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Connor Gallagher

At what age can you no longer collect unemployment in California EDD?

So I have kind of an unusual question that I can't seem to find a straight answer to anywhere online. My father-in-law is 71 years old and just got laid off from a warehouse job he'd been at for about 14 years. He's been collecting Social Security for a few years now but was still working full time because honestly the SS payments alone weren't enough to cover his bills. Now that he's been let go he wants to file for unemployment but everyone in the family keeps telling him he's too old or that he can't get benefits because he's already on Social Security. I've been trying to figure out if there's actually an age cutoff for California EDD unemployment benefits and I genuinely cannot find anything definitive. Does California EDD have a maximum age limit for collecting unemployment? Can you still get UI benefits if you're also receiving Social Security retirement payments? He worked consistently and paid into the system for years so it seems wrong that he'd just be left with nothing now.

There is NO age limit for collecting unemployment in California. California EDD does not have a maximum age cutoff — if your father-in-law was laid off, worked enough hours, and earned enough wages during the base period, he is absolutely eligible to file a UI claim regardless of being 71. Age discrimination in benefit eligibility is actually prohibited. The bigger question is the Social Security overlap, which I can explain.

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Oh wow okay that's actually really reassuring. I was so sure there had to be some kind of cutoff. So the SS payments won't automatically disqualify him?

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Confirming this is correct. I work in HR and we've had older employees file successful California EDD claims well into their 70s. Age is simply not a factor in UI eligibility.

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Your family members are wrong about the age thing — that's a really common myth. What DOES matter for California EDD eligibility is: 1) he was laid off through no fault of his own, 2) he earned sufficient wages in the base period (roughly the 12-18 months before filing), and 3) he's able and available to work. That last point is where things sometimes get complicated for retirees but it doesn't sound like your FIL was planning to stop working.

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He definitely wants to keep working, he was actively looking for another warehouse or logistics job even before the layoff happened. So the able and available requirement shouldn't be an issue.

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the able and available thing tripped me up when i filed at 68. they asked me about it during my phone interview and i just had to confirm i was genuinely looking for work and wasnt just waiting to fully retire

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Good breakdown. The base period wages are key — if he was earning regularly for 14 years at that job, he almost certainly meets the minimum earnings threshold for California EDD.

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One thing worth flagging early: Social Security retirement income does NOT reduce or offset California EDD unemployment benefits in California. This changed a while back — California eliminated the Social Security offset that used to reduce UI payments. So he can collect both his SS retirement AND his full UI benefit amount simultaneously without any reduction. Make sure he knows this when he files because a lot of people assume one affects the other.

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Wait seriously?? This is huge, I had no idea. So he'd get his full weekly benefit amount on top of SS? I need to make sure he understands this when he files.

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THIS. So many people don't know this and either don't file at all thinking SS disqualifies them or they under-report thinking it'll help. Neither is necessary in California.

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I actually called California EDD directly to confirm this when my uncle was in a similar situation last year. The rep confirmed that SS retirement income is not deductible from UI benefits in California. Took me forever to get through to someone though.

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Getting through to California EDD on the phone is a nightmare at any age lol but especially if your FIL isn't super comfortable navigating the online UI Online portal. When my mom was dealing with her claim issues I eventually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically holds your place in the phone queue and calls you back when an agent is available instead of you sitting on hold for hours. There's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 — was genuinely useful for getting actual answers from a real California EDD rep rather than just reading stuff online that may or may not be current.

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Bookmarking this for sure. He's not great with computers so I'm probably going to be helping him navigate the whole process and if we need to call EDD having a way to actually reach someone would be amazing.

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used claimyr when my claim went into adjudication and couldn't get any info online. worked well, got a callback within a couple hours

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Good tip for anyone who needs to speak with an actual agent. The online information is helpful for general questions but specific account issues really do require a phone call sometimes.

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To directly answer the title question since others have been adding helpful context: at what age can you no longer collect unemployment in California EDD? The answer is there is no such age. Zero. Nada. California law does not establish any maximum age for UI eligibility. A 90-year-old who gets laid off and meets the standard monetary and non-monetary eligibility requirements can file and collect. The eligibility criteria are the same regardless of age.

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this should be the top answer honestly. simple and direct

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Appreciate the clarity. I've been going in circles on this for days and it really was just a myth the whole time.

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My grandfather went through almost this exact situation — 69 years old, laid off from a manufacturing job, also on SS. The family was convinced he couldn't file. He did file, got approved, collected for about 4 months before he found a part-time position. The weekly benefit amount was based on his wages from the job, not reduced by his SS at all. Only issue was during the job search requirement — he had to document 3 job search activities per week like everyone else.

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Three activities per week — is that the current requirement? I want to make sure he knows what to expect upfront.

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Yes as of when he filed it was 3 activities per week logged in the California EDD system. Could be applying for jobs, attending a job fair, using CalJOBS, networking contacts, that kind of thing. It all counts.

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Current standard is 3 job search activities per week documented in your UI Online account. Some situations qualify for standby status which waives this but a standard layoff like this would require the full job search compliance.

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omg i literally thought the cutoff was like 65 or something. never knew this. good thread

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same i always assumed once you hit retirement age you couldnt get UI. totally wrong apparently

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Very common misconception. The conflation of Social Security full retirement age with unemployment eligibility is understandable but they're completely separate systems with no connection to each other.

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Something nobody has mentioned yet — when he files, he needs to report that he's receiving Social Security income on the application. Not because it reduces benefits (it won't in California) but because the form asks about other income sources. Just answer honestly. Failing to report it could cause issues down the line even if it doesn't affect his benefit amount. Transparency with California EDD on the application is always the right move.

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Really good point, I'll make sure he discloses it properly. Better to be upfront about everything.

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Correct. The SS income gets reported but is then excluded from the offset calculation in California. The claim processor will know what to do with it. Just don't hide it.

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Had a coworker who didn't disclose a pension on their application thinking it would cause problems. Created WAY more problems when it came up later during a routine review. Always disclose.

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I'm going to push back slightly on one thing — while age itself isn't a barrier, I've seen older claimants face more scrutiny during the adjudication process, particularly around the 'able and available' requirement. California EDD sometimes questions whether someone who is already receiving retirement benefits is genuinely available for full-time work. This isn't official policy but it can happen. Make sure your FIL is prepared to clearly articulate that he IS actively seeking work and hasn't mentally retired.

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This is a fair practical point even if age isn't an official eligibility factor. The able and available question can come up more in these situations. Being clear and consistent about job search intentions helps a lot.

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He's genuinely motivated to keep working — finances basically require it. I think he'll be able to make that case convincingly. Thanks for the heads up though.

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Good flag. If his claim does go into adjudication for any reason, that's when having a way to reach California EDD directly becomes important. The Claimyr route (claimyr.com) I mentioned earlier is worth keeping in mind for those kinds of situations — adjudication holds are really hard to resolve without actually speaking to someone.

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Filing process reminder for your father-in-law since he may not have done this before: he files at UI Online through the California EDD website, the base period they look at is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the claim date, and the weekly benefit amount is calculated from his highest-earning quarter in that period. With 14 years at one job he likely earned consistently which is good for his benefit calculation. He should file as soon as possible after the layoff — there's a one-week unpaid waiting period after filing but waiting longer just delays everything.

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Filing right away, got it. He was actually let go last Friday so we're going to help him file this weekend. Didn't realize there was already a waiting week built in.

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Yes file immediately — that waiting week starts from when you file, not when you were laid off. Every day you wait is essentially money left on the table.

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also make sure he has his last employer's info handy when filing — address, phone, dates of employment, reason for separation. having that ready makes the initial filing much smoother

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wait so what happens to the job search requirement if he literally cannot find warehouse work because of physical limitations at his age? asking for my own dad who is 74 and in a similar boat but with some mobility issues

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That's actually a separate and important question. If he has a disability or physical limitation that affects the type of work he can do, he should disclose that during the filing process and indicate the types of work he's able to perform. California EDD evaluates able and available based on what work the person IS capable of, not some universal standard.

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There's also the option of applying for standby status in certain circumstances but that's typically for when you expect to return to a specific employer. For a 74-year-old with mobility issues who was laid off, the standard job search with appropriate job type restrictions is probably the right path.

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ok that's helpful. he keeps saying he can still work just not heavy lifting. i'll tell him to specify that when he files

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Update us on how the filing goes! I'm curious whether he runs into any issues or if it goes smoothly. Threads like this are useful for other people in the same situation searching online.

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Will do! We're helping him file this weekend. Fingers crossed it's straightforward. I'll try to come back and update.

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yes please update!! my dad is 70 and i'm going to suggest he look into this now

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One more practical thing — if he gets a Notice of Determination that seems wrong (like if they question his eligibility somehow), he has 30 days to appeal. Don't let that deadline pass. The appeals process through California EDD is called an Unemployment Insurance Appeal and goes to an Administrative Law Judge hearing. It sounds intimidating but a lot of people win appeals especially when the underlying facts are clearly on their side.

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Hope it doesn't come to that but good to know. 30 days from the notice date?

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Yes 30 calendar days from the date on the Notice of Determination, not from when you receive it. So open any California EDD mail immediately and don't sit on it.

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Appeals are genuinely winnable when you have a clear-cut case. The ALJ hearings are less formal than court. But the 30-day deadline is absolutely firm — missing it means you lose the right to appeal that determination entirely.

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my employer tried to contest my unemployment claim saying i quit voluntarily when i was actually laid off and it threw my whole claim into adjudication for weeks. just throwing that out there — if the employer contests, that's what causes adjudication holds, not the age thing. happened to me at 62 and it was a whole ordeal getting California EDD to sort it out

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Ugh that sounds awful. His situation should be pretty clean cut — documented layoff, no dispute from the employer as far as we know. Hoping to avoid adjudication entirely.

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fingers crossed! employer non-response or disputes are the main thing that triggers adjudication in a standard layoff. if the separation reason is clear you should be fine

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Also employer error in reporting wages can trigger review. After 14 years at one employer his wage records should be solid in the California EDD system though.

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Random but semi-related — does anyone know if CalPERS or other pension income affects UI in California the same way SS doesn't? My father is retiring from a county job and might face something similar.

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Pension income from a base period employer CAN reduce UI benefits in California — this is different from Social Security. If the pension is from the same employer you're claiming UI from, it may offset your weekly benefit amount. SS specifically was exempted but employer pensions have different rules. Definitely worth calling California EDD to clarify before assuming.

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oh wow okay that IS different. glad i asked. my dad's pension would be from the county so if he ever got laid off that might affect things

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Correct distinction. Social Security is a federal program and California exempts it from the offset calculation. A pension funded in whole or in part by a base period employer gets treated differently. Not a simple yes/no answer without knowing the specifics.

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Thank you for this thread!! I've been wondering the same thing about my mom who is 67 and just got downsized from her job at a medical office after 9 years. Was literally about to tell her not to bother filing because I assumed she'd be ineligible. Going to make sure she files right away now.

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Yes please have her file! Nine years of consistent employment almost certainly means she meets the base period wage requirements. Don't leave money on the table based on a misconception.

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Filing this weekend for her. Thank you everyone in this thread, genuinely helpful.

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For anyone finding this thread later via search — the short answer to 'at what age can you no longer collect unemployment in California' is: there is no age limit. California EDD UI benefits are available to any eligible worker regardless of age. The eligibility requirements (base period wages, separation reason, able and available, job search compliance) apply equally to everyone. Social Security retirement income does not reduce California UI benefits. File as soon as possible after a layoff.

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this is the summary the whole internet needed honestly

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Saving this whole thread. Thank you everyone — came here confused and leaving with actual clarity. Going to help my FIL file this weekend and will try to update.

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And if you need to actually speak with a California EDD agent during the process — whether for a status check, adjudication question, or just confirmation — claimyr.com is genuinely the least painful way to get through. Their site explains it and the demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 shows how it works. Saved me multiple days of redial hell.

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