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Which of the following is an example of seasonal unemployment? Trying to figure out if my California EDD claim qualifies
Lost my job at a ski resort in April when the season ended - they literally told me 'see you in November' and that was it. I've been going back and forth trying to figure out if this counts as seasonal unemployment and whether California EDD treats it any differently than a regular layoff. Like, do they flag these claims somehow? Does having a return-to-work date affect anything? I registered in CalJOBS and I've been keeping up with certifications every two weeks, but I'm honestly not sure if I'm supposed to be doing the work search stuff the same way since my employer already said they want me back. Anyone dealt with this kind of situation before?
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If you get fired from a job can you draw unemployment in California EDD?
So I got let go from my warehouse job last Friday and I'm trying to figure out where I stand. My manager said I was fired for "attendance issues" but honestly my mom was in the hospital for two weeks and I had doctor's notes and everything. I never got a formal warning, no write-ups, nothing in writing about any of this before they just terminated me. I went to file on myEDD (https://myedd.edd.ca.gov/) and it asked me why I stopped working and I put fired, but now I'm sitting here wondering if that's going to hurt me. Can I actually collect if I got fired? Does California EDD automatically deny you when you're terminated or do they look at the actual situation?
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Jumped in late here but wanted to add one thing about the base period - if you haven't worked much in the last 18 months, like if this warehouse job was relatively new, your weekly benefit amount might be lower than expected because they calculate from your earnings history. Someone who worked one quarter might get the minimum $40 a week. Worth checking the calculator on EDD's site before you count on a specific amount for budgeting.
Eight months full-time at that wage should land you well above the minimum. The EDD calculator will give you a real estimate - just punch in your quarterly earnings. Your wages need to hit at least $1,300 in one quarter to even have a valid claim, and it sounds like you're way past that threshold.
Eight months at full time hours at $22 an hour is roughly $15k per quarter - you're definitely in a good position for the wage threshold part.
Quick update from me - I was in a similar fired situation about three months ago and I got my determination letter last week. Approved. The interview was thorough but fair, the interviewer was actually pretty professional about it. I had my hospital discharge paperwork, texts to my manager notifying them of the emergency, and my own written timeline of events. All of it helped. Hang in there.
Both, honestly. They wanted to know exact dates, whether I notified the employer, how I notified them, whether the notification was before or after the absence, and whether I provided documentation when I returned. The more specific you can be, the better.
The notification timing question - whether you told them before or during versus after the absence - seems to matter a lot from what I've heard. Gets at whether the employer had a chance to plan around it.
Why did unemployment send a debit card with no money on it? California EDD question
Got a Money Network debit card in the mail yesterday from California EDD and I literally have zero dollars on it. I haven't certified yet because I just filed about a week and a half ago and haven't gotten to that step, but I wasn't expecting a card to show up before I even knew my claim was approved or whatever. Did they send it too early? Is this normal? My UI Online still shows everything as pending and I haven't gotten any paperwork yet except the card. I'm a little freaked out because I need this money pretty soon and I don't know if getting an empty card means something went wrong or if this is just how it works.
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Before I hit on the right approach for reaching EDD about my adjudication issue, I tried live chat through the Help button in UI Online a couple times. It's available Monday through Friday 9 to 2, which is a pretty narrow window, but I actually got through to someone once and got a quick answer. For simple questions like why the card is empty it might be enough without needing to call.
It's hit or miss depending on volume but worth trying for quick questions. The 9 to 2 window is strict though so set a reminder.
Used it once and got connected in about 10 minutes. Asked about a pending week and the agent gave me a straight answer. Much easier than the phone line for something that's not complicated.
About six weeks into the whole thing when I checked back and saw this thread still getting comments. Something nobody mentioned yet: if you switch jobs and your new job ends while your claim's benefit year is still open, you don't file a whole new claim. You reopen the existing one through UI Online. Found this out the hard way when I assumed I'd have to start over. The card you already have stays active and any remaining balance on the original claim applies. Used Claimyr to get an agent on the phone to confirm this when I wasn't sure — they checked my claim and told me exactly how much was left in my benefit balance and that reopening was the right move.
I would definitely have made the same mistake and filed a brand new claim. Good to file that away for later.
The agent said the same card and claim number carry over when you reopen. No need to wait for new paperwork or a new card.
Can you work a 1099 job and still collect unemployment? California EDD rules explained
Okay so I got laid off from my W-2 job back in October and I've been collecting unemployment through California EDD since then. The thing is, my old coworker reached out and asked if I'd be willing to do some freelance graphic design work for her small business — just occasional projects, paid as a 1099 contractor. I have no idea how this affects my unemployment claim. Like, do I have to report it? Does doing any 1099 work automatically disqualify me? I really need the UI benefits to keep coming in because my weekly amount covers most of my rent. I'm terrified of doing something wrong and ending up with an overpayment notice. Has anyone navigated this situation with California EDD?
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My Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award — the DE 429Z — showed a weekly benefit amount of $390 when I first got it. I did the math before taking any freelance work and figured out roughly how much I could earn in a week before my UI payment dropped to zero. For me at $390, I'd have to earn more than about $520 in a week before I got nothing. That calculation helped me think about freelance pricing without accidentally working myself off benefits.
The EDD Unemployment Benefit Calculator on EDD's site also helps you model this stuff out. Worth playing around with the numbers for your own WBA.
Just remember EDD's decision on what to actually pay is what counts — the calculator estimates. The DE 429Z is where your real weekly amount lives.
My pending weeks finally cleared up after I used Claimyr to reach an EDD agent last week. The hold had been about whether I was accurately reporting the independent contracting income I'd been earning — same situation as the original post. The agent checked my account and confirmed EDD had everything they needed, and that the pending status was just processing lag, not an actual problem with my certifications. Filed correctly from the start so it worked out.
The agent was pretty clear about what the difference looks like on their end. Pending because of normal processing is routine; pending because of a specific eligibility question looks different and usually comes with a letter or a scheduled interview.
If you get a DE 4800 notice in the mail, that's when you know there's a specific interview scheduled — that's the actual signal that EDD has a question, not just the Pending status on its own.
If my contract ends can I get unemployment in California EDD?
So my six-month contract with a tech company wraps up at the end of this month and I'm honestly not sure where I stand with unemployment. The company never said anything about renewing it, there's no offer for a permanent position, and my last day is basically locked in. I've been reading conflicting stuff online about whether contract workers even qualify or if EDD considers it like quitting because the end date was always in the contract. Anyone been through this? I did have taxes withheld from every paycheck so I assume I was classified as a W-2 contractor, not 1099. Does that matter for the claim? Also wondering when I should actually apply - do I wait until after my last day or can I do it before?
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Something that tripped me up: the DE 429Z that arrives in the mail is the Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award and it shows your weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount. Some people read it as an approval letter saying they're definitely getting paid - it's not. It tells you what your claim could pay. EDD still makes the actual eligibility decision separately and you learn the outcome from payments starting or from a Notice of Determination (DE 1080CZ) if they deny you.
Correct - it tells you the financial parameters of your claim (weekly amount, total max) but not whether EDD has decided you're eligible. Most straightforward claims just start paying once you certify, but if there's a question open, like a pending phone interview, eligibility isn't settled yet.
This confused me too. The DE 429Z has a dollar amount on it and it feels official but it's really just the award calculation, not a clearance to pay.
Last practical note on the 1099 question the original poster raised: if you were actually misclassified as 1099 when your work looked more like employee work, that's a separate issue EDD can look into. But for straightforward W-2 contract work, your wages are already in the system from employer payroll tax filings and they count toward your base period with no extra steps on your end.
Definitely W-2 with taxes withheld so I think I'm in the clear on that front. This thread has been incredibly helpful - feel like I actually know what to do now.
File on your last day, watch for the DE 8405 to do CalJOBS, check UI Online for the schedule if EDD needs a phone interview, certify every two weeks starting about two weeks after EDD processes the application. That's the whole roadmap for a clean contract-end claim.
Isaiah Thompson
One more thing on the CalJOBS resume - I've heard you can get an exemption from the registration requirement. Is that true?
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Isaiah Thompson
I never got the DE 8405 so I figured I was exempt but reading this I'm going second-guessing that now.
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Ryan Kim
If you applied online and EDD didn't send the DE 8405, that's usually a signal you don't need it - but calling EDD or messaging through UI Online to confirm is the safe move if you're unsure.
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Ruby Garcia
Fishing industry work here, different seasonal pattern than ski resorts but same general situation - job ends when the season closes, file for unemployment, do it every year. The thing that varies for me is my weekly benefit amount shifts based on what my earnings looked like in the high season that falls into my base period. Some years it's higher, some lower.
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Ruby Garcia
Never once. Seasonal layoffs are legitimate separations. I actually think experienced seasonal workers file cleanly because we know the process by now - correct employer info, accurate earnings, certify on time.
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Ava Harris
This is reassuring to read as someone in a similar pattern. The system is built for this - seasonal work is a recognized part of the economy.
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