California EDD unemployment claim after minimum wage job loss - what to expect?

Oh wow I did NOT know that. I've been waiting to hear back before doing anything. So I should be logging job search contacts right now even though I don't know if I'm approved?

Yes 100% this. File every week no matter what. When the claim gets approved they pay out all the back weeks you certified for.

Same thing happened to my cousin, she waited 6 weeks thinking she had to be approved first and lost like $2,400 in back pay because she had gaps in her weekly certifications.

I got one letter that said something about identity verification which I completed online. Nothing since then.

identity verification taking forever is a nightmare ughhh

Good that you completed the ID.me verification. That step being done should help move things along. Sometimes the pending status after verification just means a manual review queue - not necessarily anything wrong with your claim.

I've been having the exact same problem with the phones!! I literally set an alarm for 8am and still can't get through. Will look into this, thank you.

does that actually work? seems too good to be true honestly

I thought the same thing but yes it's legit. Got through to EDD and they confirmed my claim was in adjudication queue and gave me an estimated timeline. Way better than spending days redialing.

gonna try this today my claim has been pending for 5 weeks with zero communication from edd

So if I was making about $1,600 a month my benefit would be somewhere around that range? That's honestly less than I hoped but better than nothing I guess.

Roughly yes. The exact calculation uses your highest quarter wages divided by 26, then that 60-70% formula applies. California EDD's UI Online actually has a benefit calculator you can use to get a closer estimate based on your actual quarterly wages.

mine came out to $217 a week after a min wage job and it barely covers rent but at least edd approved it within 4 weeks

This is exactly what I'm experiencing and it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong when really it's just the system being broken.

same energy. i've been dealing with edd for 8 months off and on and the phones never get better

It's genuinely one of the most frustrating bureaucratic experiences in California. The volume of claims they process is enormous. Not excusing it just explaining why the hold times are what they are.

No I was officially terminated, no chance of going back. So regular UI I think?

yeah then definitely regular UI and you need those job search contacts. just making sure because a lot of people in retail don't realize standby is even an option when it applies

Good point on standby. OP since you're fully terminated that doesn't apply here but worth knowing for others reading - California EDD standby status lets you pause job search requirements if you have a reasonable expectation of returning to your employer within 60 days.

That's a really good idea actually. I've been applying places but not writing any of it down formally. Starting a spreadsheet today.

Google Sheets works great for this. I had columns for date, employer, position, contact method, and outcome. When EDD randomly asks you to verify your job search during an audit you'll be so glad you have it.

does edd actually audit job search stuff? i didnt know that was a thing

Oh no I haven't double checked this. Going to log in right now and verify everything. Thank you for mentioning this.

Also check your UI Online inbox specifically - some notices only go there and not to your email. It's buried but there's a separate inbox inside the portal.

THIS. EDD will send you a critical notice and then claim you were notified even though nobody could find it. Check every possible inbox every few days.

ok wait so you're saying there was a flag on your claim that wasn't showing on the website? that's actually scary to think about

Yeah it was a wage verification discrepancy between what I reported and what my employer's records showed. Tiny difference but it had put my claim in a manual review queue. The agent fixed it during the call. Never would have known without actually getting through to someone.

this happened to my brother too, claim was stuck because of a wage mismatch and the website just said pending forever. makes me wonder how many peoples claims are stuck for fixable reasons

I didn't realize I could request an explanation of the calculation. How do I do that?

You can call California EDD and ask a rep to walk through your base period wages and WBA calculation with you, or you can file a written request. If you think there's an error in the wage records they used you actually have the right to appeal the benefit amount specifically.

wait you can appeal the weekly benefit amount itself?? I thought appeals were only for disqualifications

THANK YOU. Finally someone saying it. The replacement rate for minimum wage workers relative to actual living costs in California is basically insulting.

I hear the frustration and it's valid. For what it's worth there are some county-level programs in California that can supplement UI for low-income claimants - worth looking into your local workforce development board for resources.

Yeah CalWORKs, SNAP, and some local rental assistance programs can stack with UI benefits. Doesn't fix the underlying problem but can help bridge the gap while you're job searching.

I didn't know about CalJOBS! Is that separate from the UI Online account? How do I sign up?

Yes it's completely separate - CalJOBS is at caljobs.ca.gov and it's the state's job matching and workforce development system. California EDD requires you to register there as part of your job search requirements. It takes maybe 20-30 minutes to set up your profile.

some EDD offices also require you to attend a reemployment workshop if you're expected to be on UI for more than a few weeks. you'll get a notice if that applies to you

ok this is the third mention of claimyr in this thread and i'm finally going to try it lol

This is exactly the kind of thing I'm worried about - some issue existing that I can't see online. Did she schedule the phone interview during that call?

Yes she scheduled it right then. Interview was 4 days later and my claim was approved within a week after that. The whole time I had no idea a phone interview was even required.

This is a great tip. I never thought to do this but it makes total sense. Also saving confirmation emails from job applications for the same reason.

Exactly. And when you certify for your weekly benefits write down the confirmation number they give you at the end. That number proves your certification was received.

confirmation numbers are so important. i once had EDD tell me they had no record of my certification and i had the number right there and suddenly they found it

Industry generally doesn't affect adjudication timing directly. What affects it: whether your employer contests the claim, whether there are wage verification issues, whether you had any separations from employment within your base period beyond the most recent job, and overall claim volume at EDD.

One exception - if you were in an industry with specific licensing requirements (like security or healthcare) there can sometimes be additional verification steps. But for retail/food service/warehouse type minimum wage jobs that's generally not a factor.

ok good to know. my claim is retail too and it's been 4 weeks pending so just trying to understand if it's normal

Will definitely update. Currently at week 3 pending, completed ID verification, registered for CalJOBS, doing my weekly certifications and job search contacts. Trying to stay patient.

Fingers crossed for you. Sounds like you're doing everything right which matters. A lot of claims that stay stuck are because people miss a step and don't know it.

you've got this. the system is slow but if your claim is legit it usually does come through eventually

This is incredibly helpful to have in one place. Saving this comment. I'm going to use one of the services mentioned in this thread to actually get through to someone if week 5 comes and I still have nothing.

Solid checklist. Would add - if you do get through to EDD and they tell you your claim needs additional information, ask specifically WHAT information and get a reference number for the call.

Also worth adding - if you receive a Notice of Determination (DE 1080CZ) that partially or fully denies your claim, you have 30 calendar days from the mail date to file an appeal. Don't miss that window even if you plan to resolve it informally.

right? EDD forums are honestly the most useful resource because actual people going through it know more than the official website tells you

solidarity. we're all in the edd waiting room together

Good luck to you too. We'll get through it!