As an update to my earlier response, I want to clarify something important: When certifying for UI benefits with reduced hours, you need to accurately report your work and earnings each week. This is separate from the work search requirement we discussed earlier. Make sure you're reporting all hours worked and gross earnings (before taxes) for each week. Failure to report work and earnings accurately is the most common cause of overpayment notices.

I went through something very similar last year when my retail job cut hours during a store remodel. Here's what I learned: even with a confirmed return date, you absolutely need to keep doing work search activities. I made the mistake of getting lazy about it for a few weeks thinking I was "safe" and EDD flagged my account for an eligibility review. What saved me was that I had been documenting SOME activities - updating my LinkedIn, browsing job boards, etc. The EDD rep told me these count toward your work search requirement even if you're not actively applying. So you don't have to waste employers' time with applications you don't want, but you do need to show you're "available for work" which is a key requirement. My advice: keep a simple log of 3 activities per week (could be as basic as "searched Indeed for 30 minutes" or "updated resume"). When you certify, answer YES to work search and mention your return date in the comments. Better safe than sorry with EDD!

Thanks everyone for all your helpful advice! I feel much more prepared now. To summarize what I've learned: I should qualify with my 4 months of work, my benefit will be based only on these recent wages, I'll need to do work search activities (but checking in with my seasonal employer can count), and I should get documentation about the seasonal nature of my layoff. Really appreciate all your insights and personal experiences!

Just wanted to add one more tip based on my experience - when you do file your claim, make sure to mention that you were out of the workforce for childcare reasons during those 8.5 years. EDD has specific provisions for people who left work for family care, and it can help explain your work history gap without any negative impact on your claim. Also, if you have any documentation from your seasonal employer about the temporary nature of the position (like your original job posting or hiring paperwork that mentions it's seasonal), keep that handy too. It all helps build your case that this is legitimate unemployment through no fault of your own. Good luck!

Ive been dealing with EDD for 6 months now and let me tell you, its a nightmare. Good luck getting this fixed, youre gonna need it 😅

I just went through this exact same thing last week! What finally worked for me was going to a local EDD office in person. I know it's a pain, but they were able to update my email address on the spot and I was able to register for UI Online immediately after. Might be worth checking if there's an office near you that's open for walk-ins. Saved me from the endless phone loop!

Pro tip: document EVERYTHING. Every call, every letter, every email. If you need to escalate, having a paper trail is crucial.

I went through this exact same thing last month! Turned out there was a "work search requirement" flag on my account that I didn't know about. Even though I was doing everything right during certification, the system automatically flagged me because I hadn't logged enough job search activities in their CalJOBS system. Once I went back and entered my job searches for the previous weeks, my payments processed within 3 days. Check your UI Online account for any alerts or messages - sometimes they're buried in weird places. Also worth checking if you accidentally answered "yes" to any of the questions about working or refusing work during certification. Hope this helps!

my cousin just went thru this! she got a part time job at target for 3 months, got laid off, and was able to file a new claim! so it definitely works if u can find something!!

I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if you're looking for temporary work to potentially qualify for a new claim, consider seasonal retail positions that are hiring now for the holidays. Many stores like Target, Amazon warehouses, and major retailers are doing W-2 hiring for temporary positions through January/February. Even if it's just 20-30 hours a week for a couple months, that could potentially give you enough qualifying wages if you unfortunately get laid off again. Plus you'd have some income during what would otherwise be a gap period. Also, I've heard that some people qualify for General Relief (GR) through their county during benefit gaps - it's not much but might help with basic expenses. Worth looking into your county's website to see what assistance programs are available. Hang in there - this system is definitely frustrating but at least now you know your options!