California Unemployment

CommunityGovernment Services

Can't reach California Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.

Which claim is this call about?

Each program has its own EDD agents, so pick the one your claim is with.

Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.

Using Claimyr will:

  • Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
  • Skip the long phone menu
  • Call the correct department
  • Redial until on hold
  • Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
  • Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
Fox KTVUABC 7CBSSan Francisco Chronicle


Ask the community...

  • DO post questions about your issues.
  • DO answer questions and support each other.
  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
  • DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)

EDD sent new debit card while current one not expired - activation confusion

So I just received a new EDD Money Network debit card in the mail yesterday, but my current card doesn't expire for another 10 days. The letter with the new card doesn't explain what I'm supposed to do. Do I need to activate this new card right away? Will it automatically become active when my old one expires? I'm worried about losing access to my benefits if I mess this up. I have about $1,750 still on my current card that I need to use. Anyone dealt with this card transition process before?

FYI for anyone else who finds this thread - I had this same situation and my funds transferred fine, but my automatic bill payments had to be set up again with the new card. The card number changes, so anything on autopay needs to be updated after you activate the new card.

0 coins

Glad you got it sorted! One more tip - take a screenshot of your balance right before your old card expires. That way, if there are any discrepancies during the transfer, you have documentation of exactly how much should be on your new card.

0 coins

That's great advice, thank you! I'll definitely do that.

0 coins

Fired and hired same day - EDD waiting period question before new job starts

My buddy just had the weirdest experience with his job situation. He got fired from his warehouse position last Monday, but literally got hired at another company that same afternoon (talk about timing!). The problem is, his new job doesn't start until December 2nd, so he's without income for about 3 weeks. We were talking about him filing for unemployment to cover this gap period, but our other friend insists there's a mandatory "waiting period" of two weeks before EDD benefits kick in. If that's true, he'd only get unemployment for like 1 week before starting the new job. I'm wondering if this two-week waiting period is actually real, and if so, does it mean he completely misses out on those first two weeks of benefits? Or can he get retroactive/back pay for that time once his claim is approved? Also, does he even qualify since he already has a job lined up? Any help is appreciated because we're both confused about how this works!

saw this thing on the news where edd had a glitch and a bunch of people couldnt certify this month. hope ur friend doesnt run into that mess

0 coins

Ugh, that sounds frustrating. I hadn't heard about that glitch. Fingers crossed it's resolved by the time he needs to certify!

0 coins

Denied SDI for insufficient funds - can I apply for UI during hand surgery recovery?

I'm in a really tough spot and hoping someone can help me figure this out. I injured my hand at work about 3 weeks ago and had to get surgery. My doctor has put me on medical leave for the next 3 months for recovery. I applied for State Disability Insurance (SDI) but just got denied because they said I don't have enough funds in my base quarter. The letter mentioned something about not having enough wages in my base period? I've only been at my current job for about 4 months before the injury happened. My question is: Can I apply for regular unemployment (UI) instead, even though I technically can't work right now because of my hand surgery? I'm getting desperate because I have no income coming in and bills are piling up. My employer doesn't offer any paid medical leave and I'm not sure what to do next. Has anyone been in a similar situation or know what options I might have?

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!! This is EXACTLY what's wrong with California's benefit programs. You pay into SDI with every paycheck but when you actually NEED it they find some technicality to deny you! Then you can't get UI either because you're injured. It's a TRAP designed to keep people from getting the benefits they deserve. I bet if you called 50 times you still wouldn't get a straight answer from anyone at EDD about what you qualify for!

0 coins

ya the whole system is messed up fr. my bro was in the same boat last year, ended up having to borrow $ from family til he could work again

0 coins

Just wanted to follow up with some additional information. Since your situation is somewhat unique, you might want to look into these options: 1. State Disability Insurance with Alternate Base Period (ask specifically about this) 2. County General Assistance/Relief programs 3. CalFresh as others have mentioned 4. Emergency Rental Assistance if available in your county 5. Short-term loans through credit unions (better terms than payday loans) The key is to get through to SDI first to fully understand why you were denied and what alternatives exist. If after using the Claimyr service to reach a representative you find there are no SDI options, then move quickly to apply for the county assistance programs. They can take time to process. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

0 coins

Thank you so much for this comprehensive list! This gives me a clear plan of action. I'll start with trying to reach SDI tomorrow and then work through the other options. I really appreciate everyone's help and suggestions!

0 coins

Will EDD reduce my weekly benefits if I accept one-day film gig ($350) during entertainment industry strike?

Hey everyone, I'm in a tough spot with this production shutdown due to the entertainment industry strike. Been on unemployment for about 8 weeks now. I just got offered a small gig - literally one day of work that pays $350. My weekly unemployment benefit is $450. If I take this job, will EDD reduce my benefits for the week, or can I still get my full payment? I'm worried about reporting the income and then losing my entire weekly benefit. Does anyone know how partial unemployment works in this situation? I need both incomes to make rent this month! Thanks for any advice.

I want to add something important that others haven't mentioned: make sure you understand the difference between "week ending" dates on your certification. EDD weeks run Sunday through Saturday. So if you worked on a Thursday, you need to report those earnings on the certification that includes that specific Saturday. Some people make the mistake of reporting based on when they get paid, which can cause problems.

0 coins

Omar Zaki

Author

Thanks for pointing that out! The job is scheduled for next Friday, so I'll make sure to report it on the certification that covers that week. It's all these little details that make the unemployment system so confusing sometimes.

0 coins

One last piece of advice - take screenshots of everything when you certify. I had a similar situation with part-time work during my claim, and there was a system glitch that caused my certification to get stuck in pending. When I finally got through to a rep, having those screenshots saved me a lot of hassle in proving what I had reported.

0 coins

Omar Zaki

Author

That's smart! I'll definitely do that. With everything going on during this strike, I need to make sure I don't have any payment delays. Really appreciate everyone's help here - feeling much better about taking the gig now!

0 coins

Can I receive unemployment after penalty weeks when my temp job ended?

I've been dealing with an EDD overpayment situation for the past few months. I started serving my penalty weeks (no benefits while still required to certify) back in January. About 3 weeks into my penalty period, I managed to find a part-time position (25 hours/week) through a staffing agency. I continued filling out all my bi-weekly certification forms correctly during this time, reporting my work hours and income. Unfortunately, my temp assignment just ended last week, and I'm back to being completely unemployed. My penalty weeks should be wrapping up very soon (I think I have 1-2 weeks left). My question is: once I complete all my penalty weeks, will I be eligible to start receiving regular unemployment benefits since my temp job ended? I've been actively applying for full-time positions (keeping detailed records), attending job fairs, and even had several interviews, though nothing has panned out yet. Just trying to understand if I'll have any income while I continue my job search.

i had 10 panalty weeks last summer n i got benifits after it was all done, just keep doing the bi-weekly thing and make sure u do the work search. the most important thing is dont mess up yr certifications bc thats how they got me with the overpayment in the 1st place lol

0 coins

To give you a comprehensive answer: you should be eligible for benefits after your penalty weeks conclude, provided you meet these conditions: 1. You've completed all assigned penalty weeks 2. You've certified continuously throughout the penalty period 3. Your temp job ended through no fault of your own (layoff/assignment ended) 4. You remain able and available for full-time work 5. You're actively searching for work (minimum 2-3 job applications per week) The key is ensuring EDD recognizes your temp job separation as qualifying. Since it was less than 30 days, it likely won't significantly impact your claim, but you should report it properly. Call EDD after your final penalty week and explain your situation to ensure your claim transitions properly to paid status. Under current EDD rules (2025), you won't need to file a new claim if your benefit year hasn't expired. Your existing claim should resume paying after penalties conclude, but sometimes this requires manual intervention from a representative.

0 coins

Thank you for the detailed explanation! My benefit year is still active (it runs until September 2025), so hopefully I won't need to file a new claim. I'll definitely call them after my final penalty week.

0 coins

Prev1...872873874875876...950Next