California Unemployment
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EDD benefit year ending tonight - can I still certify for January's pending weeks?
I'm in full panic mode right now! My benefit year ends TONIGHT at midnight and I just realized I have several weeks from January that I never certified for. I've been holding off certifying because I had some complicated income reporting issues I wanted to sort out first, but time got away from me. Does anyone know if midnight tonight is my absolute last chance to certify for those January weeks? Or can I still certify for those weeks even after my benefit year officially ends? I'm worried that once the clock strikes midnight, I'll lose access to those weeks completely. Would really appreciate any insights from people who've been in this situation before.
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EDD benefits if I refuse work with drastic schedule change and 40% pay cut
Hey everyone, I'm in a tough situation with my job and trying to figure out my EDD options. My company is 'restructuring' and my position is being eliminated, but they're offering me an alternative role with pretty major changes. I'd go from M-F 6am-3pm to a completely variable schedule (potentially including weekends) AND they want to cut my pay by about 40%! With daycare costs, I'd basically be working to pay for childcare or barely breaking even. I'm wondering if I can refuse this offer without losing unemployment eligibility? Also, if I start applying to positions at other companies that are closer to my previous salary and would work with daycare hours, would that satisfy the work search requirements while I'm on unemployment? Has anyone dealt with something similar? Thanks for any advice!
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The EDD system is such BS!!! They always side with employers and make it impossible for regular people to get benefits we PAID INTO. I went through something similar and had to appeal THREE TIMES before getting approved. The whole system is rigged against workers!!!
While I understand your frustration, I don't think this kind of response is helpful to the OP's specific situation. They're asking for practical advice on navigating the system as it exists, not commentary on its fairness.
OK fine whatever. @OP just be ready for a fight. Document EVERYTHING. Record your eligibility interview if they let you. Don't trust anything they say verbally without getting it in writing.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to draft a formal letter declining the position and clearly outlining the reasons (40% pay cut, variable schedule incompatible with childcare, etc.). I'll gather documentation about my childcare costs to show how the new position would be financially impossible. Just to clarify one more thing - a few of you mentioned an eligibility interview. How long does it typically take to get scheduled for one after filing my claim? I'm trying to budget for how long we might be waiting for benefits to start coming in.
Currently, eligibility interviews are taking about 2-3 weeks to schedule after your initial claim is filed, but it can vary depending on case volume. Make sure you still certify for benefits every two weeks even while waiting for the interview. If you're ultimately found eligible, you'll receive back payments for all weeks you certified for.
Great, that's really helpful to know. I'll make sure to keep certifying while waiting for the interview. Hopefully the process goes smoothly!
EDD denied my benefits when school started - can they do this with my IHSS job loss?
I'm really stressed and confused about my unemployment situation. I had two jobs - one at a local elementary school (part-time, about 20 hours a week) and another as an IHSS provider (15-18 hours weekly) for an elderly client. Unfortunately, my IHSS client passed away last month, so I lost a significant chunk of my income. I applied for partial unemployment benefits since I still have my school job, and initially got approved! I was so relieved. However, I just spoke with an EDD operator who told me that once the new school year starts in August, I'll be completely ineligible for benefits because I need to be 'totally unemployed' to qualify. This doesn't make sense to me - I genuinely lost one of my jobs through no fault of my own. Shouldn't I be eligible for partial unemployment to cover the lost IHSS income? Has anyone dealt with this type of situation before? Is the EDD rep correct or should I try to speak with someone else?
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this happened to my friend and she had to appeal because they denied her claim at first. dont give up if they say no!
That's good to know. How long did her appeal process take? I'm worried about bills in the meantime.
Since you mentioned your client passed away, just to give you another option: have you looked into whether there are other IHSS clients you could work with to replace those hours? Sometimes the IHSS office can help match providers with clients in need. That way you wouldn't have to worry about the unemployment situation at all.
That's a great suggestion I hadn't thought of! I'll definitely reach out to the IHSS office to see if they have any clients in my area. In the meantime, I still want to sort out this unemployment situation since finding a new client might take some time. Thank you!
EDD eligibility interview confusion after employer misreported my termination reason
I'm seriously worried about my unemployment claim right now. I was terminated from my job when I asked for an extension on my maternity leave (which I believe was illegal). However, when I filed for unemployment, I discovered my employer reported that I was 'laid off due to lack of work' which completely contradicts what actually happened. Now EDD has flagged a conflict in my application and scheduled a phone interview. I already have an employment attorney working on a possible wrongful termination case, but I'm confused about how this will affect my unemployment benefits. Has anyone dealt with conflicting termination reasons on their EDD claim? What typically happens after the eligibility interview in cases like this? Will I need to get my attorney involved with EDD too?
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Just wanted to add - if your interview doesn't go well and you get denied, don't give up! The appeal process actually has a pretty good success rate. Almost 50% of appeals get reversed in the claimant's favor. Just make sure you request the appeal within the 30-day window.
UPDATE: I had my eligibility interview yesterday. The interviewer was actually really thorough and let me explain everything. They asked for specific dates and details about my leave request and termination. I provided the email where I requested the extension and my termination letter. They said they'd be contacting my employer for follow-up and I should receive a determination in 7-10 days. My attorney prepped me well for the questions. Fingers crossed! Thank you all for the advice and support.
Sounds like you handled it perfectly! Keep us posted on the outcome. Based on what you've shared, I think you have a good chance of approval.
EDD denied benefits after interview despite reduced hours at school - appeal form confusion
I'm completely lost after my EDD phone interview last week! The interviewer told me I wouldn't qualify for regular UI benefits because of my school job, but mentioned I'd still be eligible for some other type of benefit (she used a specific term but I can't remember what it was). She said I'd get more info in 7-10 days. Well, I just received a letter completely DENYING me with an appeal form attached! No mention of that other benefit type she talked about. I've called EDD at least 15 times trying to get clarification, but can't get through to an actual person. Just endless recordings and disconnections. My situation: I work at a local elementary school and have received "reasonable assurance" of returning next school year, BUT my hours are being cut from full-time (40hrs) to on-call substitute work with maybe 10-15 hours weekly. My income will drop by about 70%! The interviewer seemed to understand this was a significant reduction and said that's why I'd qualify for some type of partial benefit. Should I file the appeal? Wait longer? Keep trying to call? I'm getting really anxious since my full-time pay ends next week. Any advice appreciated!
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ya this happns alot with school workers. my neighbor works as a janitor at highschool and got hours cut last year and had to appeal twice b4 getting benefits. keep trying to call them cuz sometimes they can fix it without appeal if u get a good person
Thanks for sharing that. I'll definitely keep trying to call alongside filing the appeal. It's good to know that your neighbor eventually got it resolved!
One more important tip: When you file your appeal, request a telephone hearing rather than in-person if that's an option. Telephone hearings are typically scheduled faster, sometimes 2-3 weeks sooner than in-person hearings. This can make a big difference when you're waiting for benefits to start. Also, don't stop looking for additional work while this process plays out. If you find other employment to supplement your reduced school hours, you may still qualify for partial benefits depending on how much you earn each week. Make sure to report all work and earnings accurately when certifying.
Isabella Santos
anybody know if its the same for pua claims? my mom has some weeks she never certified for from december but her claim ended in march
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Malik Davis
PUA ended completely in September 2021. There are no more PUA benefits available regardless of certification status. Your mom would need to apply for regular UI if she's eligible.
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Ravi Gupta
@OP - Did you get your payment situation sorted out? I'm curious what happened with those pending certifications from January. Did they actually process and pay them?
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AstroAdventurer
AuthorYes! Finally got everything sorted. The pending payments stayed stuck for 2 weeks, but I managed to get through to EDD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The rep explained that the system flagged the certifications as suspicious because they were done on the very last day of my benefit year. Had to answer some additional questions about why I delayed, but they released the payments after reviewing my case. Received everything yesterday! So relieved - it was about $2,400 I really needed.
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