California Unemployment
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- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
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- Redial until on hold
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Do you have to work 90 days to get unemployment in California EDD?
So I got laid off recently and I'm trying to figure out if I even qualify for unemployment benefits. Someone at my old job told me you have to work at least 90 days before you can file, but I only worked there for about 2 months before the company did a round of layoffs and I got cut. I've worked other jobs in the past year though at different companies. Does the 90-day rule actually exist or is my coworker wrong? I really need these benefits right now because rent is due in less than two weeks and I'm panicking. Has anyone dealt with this situation before?
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If I live in one state and work in another, where do I file unemployment with California EDD?
So I'm in a bit of a confusing situation and hoping someone here has dealt with this before. I live in California but my employer is actually based in Nevada - I've been commuting across the border for the past two years for this job. Got laid off last week and now I'm sitting here trying to figure out where the heck I'm supposed to file for unemployment benefits. Do I file with California EDD since that's where I live? Or do I file with Nevada because that's where my employer is located and where my wages were earned? I've looked at both state websites and I honestly can't tell which one applies to me. Someone told me you always file where you live but someone else said it's wherever you paid into unemployment taxes. I don't want to file with the wrong agency and mess everything up before I even get started. Has anyone been through this exact situation?
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I know this thread has been really helpful but I want to flag something: even if you file in the correct state, if you LIVE in California you still have California residency which might affect certain requirements. Like job search activities - California may have different standards than Nevada or wherever you're filing. Make sure you understand the job search and reporting requirements of whichever state's system you're filing with, not California EDD's requirements.
Didn't even think about this aspect. Good to know I need to understand Nevada's requirements specifically rather than assuming they match what California EDD expects.
Nevada requires 3 job search activities per week last I checked, while California EDD requires a minimum of 3 as well for most claimants but the documentation requirements can differ. Definitely read the state-specific instructions carefully.
For anyone still confused and needing to talk to a human being about their specific situation - getting through to California EDD or any state unemployment office can be brutal. A few people mentioned Claimyr earlier in this thread and I'll second it. Used claimyr.com myself when I was trying to sort out a multi-state wage issue and the difference was night and day compared to redialing for hours. They have a demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10. Your situation might be straightforward once you get a rep on the phone who can look at your actual claim details.
Thanks everyone in this thread - I feel like I have a really clear picture now. Going to contact HR today about the payroll tax state, and if I need to make any calls I'll check out that Claimyr service. Really appreciate everyone who took the time to respond.
Good luck OP. Sounds like you've got a solid plan. Come back and let us know how it goes - this thread will probably help other people in the same situation.
If I get fired for poor performance can I collect unemployment in California?
So I've been at my current job for about two and a half years working in logistics coordination and things haven't been going great performance-wise. I got a written warning six months ago and then another one three months ago and my manager basically told me last week that if things don't improve I'm looking at termination. I've been trying but honestly some of the issues are outside my control - understaffed team, unrealistic targets, that kind of thing. Anyway I started wondering: if I get fired for poor performance can I collect unemployment in California? I've never filed before and I don't really understand when you qualify vs when you don't. Like I know if you quit you usually can't get it, but what about being let go for performance reasons? Is that considered misconduct? Someone told me poor performance is different from misconduct and that I might actually qualify but I'm not sure if that's true. Would really appreciate any insight from people who've been through this.
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For anyone who gets stuck in adjudication limbo and is going crazy trying to reach someone, I want to reiterate the Claimyr option. I know I mentioned it earlier but it genuinely made a huge difference for me - claimyr.com connects you with actual EDD phone agents. Check the demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 before you spend 3 hours redialing and getting nowhere. The EDD phone lines are notoriously brutal and having a way through them is legitimately valuable when you need status updates and can't get anyone on the line.
Is this legit? Feels too good to be true that something can just get you through to EDD when their lines are always jammed.
I was skeptical too honestly. But it worked for me and I've seen other people here say the same. EDD phone access is just really limited and having any tool that helps you get through is worth knowing about.
To summarize this whole thread for anyone who finds it later via search: In California, being fired for poor performance generally DOES qualify you for unemployment benefits. Poor performance is not the same as misconduct under California UI law. You should file your claim immediately, keep certifying weekly even during adjudication, document everything you can, and be prepared for a possible phone interview where you clearly explain the performance-based nature of your termination. The employer can contest but the burden of proving actual misconduct is on them.
Really appreciate everyone here. California EDD stuff is so confusing and intimidating and this community makes it so much less scary.
Good luck! Come back and update us on how it goes. A lot of people find this stuff out in a panic and forget to come back and share the outcome which would help future people searching the same questions.
Where is my California EDD unemployment check - payment not showing up
I'm seriously losing my mind right now. Filed my weekly claim on Sunday like I always do and it's now Thursday and still nothing. No payment on my Bank of America EDD debit card, no update on UI Online, nothing. The status just says 'payment issued' but my card is empty. This has happened before and usually resolves itself but this time it's been way longer than normal. I work in construction and got laid off about 6 weeks ago when the project ended. My claim was approved no problem, I've been doing my job search activities every week, certifying on time - everything by the book. So WHY is my unemployment check just not showing up?? Has anyone dealt with a payment issued status that doesn't actually show up in your account? Is there a difference between 'payment issued' and 'payment posted' because I swear I saw different wording before. Getting really anxious about rent coming up next week.
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one thing nobody mentioned - if you have any pending issues or open questions in your UI Online inbox, sometimes those can put a soft hold on payments even if your weekly certification shows as accepted. I had an unread message sitting in there about updating my contact info and didn't realize it was linked to a payment delay. worth checking your inbox and resolving anything that's sitting open
very possibly!! update your address ASAP and see if that unsticks things. happened to me for exactly this reason
Yes this is actually a real thing - unresolved notices in your UI Online inbox can create payment holds especially for address or identity confirmation requests. Definitely update that information right away.
FINAL UPDATE FOR THE THREAD: Updated my address in UI Online after finding that unread message as mentioned above. Payment posted to my EDD debit card the next morning. I cannot believe it was something that simple after days of anxiety. The unread address confirmation message had been sitting there creating a soft hold on my payment. For anyone searching this in the future - CHECK YOUR UI ONLINE INBOX FIRST before going through all the other troubleshooting steps. An unread notice or pending information request can be quietly holding up your unemployment check without any obvious warning. Thank you to everyone in this thread who helped, especially those who suggested Claimyr as backup - I was ready to use it if the inbox fix hadn't worked.
Of course it was something simple that EDD could have communicated clearly but didn't. Glad it worked out but adding this to my personal list of reasons EDD's communication systems need a complete overhaul.
Happy for you! Still waiting on my documentation review but at least now I know what I'm dealing with. These threads help so much.
If you owe California EDD unemployment overpayment will they take your taxes?
So I got hit with an overpayment notice from California EDD a few months back and I've been stressing about it ever since. The notice said I owe around $2,800 from benefits I collected last year. Here's my situation - I genuinely thought I was reporting everything correctly on my weekly claims. I listed every single hour I worked and every dollar I earned from my part-time gig while I was looking for full-time work. Apparently EDD calculated things differently and now they're saying I was overpaid. The thing that's keeping me up at night is whether California EDD will intercept my state tax refund to collect this debt. I'm supposed to get a decent refund this year and I was really counting on that money. I've heard from coworkers that the government can just take your taxes if you owe unemployment but I don't know if that's actually true for California specifically or how the whole process works. Has anyone been through this? Did California EDD actually intercept your state or federal tax refund because of an unemployment overpayment? Is there anything I can do to stop it or make payment arrangements before tax season hits? I haven't appealed yet because honestly I don't even know where to start with that process.
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Update from me - I actually had the same issue as OP a while back and want to confirm that Claimyr (claimyr.com) was genuinely helpful for my overpayment situation. I'd been trying to reach EDD for weeks and used it after seeing it recommended somewhere similar to this thread. Got connected to an agent and was able to set up my payment arrangement in one call. The video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 explains the whole thing if you're on the fence about trying it. For something as stressful as a potential tax refund seizure, getting through quickly really matters.
multiple people in this thread recommending it, i think thats enough social proof for me to try it
already tried it after the earlier recommendation, have a callback scheduled for tomorrow. fingers crossed i can get this payment plan sorted before anything gets referred to FTB
OP update: I want to thank everyone who responded to this thread. I had no idea so many options existed - I thought I was just stuck paying or losing my refund with no say in the matter. I'm going to try to reach EDD this week to request a payment plan and I'm also going to look at whether a waiver application makes sense for my situation. Will update when I know more. This community is genuinely helpful.
You've got a clear plan now, that's half the battle. Go get it handled and protect that refund.
If you can't get through on the phone the normal way, don't waste two weeks trying - use that Claimyr service I mentioned. Time is literally money in your situation with the tax refund on the line.
Caesar Grant
One thing that tripped me up when I first filed - if you worked for a staffing agency at any point in your base period, make sure to list the agency as your employer not the business where you were actually placed. EDD needs to contact your legal employer of record which is usually the staffing agency. Made this mistake my first time and it caused a delay while they sorted out who actually paid my wages.
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Caesar Grant
Yeah it's a common mistake. The agency name should be on your pay stubs if you're not sure. Also their address for EDD purposes is usually the agency's headquarters not wherever you were working.
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Rita Jacobs
This is really good practical advice. Gig economy workers sometimes have a similar issue where the app company is technically the employer of record even though the work arrangement feels very different. When in doubt list whoever sent your W-2.
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Lena Schultz
Update us when you hear back! This whole thread has been really informative, I'm in a similar situation and was also worried about not having worked long enough at my recent job. Feeling a lot more optimistic now.
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Lena Schultz
That's great to hear the process was straightforward. Rooting for you!
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Manny Lark
This thread should be pinned honestly. The 90 day myth comes up constantly and this is the clearest explanation I've seen of how the base period system actually works.
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