Appealing EDD denial as a substitute teacher - any success stories?

I appealed and WON as a sub teacher last year!! They initially denied me with the 'reasonable assurance' excuse too. The key is to show that your hours/income aren't guaranteed. I documented how many hours I worked in previous years during fall vs. how many I was actually offered. Big difference! Also emphasized that subbing is 'as-needed' with NO guaranteed hours. Judge ruled in my favor because technically we have ZERO guarantee of specific work hours. Good luck!!

my sister went thru this exact thing!!! she got denied 1st time but won on appeal. EDD doesn't understand how subbing works AT ALL. you dont get guaranteed hours like regular teachers!!!

I handled several substitute teacher appeals when I worked for a legal aid clinic. Here's what you need to document for your appeal: 1. Your work history showing the variable/inconsistent nature of assignments 2. Proof that you have no guaranteed hours or income 3. Documentation showing summer months create a significant income gap 4. Evidence of continued job search (at least 3 job applications per week) The critical legal argument is that 'reasonable assurance' requires more than just being on a call list - it requires actual guaranteed work. Most subs don't have this guarantee, which is why many appeals succeed. Submit your appeal ASAP as the process can take 4-6 weeks.

Sorry but I don't think u can get ui if ur a teacher. My cousin tried and got denied cause school jobs r seasonal and they expect you to not work summers. They told her it's like being a ski instructor in summer or something. Hope u have better luck tho

Have you tried calling EDD to discuss your specific situation? Having a direct conversation with an EDD representative about substitute teaching could help clarify your options. I know calling can be nearly impossible, but I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person at EDD after weeks of failed attempts. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km When I finally got through, the EDD agent explained exactly what documentation I needed for my appeal and it made a huge difference. Worth considering since timing seems critical in your situation.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS!!! EDD automatically denies ALL school employees during summer break without even looking at individual circumstances!!! They know perfectly well that subs don't get guaranteed work but they deny first and hope you don't appeal! I fought for 9 WEEKS last summer before finally winning my appeal. By then I was already back at work and had maxed out credit cards and borrowed from family!!!! THE WHOLE REASONABLE ASSURANCE THING IS A JOKE FOR SUBS!!!

One important detail to include in your appeal: in your case, you should emphasize that you're actively seeking full-time work outside of substitute teaching. This shows you're not just waiting for the school year to restart, which strengthens your claim. Make sure to keep detailed records of every job application, interview, and follow-up. EDD looks favorably on claimants who demonstrate genuine efforts to secure alternative employment.

Update: I managed to speak with an EDD rep today! They confirmed that substitute teachers CAN qualify for benefits during school breaks if we can prove we don't have guaranteed work hours or income. They suggested I submit the following with my appeal: 1. My sub assignment history showing the variable nature of work 2. A statement from my district confirming I'm only called 'as needed' 3. My job search records 4. A personal statement explaining financial hardship They also mentioned appeals are being processed within about 3-4 weeks currently. Fingers crossed!

I was in a similar situation but with a community college. i taught part time and they denied me for summer saying i had 'reasonable assurance' but i had no guaranteed classes for fall!! i appealed and it took forEVER but i won because the judge said being on a 'potential instructor list' isn't the same as having guaranteed work. keep fighting!!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Got denied last week with the "reasonable assurance" reason even though I'm just on the sub list with zero guaranteed hours. Reading all these success stories gives me hope. I've been substitute teaching for 3 years and my hours are all over the place - some weeks I get called every day, other weeks nothing at all. Last summer I only got called for 2 days total in July and August combined! How can they call that "reasonable assurance"? I'm definitely going to appeal now. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is exactly what I needed to see!

I went through this exact situation two years ago and won my appeal! The key thing that helped me was getting a letter from my school district's HR department stating that substitute teachers are called "on an as-needed basis with no guarantee of work hours or income." They were actually pretty helpful once I explained what I needed it for. I also created a spreadsheet showing my actual hours worked each month for the previous school year - it clearly showed how inconsistent the work was. The hearing officer said this documentation was crucial in proving I didn't have true "reasonable assurance." Don't give up - most subs who appeal with proper documentation end up winning because we genuinely don't have guaranteed work like regular teachers do. The appeal process was stressful but worth it in the end!

I'm also a substitute teacher dealing with this exact denial right now! Reading through everyone's success stories is giving me so much hope. My district sent me the standard "you'll be contacted when school resumes" letter, but like everyone else has pointed out, that's not a guarantee of actual work hours or income. I've been tracking my assignments from last year and some weeks I worked 0 days while others were full 5-day weeks - completely unpredictable. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about getting an official letter from HR stating that sub work is "as-needed" and putting together a spreadsheet showing the variable hours. Has anyone had experience with how long the appeal hearing itself takes once you get scheduled? I'm trying to plan financially for how long this process might drag out.

I successfully appealed my EDD denial as a substitute teacher last year! The process took about 5 weeks total, but I won because I was able to prove that being on a sub list doesn't equal guaranteed income. Here's what made the difference in my case: I got a letter from my district's payroll department showing my actual earnings by month over the previous two years - it clearly demonstrated the massive income gaps during summer months and how unpredictable sub work really is. I also included screenshots of the district's substitute portal showing "no assignments available" for most of July and August. The hearing officer specifically said that "reasonable assurance" requires more than just being eligible to work - there has to be actual guaranteed hours and income, which subs simply don't have. Don't let them discourage you with that initial denial - most substitute teachers who properly document their case end up winning on appeal. The financial stress is real, but hang in there and fight it!

I'm currently going through this exact situation and your post gives me hope! I was also denied with the "reasonable assurance" reasoning even though I'm just on the sub call list with zero guaranteed hours. After reading all these success stories, I'm definitely going to appeal. The key points I'm seeing are: 1) Get an official letter from HR stating sub work is "as-needed with no guarantees", 2) Document the inconsistent work patterns with actual hour/income records, and 3) Show active job searching outside of education. One thing I'm wondering - for those who won their appeals, did you emphasize in your personal statement that you're seeking permanent full-time work rather than just waiting for school to resume? It seems like proving you're not just planning to return to subbing might strengthen the case. The financial stress is so real right now, but seeing everyone's success stories makes me feel like there's actually a good chance if we document everything properly. Thanks for starting this thread - it's exactly what substitute teachers need to see!

I'm also a substitute teacher who just got denied with the same "reasonable assurance" excuse! This thread is incredibly helpful - I had no idea so many subs were successfully winning appeals. My situation is almost identical to everyone else's: I'm just on the call list with zero guaranteed hours, and last summer I barely got any calls at all. Reading all these success stories gives me the confidence to fight this denial instead of just accepting it. I'm going to start gathering all the documentation mentioned here: my variable work history, an HR letter confirming "as-needed" status, job search records, and definitely those portal screenshots showing when no assignments are available. The key insight about "reasonable assurance" requiring actual guaranteed work vs. just being eligible really clarifies what I need to prove. It's frustrating that EDD seems to automatically deny all school employees without looking at our specific circumstances as subs, but at least now I know there's a real path to winning on appeal. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly what I needed to see!