California Unemployment
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Will unemployment know if I move to another state? California EDD question
Okay so I got laid off from my warehouse job in Sacramento about six weeks ago and I've been collecting unemployment since then. My sister lives in Nevada and has been offering me a cheaper place to stay while I job hunt, and honestly between rent here and everything else I'm seriously considering taking her up on it. My weekly benefit amount is $387 and I really can't afford to mess that up. So my actual question is: will unemployment know if I move to another state? Like does California EDD track where you're physically located? I'm still going to be looking for work and I'll keep certifying every two weeks like I'm supposed to. I filed in California, worked in California my whole career. I'm just nervous about losing my benefits if I physically relocate. Anyone done this or know the rules here?
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Does unemployment come from social security? Confused about California EDD
Okay so I've been trying to figure out where exactly unemployment benefits come from because my coworker told me it gets deducted from your social security when you retire if you collect unemployment now. We both got laid off from a warehouse distribution job last month and I filed with California EDD but he refused to file because he said it would mess up his social security down the road. I'm in my late 40s so retirement is a ways off but it got me worried enough that I've been second-guessing my claim. I looked at my paystubs and I see CASDI taken out but nothing labeled unemployment, so now I'm really confused about who actually funds this whole thing. Does unemployment come from social security or are they completely separate? I don't want to hurt myself later just to get a few hundred dollars now.
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Last month I finally talked to an EDD agent about why my second certification was stuck on pending — my CalJOBS registration hadn't processed yet even though I'd signed up. Used Claimyr to get through on the phone after the UI Online live chat wait times were way over the 9 to 2 window I had available. The agent flagged my CalJOBS status and told me to allow a couple more business days for it to sync. It cleared by the end of that week.
CalJOBS syncing with EDD taking extra time is not something I would have guessed could cause a pending week. Useful to know.
Yeah, the agent said it's not instant and sometimes takes a few business days after you register in CalJOBS for EDD's system to reflect it. Not an error, just a timing thing.
Since we're on the topic of what does and doesn't affect social security — just to be thorough — EDD unemployment benefits are also not counted against you for Medi-Cal or Covered California in the way some people fear. If you need health coverage after losing your job, Covered California is worth looking into, and BenefitsCal is where you apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs. No one here can tell you exactly what you'd qualify for since that depends on income and household, but those programs exist and losing a job is exactly when to look into them.
Right, the county determines CalFresh amounts so it varies. Apply at BenefitsCal or call 1-877-847-3663 and they walk you through it. Worth a shot if money is tight during the claim.
I hadn't even thought about CalFresh as an option. Going to look into that while my claim processes. Thanks for bringing it up.
Who to call for unemployment benefits in California EDD
Filed my claim about two and a half weeks ago and have no idea who to call for unemployment questions or how to even get through to anyone. UI Online just shows everything as Pending and there's nothing in my Claim History that tells me why or what I need to do next. I lost my retail management job after the company restructured and eliminated my entire department - classic layoff, no misconduct, nothing complicated. But I still have zero payment and I can't figure out if I need to call someone, wait for a letter, or what. The only number I could find is 1-800-300-5616 but every time I try I get some automated message and then it hangs up on me before I even reach a person. Is there a specific department or someone different I should be contacting? Or is there another way to actually talk to a real EDD agent about my pending weeks?
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EDD Tele-Cert at 1-866-333-4606, option 2, with your PIN is specifically for certifying - it won't connect you to an agent for questions. 1-800-300-5616 is the number for actual questions about your claim status. Keep those two numbers clear in your head so you're not accidentally cycling through the cert line when you're trying to reach someone who can actually help.
Mixed those up during my first claim and spent a frustrated twenty minutes wondering why nobody was answering questions through the cert line.
Two completely separate systems. 1-800-300-5616 for questions and reaching an agent, 1-866-333-4606 for certifying only.
Came back to update my own situation from a few weeks ago - was in a similar pending loop on a layoff claim from a hotel front desk job and finally got through on a Thursday at 8 a.m. after trying for two weeks. Used Claimyr for that call - ended up on the line with an EDD agent who checked my claim and told me my employer's response had a wrong end-date for my employment, which was flagging a review. Agent said to wait for the review to complete, which took about five more days, and then three weeks of pending cleared and paid the same day.
End date mismatch from the employer - that's such a small data error but sounds like it can hold everything up. Glad it resolved for you and appreciate the update.
An employer putting the wrong last day of work is surprisingly common during layoffs where HR is handling multiple separations at once. Easy to fix once an agent flags it.
Can teachers get unemployment? Confused about California EDD rules for education workers
So I've been a credentialed teacher at a public high school for six years and my contract ended June 15th. The district told us at our last staff meeting that teachers can't file for unemployment over the summer because we have 'reasonable assurance' of returning in the fall. But my friend who works in HR at a private company said that's not necessarily true and I should apply anyway. Now I'm totally confused about what the real California EDD rules are for teachers specifically. My summer is basically unpaid - I spread my salary over 12 months but the actual contract ends in June and doesn't start again until mid-August. Has anyone else dealt with this? Can teachers get unemployment between school years or not? I don't want to file and get denied or end up with an overpayment situation, but I also can't just go two months without any income buffer if I'm actually entitled to something.
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Quick note on the identity verification step since it trips people up: ID.me is what EDD uses now for online identity verification, and you need to complete it or EDD can't process payments even if you're eligible. If you applied by phone or mail, or if EDD couldn't verify you right away online, you'll get a Request for Identity Verification (DE 1326C) in the mail. Don't ignore it.
If your identity is verified, it won't show as a reason for pending weeks in UI Online Claim History. If the DE 1326C shows up in your mail, that's EDD telling you it still needs verification.
My pending weeks were entirely from incomplete ID.me verification - not from the reasonable assurance issue at all. The agent I reached confirmed my claim wasn't even at the eligibility question stage yet because identity was the first hold
Something I noticed wasn't mentioned yet - the waiting week. Every UI claim has a one-week unpaid waiting period, served in the first eligible week. Even if everything goes perfectly and you're approved for summer weeks, the first week certified typically won't be paid. That doesn't change the total amount your claim can pay overall, it just means week one is always the waiting week.
Right - 9 paid weeks out of 10 eligible weeks, with the first serving as the waiting week. The total your claim can pay (shown on the DE 429Z) doesn't shrink because of it.
First certification usually covers the waiting week and the first paid week together - so your first actual payment is typically two weeks in after you start certifying
Can you collect unemployment if you get social security? California EDD question
Okay so I'm kind of freaking out because I've been on Social Security retirement for about two years now but I still work part time at a garden supply warehouse. Last month the company downsized and I got laid off along with about 15 other people. Someone at the warehouse told me I can't file for unemployment because I'm already getting Social Security, which made me panic because my SS check alone doesn't cover my rent plus utilities. I always paid into the unemployment system through my job so it feels wrong that I'd just be cut off like that. Has anyone actually dealt with this? Can you collect unemployment if you get social security at the same time or does one cancel out the other? I went ahead and applied online through myEDD anyway just in case but now I'm second-guessing whether I even qualify.
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Certifying every two weeks is what keeps everything active — it's easy to think once you've filed and been approved the payments just keep coming, but each two-week period requires a certification where you confirm you were able and available for work, that you were looking for work, and report any earnings. If you miss a certification period, those weeks won't pay out even if you were otherwise eligible. Set a recurring reminder the moment you know your certification schedule.
UI Online shows when your next certification is due on the homepage once your claim is active. I also use the EDD Tele-Cert line as backup confirmation that my certification went through — it's faster than waiting for the UI Online screen to refresh.
Confirming submission through the automated line is a habit worth building. The UI Online confirmation screen should show it went through, but double-checking never hurts when your income depends on it.
Partial week I worked right before the layoff — I earned a little under $200 that final partial week at the warehouse. When I certified my first time, I reported that amount for that week even though I never got a full paycheck for it until after the layoff. EDD applied the earnings formula and I still got a partial UI payment for that week. The report-when-earned rule actually worked in my favor there.
Exactly. I almost made that mistake with a final expense reimbursement check that came in after my last day. Called EDD to ask and the agent confirmed reimbursements aren't wages so I didn't need to report it — but always better to ask if you're unsure than to guess.
The final partial week thing is exactly my situation too. I'll make sure I report those earnings for the week I actually worked them and not wait to see when the deposit hits.
CosmicCadet
Went through a job loss and move at the same time last year, it's a lot to manage. The CalJOBS piece was actually easier than I expected — the site is clunky but once you have your resume uploaded and your profile active, you don't have to touch it constantly.
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Zainab Ibrahim
AuthorClunky is the word I would use for CalJOBS. It took me a while to find where to actually upload the resume but I got it done.
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CosmicCadet
The job search section and the resume section are kind of buried but once you've done it once you know where to look.
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Chloe Harris
For what it's worth: EDD's own site is pretty clear that if you worked in California, you file in California regardless of current address. The stuff to keep straight is staying available for work, keeping CalJOBS active, and certifying on time. Everything else is secondary.
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Chloe Harris
Sounds like you have a solid grasp on it. Good luck with the move and the job hunt.
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GalaxyGlider
edd.ca.gov has the full rundown on eligibility requirements if you want to read through it directly. The 'For Your Benefit' guide is especially clear on the availability piece.
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