Can I apply for EDD benefits BEFORE my layoff date? (Layoff happening next week)

You technically can't file your claim until after your last day of work. EDD considers your claim effective the Sunday of the week you file, and you need to be unemployed at that point. If you file before actually being laid off, your claim could get denied or delayed with issues. As for processing times, it's WAY better than during COVID. Most clean claims (no identity issues, no employer disputes) get processed within 10-14 days now. First payment usually comes 2-3 weeks after filing if everything goes smoothly. Make sure you have your employment history for the last 18 months ready and all your personal info correct to avoid delays.

DONT LISTEN TO THIS!!!!! you absolutely CAN file before ur last day!!!! I did this last year when my company announced layoffs 2 weeks ahead. I filed right away and just put my FUTURE last day of work. EDD processed everything and my first payment was waiting for me the week after I was laid off. The system is designed to HELP people not punish them!!

sory about ur job loss :( my sister got laid off in january and she said file the EXACT DAY after ur last day dont wait even one extra day bc it affects when they start counting ur benefits. she got her first payment in like 10 days it was pretty fast

When I got laid off last summer, I tried filing immediately but kept getting stuck in the phone verification loop. Spent 3 days trying to reach someone at EDD. Finally I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Not sure if you'll need it, but keep it in your back pocket if you can't get through. The phone lines are better than during COVID but still can be a nightmare some days.

I was in your exact situation in February! My advice: 1. If you're getting any severance, make sure you understand how that affects your claim. My company gave us 2 weeks severance which delayed when I could start collecting benefits. 2. Get your employment history organized now - last 18 months of employers, addresses, phone numbers, dates. 3. Set up your UI Online account as soon as you file so you can manage everything electronically. 4. File your claim the day after your last day of work - it affects the benefit week calculations. 5. When certification starts, be extremely careful answering the questions - any mistakes can trigger a review that delays payment. Yes, EDD is much faster now than during COVID, but I still had to wait about 3 weeks for my first payment. Plan accordingly with your budget. Good luck!

wait ur company gives u notice?? mine just walked us all out same day with security lol. but ya file right away after ur last day worked. and make sure u do the ID.me verification right away too that's what hangs up a lot of ppl

Since several people have mentioned this - just to clarify the rules about WHEN to file: 1. You cannot submit a completed claim before your last day of work 2. You should file as soon as possible after your last day 3. Your claim begins on the Sunday of the week you file 4. Any delay in filing can mean lost benefits Regarding severance: This can affect your eligibility, as EDD considers severance to be wages. You need to report it when you file. Depending on the amount, it might delay when you can start receiving benefits. Regarding processing times: Current average for clean claims is about 10-14 days to process and another 3-5 days to receive your first payment (either via EDD debit card or direct deposit if you set that up).

One important thing nobody's mentioned yet: If your company is doing mass layoffs, EDD might already be aware of it through a WARN notice. This can sometimes help speed up your claim processing since they're expecting a batch of claims from your employer. Also, while you wait for your first payment, be sure to complete your work search activities and document them carefully. They've gotten stricter about this post-COVID. You typically need to complete at least 3 work search activities per week (job applications, networking, interviews, etc.). And don't forget to sign up for CalJOBS (https://www.caljobs.ca.gov/) as part of your work search requirement. Many people miss this step.

Quick note on timing - your benefit week for EDD runs Sunday through Saturday. If you're laid off on the 20th and that's a Monday-Friday (not sure what day of week), file your claim that weekend. Your claim will be effective as of the Sunday beginning that week. Also, after you file, expect to receive several pieces of mail from EDD within about 10 days: 1. Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed 2. Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award 3. EDD Customer Account Number 4. Continued Claim Form(s) You'll need to certify for benefits every two weeks. Set a calendar reminder so you don't forget - this is where a lot of people experience payment delays.

Just went through this exact process two months ago when my tech company did layoffs. Here's what I wish someone had told me: 1. **Wait until after your last day** - Don't risk filing early. I know it's tempting but it can cause major headaches with your claim. 2. **File immediately the day after** - I filed on a Tuesday after being laid off Monday, and my claim was effective the Sunday of that week. Every day you wait is potentially lost benefits. 3. **Gather everything beforehand**: W-2s, pay stubs, employer contact info, previous job details for 18 months. Having this ready made the application process much smoother. 4. **Processing is definitely faster now** - My claim was approved in 8 days and I got my first payment 2 weeks after filing. Way better than the COVID nightmare stories. 5. **Set up direct deposit immediately** - Skip the EDD debit card hassle if you can. The waiting is the worst part, but hang in there. Also start your job search documentation right away since you'll need to show work search activities when you certify. Feel free to ask if you have other questions - happy to help someone avoid the mistakes I made!

I went through a similar situation last year when my company announced layoffs. Here's what worked for me: **File the day after your last day of work** - I made the mistake of waiting a few extra days and it just delayed everything unnecessarily. The system is set up so your claim starts the Sunday of the week you file, so don't lose out on benefits. **Get your paperwork ready now** - Start gathering your employment history, W-2s, and any severance documentation. Having everything organized made the application process much smoother. **About processing times** - Mine took about 12 days to get approved and another week for the first payment. Much better than the horror stories from 2020-2021. **One tip nobody mentioned** - If you're getting severance, make sure you understand exactly when it's paid out. Mine was paid over 2 weeks which affected my benefit start date. EDD considers severance as wages, so it can delay when you can start collecting. **For your rent situation** - Consider reaching out to your landlord now to explain the situation. Many are understanding about temporary payment delays if you communicate early. The waiting is stressful but the system is working much better now. You'll get through this!

Hey Paolo, sorry to hear about the layoffs - that's always stressful! I just went through this process a few months ago and can share what I learned. **Definitely wait until after your last day to file** - I know the uncertainty is killing you, but filing early can create complications with your claim that aren't worth the risk. **Use this week to prep everything** - Get your employment history together for the past 18 months (company names, addresses, phone numbers, start/end dates, reason for leaving). Also gather recent pay stubs and your Social Security card for the application. **File immediately after your last day** - Like others said, don't wait even one extra day. Your benefit week starts the Sunday of the week you file, so any delay costs you money. **About current processing times** - Much better than COVID era! My claim was processed in about 10 days and I got my first payment roughly 2.5 weeks after filing. Still plan for at least 3 weeks though to be safe. **For your rent situation** - Start that conversation with your landlord now. Explain you're getting laid off but will have unemployment benefits coming. Most landlords prefer honesty and advance notice over surprises. The system is working pretty smoothly now, so try not to stress too much about the process itself. Focus on getting your documents ready and maybe start browsing job postings so you're prepared for the work search requirements. You've got this!

Hey Paolo! I just went through layoffs at my company in December and wanted to share some hard-learned lessons: **Don't file before your last day** - I know it's tempting when you're stressed about money, but it can mess up your claim. The system needs you to be actually unemployed when you file. **File the very next day after your last day** - Seriously, don't wait. I delayed by 3 days thinking "what's the rush" and realized I lost out on benefits for those days since your claim week starts the Sunday of when you file. **Current processing is WAY better** - Got my claim approved in 9 days and first payment came exactly 2 weeks after filing. Nothing like the COVID nightmare. **About that rent stress** - I feel you on this! What helped me was immediately calling my landlord after getting laid off to explain the situation. Most are understanding if you're proactive about communication rather than just going silent. **Get organized now while you have time** - Gather all your employment docs, set up your UI Online account login info, and maybe even draft your resume. Once you're unemployed you'll want to hit the ground running with both the EDD process and job searching. The waiting period sucks but you'll get through it. The system actually works pretty well now compared to a few years ago. Hang in there!

Hey Paolo! I was in almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago - got notice of layoffs a week ahead and was panicking about timing and money. Here's what I learned: **Wait until after your last day to file** - I know the wait feels terrible when you're stressed about bills, but filing early can create issues that delay your benefits even longer. Trust the process on this one. **File immediately the next business day** - Don't even wait for the weekend. I filed the day after my layoff and my claim was effective from the Sunday of that week. **Processing times are much better now** - My claim got approved in 11 days and I received my first payment about 2.5 weeks after filing. Way different from the COVID horror stories. **Prepare now while you can** - Use this week to gather your employment history for the last 18 months, locate your Social Security card, and get recent pay stubs organized. Having everything ready makes the application process so much smoother. **About rent** - I had the same panic about my mortgage. Consider having an honest conversation with your landlord now about the situation. Many are more understanding than you'd expect, especially if you're upfront about having unemployment benefits coming. The uncertainty is the worst part, but once you get into the system it moves pretty efficiently. You've got this! Feel free to ask if you have other questions - this community has been super helpful for navigating all the EDD stuff.

I went through this exact same situation last fall when my startup did surprise layoffs. Here's my experience: **You MUST wait until after your last day to file** - I made the mistake of trying to file 2 days early because I was panicking about money, and it created a whole mess with my claim that took weeks to sort out. The system flags it as filing while still employed and can trigger fraud reviews. **File literally the next day** - Don't wait for "a good time" or until you feel ready. I lost 4 days of benefits because I waited over a long weekend thinking it didn't matter. **Processing is night and day better than COVID** - My corrected claim (after fixing my early filing mistake) took 8 days to approve and I got my first payment in exactly 14 days from filing. **About your rent situation** - Been there! What saved me was calling my landlord immediately after getting laid off and explaining I had unemployment coming. She was actually super understanding and let me pay 10 days late without fees. Most landlords would rather work with you than deal with eviction processes. **Start organizing everything now** - Get your last 18 months of employment info ready (names, addresses, dates, phone numbers), find your Social Security card, and grab recent pay stubs. When you're stressed after getting laid off, you don't want to be scrambling for paperwork. The system actually works pretty well now - just don't try to game the timing like I did! You'll get through this.

Hey Paolo! Just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I got laid off from my job in tech last year - if your company uses a payroll service like ADP or Paychex, you can usually access your employment history and pay stubs online even after you're terminated. This was super helpful when I needed to verify dates and wages for my EDD application. Also, if you're in tech like I was, definitely start networking immediately after you file. The job market is still pretty competitive, and having those conversations going while you're waiting for your first unemployment payment can really help with both the work search requirements and actually finding your next role. One more tip - when you do file, make sure your phone number and address are 100% correct. EDD sometimes needs to contact you for verification, and any issues with reaching you can delay everything. I've seen people miss important calls because they had old contact info in the system. The process really is much smoother now than during COVID. You'll get through this!

I just went through a very similar situation in January when my marketing agency did unexpected layoffs. Here's what I learned that might help: **Absolutely wait until after your last day** - I know the financial stress is real, but filing early can trigger complications that will delay your benefits way longer than just waiting the extra few days. **File the very next business day** - I filed on Tuesday after being laid off on Monday, and my claim was effective from the Sunday of that week. Every day you wait is potentially lost benefits. **Current processing times are much better** - My claim was approved in 12 days and I got my first payment about 2.5 weeks after filing. Way faster than the COVID-era horror stories. **About your severance** - Make sure you understand exactly when it's paid and how much. EDD considers this wages, so it might affect when you can start collecting benefits. I had to report mine during the application process. **Prepare everything now** - Use this week to gather your employment history for the last 18 months, recent pay stubs, and Social Security card. Having everything organized made the application so much smoother when I was already stressed about being unemployed. **For your rent situation** - I had the same panic! I ended up calling my landlord right after getting laid off to explain the situation and that unemployment benefits were coming. She was actually really understanding and worked with me on timing. The uncertainty is the hardest part, but the system really does work much better now. You'll get through this! Feel free to ask if you have other questions.