Actress friend with two kids needs to apply for EDD after strike - which 2022 quarters qualify now?
My friend is an actress who hasn't worked in several months because of the industry strike. She's a single mom with two kids and finally decided to apply for unemployment benefits. I offered to help her with the application process since she's overwhelmed with childcare and everything. I'm confused about which quarters from 2022 would count toward her base period for a claim filed now in 2025. Does EDD still use the last 4 completed quarters before application, or is there a lag? Also, would any residual payments she received during the strike period count against her? She had some commercials still running but wasn't actively working. Any guidance would be really appreciated!
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Sean Flanagan
For claims filed in 2025, EDD uses the standard base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing. So if she's filing in April-June 2025, her base period would be January-December 2022 (first quarter of 2023 is excluded). If filing July-September 2025, her base period would be April 2022-March 2023, and so on. Residual payments DO count as wages, but they're allocated to the quarter when she actually worked (when the commercial was filmed), not when she received payment. This can actually help her qualifying wages look better for those quarters.
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Anastasia Popova
•Thank you so much! So it sounds like since she's filing now (early May 2025), her base period would include all of 2022, right? That's a relief because she had steady work for most of 2022 before everything slowed down. Do you know if she needs documentation of her residual payments? She doesn't always get detailed breakdowns from her agency.
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Zara Shah
my sister is an actor 2 and we went thru this exact thing!!!! the residuals r tricky cuz sometime they count and sometume they DONT depend on if its NEW use of ur image or just ongoing contarct stuff. tell her 2 call edd but good luck getting thru lololol took my sis like 40 tries
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NebulaNomad
•EDD is literally IMPOSSIBLE to reach!!! I tried calling for THREE WEEKS straight when I had payment issues last year. What a joke their phone system is. They need to hire more people to answer the phones instead of making us jump through all these hoops.
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Luca Ferrari
•Hey, if you're having trouble getting through to EDD on the phone, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in the same situation trying to reach EDD about my actor friend's claim, and I was getting nowhere. Claimyr automatically calls EDD for you and connects you when they get through. Saved me hours of redial frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. My friend got her residuals question answered in one call after using it.
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Nia Wilson
I work with entertainment professionals and can clarify a few things: 1. For claims filed in May 2025, the base period is January 2022 through December 2022 (all four quarters). 2. Residuals are handled differently than regular wages. They're allocated to the quarter when the *work was performed*, not when payment was received. So commercial work from 2021 that pays residuals in 2022-2023 would count toward the 2021 quarter she filmed it. 3. For actors specifically, EDD will usually send an Affidavit of Wages (DE 23A) form if they need more documentation about irregular income. 4. Make sure she reports ALL income accurately when certifying, including residuals, to avoid overpayment issues later. 5. She should create an account on UI Online and apply there rather than by phone - much easier documentation.
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Mateo Martinez
•Wow this is EXACTLY what happened to me! Actress filed in 2024, got confused about residuals, ended up with a massive overpayment notice 6 months later that I'm STILL fighting with EDD about. They really don't explain the process well for entertainment industry people. Make sure your friend keeps ALL payment documentation, even the small residual statements. EDD will absolutely ask for them if they audit her claim.
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Anastasia Popova
Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I've been taking notes to share with her. One more question - does she need to list every single employer she had in 2022 (she did a lot of small jobs) or just the main ones? And what about the strike itself - does she mention that as the reason for unemployment or just say "lack of work"?
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Sean Flanagan
•She should list ALL employers from the base period, even small jobs. The EDD system will cross-reference with reported wages, and missing employers can cause delays or issues. For the reason, "lack of work" is appropriate in her situation. The strike may have contributed to the lack of available work, but unless she was actively employed somewhere and then stopped working specifically because of the strike, "lack of work" is the most accurate description.
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NebulaNomad
Everyone is forgetting the MOST IMPORTANT thing here - make sure your actress friend reports her AVAILABILITY correctly when certifying!!! Actors often say they're "not available for work" on days they have auditions or callbacks, but auditions are considered LOOKING FOR WORK, not unavailable. If she marks herself unavailable for work during weeks she's actually auditioning, she can get disqualified!! This is the #1 mistake actors make with EDD that gets them in trouble.
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Anastasia Popova
•Oh that's super helpful to know! I wouldn't have thought of that distinction. I'll make sure to tell her to mark herself as available even on audition days. Is there anywhere on the certification where she should specifically note that she attended auditions as part of her work search activities?
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NebulaNomad
•YES! On the work search activity section, she should list EVERY audition as a work search activity with the casting director name, project, and date. This proves she's actively looking for work in her field. Screenshot or save email confirmations of ALL auditions too - EDD sometimes requests proof during eligibility interviews.
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Zara Shah
btw ur friend might qualfy for the altenative base period if the regular 1 doesnt work out!!! they look at diferent quarters
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Nia Wilson
•That's partially correct. The Alternative Base Period (ABP) uses the most recently completed four quarters instead of the standard base period. However, it's only considered if the claimant doesn't qualify under the standard base period. The system automatically checks eligibility under both methods, so your friend doesn't need to specifically request ABP - EDD will use it if it benefits her claim.
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