many good reasons to consider filing for disability. The main benefit is having a source of income that you can live off of while work may be hard to come by.
Having difficulty finding employment can be difficult for any person or family and the weekly benefits provided by the SDI program can make it easier to get through this difficult period.
While a little more than half of your typical wages may feel like not enough, this extra amount of cash can at least help you to get by until you are able to work again.
There are also long-term programs you can look into if your disability might impact your ability to work for longer than a year.
For pregnant women, the SDI can help provide a kind of paid family leave. It can provide time for proper parenting and care to occur before financial needs drive a mother back to work.
Understanding California’s Disability Programs
If you’ve recently suffered an injury or experienced a change in your life that makes it difficult to work, you don’t have to worry about immediately finding a solution.
Filing for disability in California offers a number of benefits to those struggling and can buy you the time you need to get your life back on track.
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