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Can I claim EDD benefits after 70% salary cut and forced 1099 status while working two jobs?

I'm in a really tough spot right now. I've been working two W2 jobs to make ends meet in this crazy housing market. My main job is in retail, but I've had this second remote position for about 18 months that's been helping me stay afloat. Yesterday I got a shocking email from my remote employer saying they're cutting my salary by over 70% AND converting me from W2 to 1099 contractor status for the remainder of 2025. They also hinted the position will likely be eliminated completely by early 2026. This feels like constructive dismissal to me, but I'm confused about my options since I still have my other W2 job. Can I file for partial unemployment? Has anyone dealt with a W2-to-1099 forced conversion and successfully claimed benefits? I'm freaking out because this remote job income is what I use to pay my rent.

i think what sucks most about these situations is most ppl dont even know they can get partial unemployment so they just accept the crappy new terms. make sure to tell ur coworkers if others are getting hit with the same changes

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Yes, they're doing this to my whole department - about 15 of us. I'll definitely share what I learn here. We're all pretty shell-shocked right now.

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Based on your responses, it sounds like this is affecting multiple employees. That's actually helpful for your case as it demonstrates a clear business decision rather than performance-based action. When you file, you'll want to: 1. Wait until the actual change takes effect 2. Apply online through UI Online (faster than paper application) 3. Select "Still working but had hours reduced" as your reason 4. Clearly explain the 70% pay cut AND status change in the additional details section 5. Be prepared for EDD to contact both employers to verify details 6. Report ALL earnings accurately during certification If your application is initially denied, don't panic - many complex cases require an appeal. The appeal process gives you an opportunity to explain your situation to a judge who better understands employment law nuances.

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This is incredibly helpful. I'll follow these steps exactly. Thank you for taking the time to lay it all out so clearly. It's giving me some hope that I might be able to get through this financially.

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Filing unemployment for spouse - stuck on 'pending' for weeks with no updates

I filed an unemployment claim for my husband on January 1st (he hurt his back and couldn't complete it himself), and it's been showing 'pending' ever since. We're approaching the end of January and haven't received any notices, emails, or updates. I know the system can be slow, but this seems excessive. His previous employer confirmed they received the claim notice from EDD but said they responded right away. Do claims normally stay in pending status this long? I'm starting to worry something's wrong with the application. How long should I wait before trying to contact EDD about this? We're starting to get anxious since our savings are getting tight and we were counting on this income.

@original_poster Regarding the employer response - that could definitely be the holdup. Even in clear-cut layoff situations, if the employer contested anything or provided information that doesn't match what was on the claim, it triggers a review process. At this point, your best action plan is: 1. Call EDD directly (or use a service to help you get through) 2. When you speak to a representative, specifically ask if there's an employer dispute or discrepancy 3. If they mention an eligibility interview is needed, ask them to schedule it ASAP 4. Request that they make notes on the account about your contact attempt If payments are approved, they'll be backdated to when he first became eligible, so you won't lose any benefits due to this delay.

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EDD is SO BROKEN!! Why should people have to jump through all these hoops just to get benefits they're entitled to?! I spent WEEKS trying to fix my claim last year, calling hundreds of times, only to find out some clerk entered my SSN wrong. The whole system needs to be replaced!

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UPDATE: Finally got through to EDD! Turns out there was a discrepancy between the dates of employment my husband provided and what his employer reported. The agent was able to correct it on the spot, and she said the claim should be processed within 48 hours. She also mentioned they're experiencing higher than normal volumes right now due to seasonal layoffs, which is contributing to longer processing times. Thank you everyone for your advice - I wish I had called sooner instead of just waiting and hoping!

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awesome!! glad u got it sorted out. make sure to certify for benefits as soon as u can once its approved

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EDD Account Locked - Can't Log In and Telecert Claims All Weeks Certified?!

I'm completely stuck with my EDD account and starting to panic! Tried logging into UI Online this morning and my password suddenly isn't working. When I tried to reset it, even my security question answers are being rejected (I KNOW I'm typing them correctly). So I figured I'd just use telecert for now, but when I called, the system told me 'all available weeks have been certified' - except I haven't certified for the last two weeks at all! Anyone else dealing with this weird glitch? My rent is due next week and I absolutely need this payment to come through. What should I do when both online access AND phone certification are locked?

btw i forgot to mention earlier but my issue ended up being that I needed to do the ID.me verification again because my old one expired or something? The EDD lady on the phone said its a new requirement in 2025 that everyone has to redo their ID verification every 8 months now. maybe check if that's your problem too

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That's correct. EDD implemented the 8-month ID.me reverification requirement starting January 2025. They were supposed to send email notifications 30 days before expiration, but their notification system has been having issues. If your ID verification expired, that would absolutely cause both the login issues and certification problems the OP is experiencing.

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UPDATE: I got through to EDD this morning! For anyone having similar issues, here's what happened: My ID.me verification had expired (apparently they require reverification every 8 months now), and instead of notifying me, they just locked my account. Once I completed the new ID.me verification, they were able to unlock everything and manually let me certify for the past two weeks I missed. The payments should be processed within 48 hours. Thank you all for your help!!

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That's great news! Glad you got it resolved. How did you finally get through to them? Did you try the service I mentioned or just keep calling?

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EDD certification during school break - what to report for Thanksgiving week?

Hey everyone! I work as a school aide and our district closed for the entire Thanksgiving week (not just Thursday/Friday). I'm confused about how to certify for that week on my UI claim. During my eligibility interview, the EDD rep explained what to do for school breaks, but I completely blanked and can't remember the instructions! Do I report this as 'not able and available' for the whole week? Or do I still say I was looking for work? I don't want to mess up my claim or trigger an overpayment later. Anyone dealt with this before as a school employee?

WAIT A SECOND! Are you a SUBSTITUTE teacher or a regular employee??? The rules are COMPLETELY different depending on your employment type!!! Subs have reasonable assurance rules that are way more complicated. Regular employees just need to say they're on recess but available for work. EDD is so confusing with this stuff I swear they make it complicated on purpose!!!

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Liam Duke

Author

I'm a regular aide with set hours, not a sub. So it sounds like I just mark 'school recess' and indicate I'm still looking for work. Thanks for pointing out the difference!

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To clarify for everyone: Educational institution employees have specific guidelines for breaks: 1. You must report the reason for not working as "school recess/break" 2. You must still be able, available, and actively seeking work during this period 3. Document all work search activities (minimum 3 per week) 4. Keep a copy of the official school calendar showing the break dates If you receive an eligibility interview request later, having this documentation ready will help resolve any questions quickly. The most common mistake is incorrectly reporting the reason for not working or failing to maintain work search requirements during breaks.

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Liam Duke

Author

This is super helpful! I'm going to print out our district calendar right now and save it with my UI paperwork. Thank you all for the advice!

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Can I collect EDD benefits for reduced hospital hours while still working part-time at In-N-Out?

I'm in a weird situation with my jobs and not sure if I qualify for unemployment. I work as a nursing assistant at Memorial Hospital (24 hours/week normally) but they just cut my hours to ZERO because of budget issues. My supervisor told me to apply for EDD, but here's my concern - I also have a second job at In-N-Out where I work maybe 3-6 hours per week (just 1-2 shifts). Do I qualify for unemployment from my hospital job even though I still have my fast food job? Or do I need to quit In-N-Out completely to get any benefits? I'm really confused about how partial unemployment works. The hospital hours were my main income and I can't pay rent with just the In-N-Out money. Any advice?

I'm in almost the exact same boat!!! I work at two places too - one cut my hours completely and at the other I still work like 10hrs a week. Applied for partial unemployment last week and got approved already! When you certify for benefits (every 2 weeks) you just report your In n Out income and they adjust your payment. Don't overcomplicate it - just apply!!

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Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I'm going to apply today and make sure I list both employers. I'll keep detailed records of my In-N-Out hours and pay like suggested. I'm relieved to hear I don't have to quit my second job to get benefits for the hospital hours reduction. Hopefully the process goes smoothly but at least now I feel more prepared for what to expect!

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Good luck! Just remember to be 100% accurate when reporting your hours and earnings each week during certification. That's the most important thing to avoid problems later.

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