Can I apply for California EDD unemployment after 3 months of not working?

Wait so the three months I already waited, that money is just gone? Like there's no way to get paid for those weeks at all?

Unfortunately yes, for the most part. There's a process called backdating where you can request your claim start from an earlier date if you had a valid reason for the delay like a medical issue or being misinformed by EDD itself, but just not knowing you could file or thinking you'd find work quickly doesn't typically qualify. I'd still ask California EDD about it when you call in, but don't count on it.

this is accurate. file NOW. seriously do not wait another single day reading forum posts lol

Did they ask you WHY you waited before filing? I'm nervous they're going to flag my account or something for the gap.

Nope, not during the online application at least. The system just asks your last day of work and processes from there. If there's any issue they send you a notice but the gap itself isn't automatically a red flag.

same, filed online and it was fine. the waiting part after is the annoying part lol

The certifying every two weeks part, is that where you report if you worked or looked for jobs that week?

Exactly right. You certify for two weeks at a time and answer questions about whether you worked, earned any wages, were available for work, actively looked for work, etc. California EDD requires you to list three job search activities per week as part of keeping your benefits active.

three job searches a week yeah. keep records of everything you apply to just in case EDD ever audits your job search log. dates, company names, position titles, how you applied.

I've been trying to call EDD all morning and keep getting the 'we cannot take your call' message. Going to look into that Claimyr thing.

claimyr worked for me too. was skeptical at first but got through to someone in like 45 minutes on a tuesday which is apparently prime busy time for edd calls

Yeah Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are brutal for EDD call volume. Claimyr helps cut through that. Worth trying especially if you want to ask about the backdating option for your situation.

How long does it usually take from filing to actually receiving a first payment?

For a straightforward claim with no issues or adjudication holds, usually about three weeks from when you file to when you see the first deposit. You'll get a letter with your weekly benefit amount and then start certifying. Some people get it faster.

mine took almost 5 weeks but i think there was an issue on my end. three weeks sounds about right for a clean claim

Oh wow I had no idea about the waiting week. So even once I'm approved I'm waiting an extra week on top of the processing time?

The waiting week is actually counted within your first certification period so it's not really an additional delay, it's just that one of the two weeks you certify for first won't be paid out. The second week will be. Then subsequent certifications cover two paid weeks each.

This is right. The unpaid waiting period was temporarily waived during the pandemic but it's back now for regular UI claims in California. Just something to be aware of so you're not confused when your first payment seems lower than expected.

47 times in one day?? That sounds exhausting. How did you even manage the whole process without talking to anyone?

honestly the UI Online portal handles most of the basic stuff okay. certifying, checking payment status, uploading documents. it's when something goes wrong or you have a specific question that you REALLY need a human and that's where the system completely falls apart

This is why services like Claimyr exist honestly. The phone system is genuinely broken and people shouldn't have to make 47 attempts just to get basic questions answered about their unemployment claim.

Good question actually. Your base period is determined by when you file, not when you stopped working. California EDD uses the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file to calculate your weekly benefit amount. So filing three months later than you 'should have' actually doesn't change your base period wages significantly and might even help in some cases if a better quarter of earnings falls within the calculation window.

oh that's actually interesting. so theoretically waiting to file could work in your favor wage-calculation wise even if you lose out on the weeks you didn't collect?

In some edge cases yes but you'd almost never come out ahead by waiting because the benefit weeks you lose are typically worth more than any marginal bump in weekly benefit amount from a slightly different base period calculation. Always better to file immediately upon becoming unemployed.

This is so helpful thank you. The Bank of America debit card, is that automatic or do you have to set something up?

EDD mails you the card after your claim is opened. You don't have to do anything to request it. Takes about a week to arrive in the mail. You can also set up direct deposit to your own bank account through UI Online if you prefer that.

Definitely set up direct deposit if you have a bank account, it's faster than waiting for the card and you don't have to worry about the card getting lost in the mail or sitting in a mailbox.

I was laid off, my whole department was eliminated. How should I phrase that?

Say 'laid off due to lack of work' or 'position eliminated' - those are clean straightforward answers that typically don't raise any flags. If your whole department was cut that's textbook lack of work which is the most straightforward qualifying reason for UI.

100% this. 'Lack of work' is the magic phrase basically. It tells EDD exactly what they need to hear and moves the claim through the fastest. Anything vaguer can kick it into adjudication which adds weeks to the process.

Fair point lol. Filing now as we speak.

good!! report back when you get your first payment

the forums are useful though for like understanding what to expect after you file. filing is easy the waiting and not knowing what's happening is the hard part

Just submitted my claim! Got a confirmation number. Now I wait I guess. And yeah I'm going to try to call about the backdating thing, will check out Claimyr if the regular phone keeps being impossible.

Great news!! The hard part is done. Now just watch for your award letter in the mail, set up direct deposit in UI Online, and start your certification schedule. You've got this.

Nice work OP. Now just don't forget to certify every two weeks on schedule. Missing a certification window can complicate things.

My reason is honestly just that I was in denial and kept thinking I'd find work. No documentation for that.

Yeah that's going to be a tough one to get backdated unfortunately. But focus forward - your claim is open now and you'll start collecting soon. The lost three months is a bummer but your future weeks are fine.

honestly same boat as OP when I filed late. no documentation just wishful thinking. just accepted the loss on those weeks and moved on. the benefits going forward were still really helpful.

Three per week seems manageable. Do they have to be three different employers or can one employer count for multiple things like applying AND interviewing?

Generally EDD counts each separate activity as one activity, so applying to a job and then interviewing at that same company would count as two separate activities on two different dates. Contact with the same employer on the same day would typically only count as one though.

I keep a simple spreadsheet with date, company, position, type of contact, and contact info. Takes 2 minutes to update and I sleep better knowing I have documentation if EDD ever questions my job search.

When exactly is certification day? Like does EDD assign you a specific day?

Yes, after your claim is opened EDD assigns you a certification schedule. It's usually tied to the last digit of your Social Security number. You'll see your scheduled certification dates in UI Online under your claim details.

mine is every other Sunday night, I always certify right when the window opens because apparently certifying early in your window sometimes means faster payment processing. not sure if that's totally proven but it's what I do

This is perfect, bookmarking this whole thread. Thank you everyone seriously, I feel so much better about this situation than I did this morning.

Good luck OP. The system is annoying but once you're in it it's pretty manageable. Check back in if you run into anything weird during adjudication or with your first certification.

solid summary. only thing I'd add is make sure the address on your claim is current because EDD mails important stuff like your award letter and EDD debit card and if it goes to a wrong address it's a whole headache to fix