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Why Your Disability Started on Three Different Dates
If you get into a severe car accident, pinpointing the exact date your disability began is easy. The same is usually true if you have a scheduled surgery or a definitive first day of chemotherapy. But what if you are suffering from severe depression? Or what if you have chronic back pain that has slowly,…
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The 52-Week Cliff: Why This California Disability Insurance Attorney Is Already Looking at Your ERISA Benefits
People often come to me exactly when their world falls apart. They are transitioning from working full-time to suddenly being unable to work at all. Their immediate focus—and my immediate job—is to secure their California State Disability Insurance (SDI) to keep the lights on today. But while we are putting out the fire right in…
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Why Work is Good for Us (And When It Isn’t)
Because we are so attached to being the “Productive One” or the “Responsible One,” we refuse to read the signals our body is sending. When illness strikes, the ego whispers: “You can’t stop. Leaders don’t take breaks. Disability is for other people.”
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勞碌，內疚，以及我們不敢問的那個問題：「為什麼工作非得是這樣？」
當你問「為什麼工作非得是這樣？」時，很多時候，是因為身體終於用更大的聲音蓋過了工作的召喚。這場危機雖然感覺可怕，但它也可能是一種機會：它迫使你停下來，迫使你重新看一看——你與這個世界之間，到底簽了怎樣的契約；而你是否還願意繼續按原樣履行它。
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劳碌，内疚，以及我们不敢问的那个问题：“为什么工作非得是这样？”
工作不必“非得是这样”。它之所以这样，往往是因为我们太习惯对那些难以承受的要求说“是”。
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The Art of Rest in the Age of AI: When the Algorithm Runs You Down
In the stories I tell about disability, I often mention King Midas. He was the ultimate productive worker—everything he touched turned to gold. But his story ends in tragedy; he died of karōshi, the Japanese term for overwork-death. Today, we have invited a new Midas into our workplace: Artificial Intelligence.
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What to Do When Your California Voluntary Plan Disability Benefits are Denied
Under California law, a Voluntary Plan (VP) must give the same or better rights to workers than State Disability Insurance. In other words, the rules and terms of the VP cannot be less favorable than those of SDI. For example, SDI can last up to 52 weeks. Therefore, the VP must also provide up to…
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Today Is Your Last Day of Work
A story about FMLA, disability benefits and when to stop working.
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On FMLA Leave & Its Little State Cousins
The FMLA is the mother of all job protections.
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Disability Planning Timeline
For clients who want to plan ahead, sometimes I create a timeline like this. Everyone’s timeline is different, it depends on their health conditions, personal goals, and disability benefits.