Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who works in tech and travels frequently for client meetings. I've had similar confusion with EDD questions in the past. The key thing that helped me understand it was thinking about it from the tax perspective - if your employer is withholding California state taxes from your paycheck and reporting your wages to California, then as far as unemployment is concerned, you "worked in California" even if you were physically somewhere else. It's kind of like how remote workers who live in one state but work for a company in another state - what matters for UI purposes is where the employer is based and reporting wages, not where you're sitting at your computer. Hope that helps clarify things from another angle!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! I work in marketing and my company (based in San Francisco) sent me to Chicago for a trade show last month. I was panicking about this same question on my EDD application. Reading through all these responses has been SO helpful - I had no idea it was about wage reporting rather than physical location. It's kind of ridiculous that EDD doesn't make this clearer in their wording. Like @Molly Hansen said, they really could just ask "Do you have wages reported in another state?" instead of the confusing "Did you work out of state?" question. Anyway, thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - definitely answering "No" now with confidence!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my experience as a school instructional assistant who successfully received UI benefits during summer break last year. Reading through all these responses brought back memories of my own stress about this situation! The key things that worked for me were: 1) Being very clear that I'm an hourly employee with no written contract or guarantee of hours for the following year, 2) Emphasizing that my position depends on classroom assignments which can change based on enrollment and special needs student placement, and 3) Documenting my active job search from day one. What really surprised me was that the EDD representative during my phone interview actually seemed familiar with school employee cases and asked very specific questions about whether I had a contract versus being an at-will hourly employee. She also asked about any potential changes to my assignment for the following year. I'd strongly encourage you to apply ASAP and frame your situation as a temporary layoff due to lack of work rather than a scheduled break. Keep detailed records of every job application, and don't be discouraged if the initial automated system denies you - the human review process is much more understanding of the nuances of school employment. One last tip: if your district has any budget uncertainties or enrollment changes that could affect staffing, definitely mention those. Even small uncertainties can help establish that your return isn't 100% guaranteed. The whole process took about 6 weeks but was worth it. Good luck!

As someone new to this community, I wanted to add my perspective as a school playground supervisor who went through this exact situation just last summer. Reading through all these responses really resonates with my experience! I was initially terrified about applying because I kept hearing about the "reasonable assurance" rule, but I decided to try anyway since my financial situation was getting desperate. Here's what I learned that might help you: 1) The distinction between hourly vs. salaried employees really does matter. Since you mentioned you're a part-time classroom aide, emphasize that you're paid hourly with no guaranteed hours or formal contract. 2) I framed my situation as being "temporarily laid off due to insufficient work during summer months" rather than being "on summer break." This language seems to make a real difference in how EDD evaluates the claim. 3) Any uncertainty about next year helps your case. Even though I expected to return, I mentioned that my specific assignment, hours, and even my position could potentially change based on enrollment numbers, budget decisions, or program modifications. 4) Start your job search documentation immediately! I kept a detailed spreadsheet with company names, dates applied, positions, and contact information. When I had my phone interview 4 weeks later, having this organized record really impressed the EDD rep. The whole process took about 7 weeks from application to first payment, but I was approved and received benefits through August. Don't let the initial automated denial discourage you if it happens - the phone interview is where you can really explain your situation to a human who understands the nuances of school employment. Apply as soon as possible and good luck! This community has been so helpful sharing experiences.

I'm also a recent military retiree (Army, January 2025) and went through this exact same thing! Just wanted to add a few things that might help: 1. The eligibility interview is standard for military retirees - they schedule it automatically because they want to verify you're genuinely seeking civilian employment and not just taking a "transition vacation" 2. When I had my interview (took about 6 weeks to get scheduled), they asked very detailed questions about my job search. Have ready: specific company names, job titles, dates applied, method of application, and be prepared to explain how your MOS/military skills translate to the civilian jobs you're targeting 3. They also asked about any networking events, job fairs, or veteran employment resources I'd used. Consider registering with ClearanceJobs, Corporate Gray, or RecruitMilitary if you haven't already - having these on your list shows proactive job searching 4. Regarding the pension - you're 100% correct not to report it until you actually receive payments. I made the mistake of mentioning I was "entitled" to retirement pay and they got confused. Only report actual received income 5. Once approved, they released all my held payments in one lump sum. The whole process was frustrating but the back pay made up for the stress Hang in there - this is just part of the military-to-civilian transition process with EDD. Your benefits should come through once you complete the interview!

I'm a fellow Marine who retired in 2023 and went through this exact same situation! The $0 payments are definitely due to the eligibility interview hold, not anything you did wrong with pension reporting. You're absolutely correct not to report pension income until you actually receive it. A few tips from my experience: - The eligibility interview took about 4-5 weeks to get scheduled for me - They'll ask detailed questions about your job search efforts, so start keeping records NOW (company names, positions, dates, application methods) - Emphasize how your Marine Corps skills transfer to civilian roles you're targeting - Mention any veteran job resources you're using (USAJobs, CorporateGray, HireVeterans.com, etc.) - Be prepared to explain your availability and willingness to work different shifts/locations The interview itself was pretty straightforward - they just want to verify you're genuinely seeking employment and not treating this as extended leave. Once I completed it, all my held payments were released within a week. Your pension situation will be handled separately later when DFAS actually starts paying you. At that point, EDD will only deduct about 50% of your weekly pension amount from your UI benefits. Stay strong, Marine - this bureaucratic hurdle is just part of the transition process. You'll get through it and receive your back pay. Semper Fi!

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. My employer also lied and said I quit when I was clearly laid off due to "company restructuring." The most important thing right now is to start certifying for benefits IMMEDIATELY - even though you're disqualified, you need to keep certifying every two weeks or you'll lose out on backpay when you win your appeal. Here's what worked for me: I called the EDD Appeals Board directly at 1-800-300-5616 (not the regular EDD number) and was able to get through after about 45 minutes on hold. They confirmed my appeal was in the system and gave me a case number. If you can't get through by phone, definitely visit your local EDD office in person with all your documentation. Also, don't panic about the 8 weeks - mine took almost 12 weeks but I did eventually get my hearing and won. The text messages from your boss are excellent evidence. Make sure you have multiple copies printed out and organized chronologically. The judge will want to see exactly what was said and when. Hang in there - employers lie to EDD all the time to avoid paying higher unemployment taxes, but when you have clear documentation like you do, the appeals judges usually rule in favor of the employee.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! My employer told EDD I resigned when I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. It's been 6 weeks since I filed my appeal and I'm getting really worried about the silence. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - it sounds like this happens way more often than it should. I had no idea I was supposed to keep certifying during the appeal process, so thank you everyone for mentioning that repeatedly. I'm going to start doing that immediately. One question for those who have been through this - when you finally got your hearing, did your employer actually show up to defend their false claim? I'm wondering if some employers just lie initially hoping you won't appeal, but then don't bother showing up to the hearing when they know they'll lose. Also, has anyone had success getting legal help for these cases? I'm wondering if having an attorney would speed things up or make the outcome more certain, especially since my financial situation is getting desperate.

Update: I finally got through to EDD after trying for two days (thanks to everyone who suggested ways to contact them). The rep confirmed what you all said - my benefits are lower because my earnings were concentrated in just two quarters. She checked my reported wages and everything was correct. I'm disappointed but at least I understand it now. Going to adjust my budget and step up my job search. Thanks everyone for your help explaining this!

I went through something similar when I filed my claim last year. The whole base period calculation really caught me off guard too. One thing that helped me was requesting a detailed breakdown of my base period wages from EDD - they can send you a form that shows exactly which quarters and earnings they used. Sometimes there are reporting delays from employers that can affect your calculation. Also, if you had any unreported tips, freelance work, or side income during your base period, you might be able to add those to increase your claim balance. It's worth double-checking everything since even small wage adjustments can add a few extra weeks to your benefits.