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So I got let go from my warehouse job last Friday and I'm trying to figure out where I stand with unemployment. My supervisor said I was being terminated for "performance issues" but honestly it felt pretty vague - no written warnings, no formal HR process, just a meeting and a box for my stuff. I filed my California EDD claim online through myEDD the same day I got home and now I'm just sitting here wondering if being fired automatically disqualifies me or what. I've heard mixed things from coworkers - one guy told me if you're fired for any reason you're done, another said it only matters if it was something serious. I genuinely don't know what EDD is going to do with my claim. My weekly benefit amount on the DE 429Z came in around $310 which would really help while I look for something new. Has anyone actually been through this and can tell me what happens next?
So I got laid off from my warehouse job about six weeks ago and filed for unemployment right away. Everything was going fine, I was certifying and getting paid. Then about two weeks in I had a pretty bad back injury from helping a friend move furniture (not work related, just bad timing) and my doctor put me on lifting restrictions and said I can't do my usual type of work for at least 6-8 weeks. Now I'm sitting here wondering if I messed everything up. My UI Online still shows my unemployment claim active but I honestly don't know if I should keep certifying or switch to disability or what. The question that's been keeping me up at night: can you get short term disability and unemployment at the same time in California? Like can I collect both while I recover? I don't want to do anything wrong but I also really need the income. Has anyone navigated this situation before?
Four weeks post-surgery and trying to figure out exactly when to file the SDI extension if my doctor thinks I'll need more time. Is there paperwork to extend SDI or does your doctor just recertify automatically?
Since I managed to get my own SDI and UI situation untangled, I want to leave the specific timeline that worked: stopped certifying for UI on the week restrictions started, filed SDI Online within two days, got SDI payments going within about three weeks, then when my doctor cleared me I reopened my UI claim through UI Online the same day I got the clearance note. No gap in coverage except the SDI waiting period. It's doable if you move on it quickly.
The 'same day you get clearance' part is a good detail. Some people wait a week or two to reopen UI thinking they need to wait until they actually start job searching, but the reopen is what triggers eligibility to restart.
Lost my job at a logistics company about six weeks ago when they cut our entire department. I filed right away through myEDD and got my first payment after about three weeks, so that part went okay. But what I keep wondering is why unemployment numbers in California seem so high lately. Like is it just layoffs across certain industries, or is something else going on? I work in warehousing and I know several coworkers who got cut at the same time, and now we're all on EDD together basically. Is there any connection between high unemployment rates and how backed up EDD gets with processing claims? Because my Claim History still shows two weeks as Pending and I'm trying to figure out if that's related to whatever is driving the numbers up. Anyone have insight into what's actually causing this or how it affects how fast EDD processes things?
Coming up on week eight and I noticed something in Claim History that confused me: one of my pending weeks shows a different status note than the others. I initially thought it meant I was being appealed or something. Turns out pending just looks slightly different depending on what type of review is happening but none of it is an appeal unless you actually got a Notice of Determination and filed one.
Final thing worth adding to this thread: even when unemployment rates are high and EDD is backlogged, Medi-Cal and CalFresh are still worth looking into if money is tight during the pending stretch. BenefitsCal is where you apply for both. Unemployment benefits count as income when you apply for CalFresh so the county will factor that in, but you can still qualify depending on your situation. Having that safety net while waiting for EDD to clear pending weeks makes the wait more manageable.
Lost my retail job two weeks ago and I've been trying to figure out the whole unemployment thing. I keep seeing people talk about filing online but honestly I'm not great with computers and I really wanted to go somewhere in person to get help filling out the application. I went to what I thought was a California EDD office downtown and the person there told me they don't actually take applications? I was totally confused. So where can I go to file unemployment in person if the EDD offices don't do it? Is there somewhere I can walk in and have someone help me? I have all my pay stubs and my last employer's info ready to go, I just don't know where to start.
Seventh week into my current claim I had a situation where my claim went into adjudication because a former employer disputed something. I want to flag for anyone reading this: if that happens, keep certifying. EDD can only pay back weeks you actually certified for, so stopping certifications while adjudication is happening means you lose those weeks even if the decision goes in your favor.
It basically means EDD put a hold on your claim to investigate something, usually a question about whether you're eligible. It could be about why you left work, identity, or wages. During that time payments are paused on the affected weeks until EDD makes a decision.
Filing late because I thought I had to wait for my final paycheck to arrive first. That's a myth. You file as soon as you're out of work or your hours are cut, you don't wait for anything. The claim just starts from the Sunday of the week you file.
So I just got laid off two days ago and I'm completely lost about when exactly I'm supposed to file for unemployment with California EDD. My manager basically told me Friday was my last day and I'm sitting here Sunday night wondering if I should have already filed or if there's a waiting period or something. I work in logistics and this is literally the first time I've ever had to deal with this. Do I file now? Do I wait until I get my final paycheck? Does the date I file affect how much I get or when my payments start? I've been going back and forth on the EDD website but the information is kind of overwhelming and I don't know where to start. Any help would be super appreciated because I have rent due in three weeks.
also just want to rant for a second because this thread reminded me - why does EDD make this so complicated for people who just lost their jobs?? you're already stressed about money and then you have to figure out base periods and adjudication and standby status and job search requirements. the whole system should just be simpler. ok rant over, hope OP gets their claim sorted quickly
OP if you want to make sure you're not missing anything here's a quick pre-filing checklist: 1) Have your SSN ready, 2) Last employer name, address, phone, 3) Your last day worked and reason for separation, 4) Start and end dates of employment, 5) Your banking info for direct deposit if you want it. That's really all you need to start. Everything else can be added or updated. Go to UI Online through the official edd.ca.gov site only - there are scam sites that look similar.
The scam site warning is real. Always go directly to edd.ca.gov and double-check the URL. There are fake sites that will steal your personal info. Bookmark the real one now.
Paolo Conti
Quick update from my situation mentioned above - my claim did get approved after the phone interview and the agent I reached through Claimyr had given me accurate info about where things stood. The employer submitted something but it was pretty thin documentation-wise. Determination came about two weeks after the interview.
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Zainab Omar
AuthorReally glad to hear that came through for you. Two weeks post-interview for the determination is the kind of timeline I'll keep in mind.
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NebulaNova
Two weeks is actually on the faster end from what I've seen. Sometimes it stretches longer. The main thing is having done the interview, certified, and submitted anything EDD asked for.
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GalacticGuru
Coming back because I remembered something that stressed me out when I first filed - EDD notifies your former employer when the claim is filed. I panicked thinking my employer might find out and do something retaliatory or try to block my benefits. Someone with more experience reassured me that an employer can share info with EDD but they can't block your claim - EDD makes the eligibility call, not them.
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GalacticGuru
Knowing that helped me stop catastrophizing about the notification. Filed my claim, did the interview, and now I'm just waiting on the DE 1080CZ - or hoping I won't need one because everything processes clean.
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Keisha Williams
An employer trying to 'block' a claim is one of those myths that circulates forever. They respond to EDD's notice. After that, EDD runs the process.
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