Can I certify for EDD benefits after accepting a contract job but before start date?

Yes, you can absolutely certify for those weeks where you didn't work. The rule is simple - you certify and report earnings for weeks you actually performed work, not when you were offered or accepted a job. So if you haven't started working yet, you should continue certifying normally. When you do start working, you'll need to report your earnings for the week you worked, even if you haven't been paid yet. EDD cares about when you performed the work, not when you get paid. For partial weeks, you'll report the earnings for just those days you worked. Make sure to answer "yes" to the question about looking for work, and you should be all set. Congratulations on the new contract role!

careful! u HAVE to report that u accepted a job offer when u certify. theres a question that asks if u refused work and u need to be honest. they might reduce ur benefits once u tell them u got a job lined up even b4 u start. happened to my cousin

I just went through this exact situation in February! Here's what I learned: 1. You can (and should) certify for all weeks BEFORE your start date. You're still unemployed until you actually start working. 2. For the week you start working, you'll need to report your earnings for that specific week. Be careful here - EDD wants you to report gross earnings (before taxes) for the days you WORKED, not when you get paid. So keep track of your hours/days. 3. For the contract work question - I found it super confusing too! Just report the actual earnings for the days you worked. If you're doing a flat-rate contract, you should probably divide it by the number of days to calculate your daily rate. 4. When you certify, there's a place to report that you've returned to work. Don't mark this until the week you actually start. Hope this helps! The transition can be confusing, but you're doing the right thing by asking.

Everyone here is missing something important. When you certify, one of the questions asks if you're able and available for work. When you accept a job with a future start date, you're still considered available for work until that start date. I called EDD about this exact situation last year and they confirmed you can and should certify for all weeks before your start date. You don't need to report that you've accepted a position because there's literally no question that asks that - the questions are about whether you worked, refused work, or were able/available to work. For the week you start, you'll need to calculate your gross earnings (before deductions) even if you haven't been paid yet. If you know your hourly rate, just multiply by hours worked. If it's a salary, divide your monthly salary by 4.33 to get weekly, then divide by 5 for daily. Just make sure you're answering the certification questions honestly and you'll be fine!

I see a lot of confusion here. Let me clarify with the official rules: 1. You remain eligible for benefits until you begin working, not when you accept a job offer. 2. For the weeks you certified (4/10-4/23), if you did not work, you should answer the questions truthfully and you remain eligible for full benefits. 3. For the week you begin working (sounds like 5/2), you'll need to report earnings for the days worked that week. You report based on when you EARNED the money, not when you're paid. 4. For contract work specifically, you'll report your gross earnings (before taxes/deductions) for the week. 5. If you have trouble certifying or have questions specific to your claim, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD representative quickly. Their video demo (https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km) shows how they can help you get through to someone at EDD instead of dealing with busy signals and disconnections. Hope this helps clear things up!

When I went back to work last yr after being on EDD I totally messed up the reporting and ended up with an overpayment notice!! Make sure u report ANY work even if its just one day and even if u dont get paid right away. They go by when u WORKED not when u got PAID. Also keep all ur paystubs and take screenshots of ur certifications!!!!!

I'm in the EXACT same boat right now lol. I verbally accepted a job on Monday but don't start until May 15th. Called EDD (took FOREVER to get through) and the rep told me I should keep certifying until I actually start working. She said the system is based on when you PERFORM work, not when you accept a job. So you're good to certify for all weeks before your start date!

The EDD website is SO confusing about this!! I read somewhere that if ur transitioning to self-employment (which contract work kinda is) there's different rules?? Does anyone know if contract work is treated differently than regular employment??

I went through something similar when I transitioned from unemployment to a contract role last fall. The key thing that helped me was understanding that EDD really does go by when you actually work, not job offers or start dates. For your situation - definitely certify for those weeks (4/10-4/23) since you didn't work during that time. You're entitled to those benefits! When you do start on 5/2, that's when you'll need to start reporting earnings. One tip for contract work - if you don't know your exact earnings yet for that first week, you can estimate based on your agreed rate/hours and then correct it later if needed. I kept a simple log of dates and hours worked which made certifying much easier. Also, don't stress too much about the "fraud" concern - as long as you're answering the certification questions honestly based on your actual work status each week, you're doing it right. The fact that you're asking these questions shows you want to follow the rules correctly! Good luck with the new contract position!

Just wanted to add my experience since I'm currently dealing with this too! I accepted a contract position two weeks ago with a start date of next Monday. I've been certifying normally this whole time and called EDD to double-check - they confirmed I should keep certifying until I actually start working. One thing I learned that might help: when you do start working, make sure you know whether you're getting a 1099 or W-2. For 1099 contractors, you report your gross earnings before any business expenses, but for W-2 contract work (like through a staffing agency), you report it the same as regular employment. Also, I've been keeping a simple calendar marking which days I plan to work once I start - it'll make the weekly certifications much easier when I need to calculate partial week earnings. The transition from unemployment to contract work definitely has more moving parts than regular employment, but sounds like you're asking all the right questions to do it correctly!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just to add one more data point - I spoke with an EDD representative last week about this exact scenario and they confirmed what others have said: you continue certifying normally until you actually START working, not when you accept the job offer. One thing I want to emphasize that I learned the hard way with my previous contract work - make absolutely sure you understand your payment schedule! Some contracts pay weekly, others bi-weekly, and some pay at project milestones. This affects how you calculate and report your weekly earnings, especially for that first partial week. Also, if you're working through a staffing agency or platform (like Upwork, etc.), they might withhold taxes even on contract work, which changes how you report earnings. Just something to double-check before you start. The fact that you're being so thorough about understanding the rules shows you're going to handle this transition perfectly. Congrats on landing the contract work - it's tough out there right now!

This is such a thorough thread - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! I'm actually in a somewhat similar situation but with a twist. I accepted a contract role that will start in about 3 weeks, but they want me to do some unpaid "onboarding" activities before my official start date (like reviewing company materials, attending a virtual orientation, etc.). Does anyone know how EDD handles situations where you're doing unpaid preparatory work before your actual paid start date? I assume I can still certify normally since it's unpaid, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. The orientation is only about 2 hours and the material review is maybe another hour spread across a few days. Also, reading through all these responses, it seems like keeping detailed records is super important. I'm going to start a simple spreadsheet now tracking dates, hours, and earnings once I do start working. Better to be over-prepared than scrambling later! Has anyone else dealt with unpaid pre-work activities while still on unemployment?

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and want to share what worked for me! The short answer is yes - you can absolutely certify for those weeks (4/10-4/23) since you weren't working during that time period. Here's what I learned from my experience: 1. **Verbal job offers don't count as "working"** - EDD's system is based on actual work performed, not future commitments or job offers. Until you physically start working and earning money, you're still unemployed in their eyes. 2. **For your certification this Sunday** - Answer all questions honestly based on your actual status during 4/10-4/23. Since you weren't working, you should be eligible for full benefits for those weeks. 3. **When you do start (around 5/2)** - That's when you'll report earnings for the days you actually worked, even if you haven't received payment yet. Keep a simple log of dates and hours worked. 4. **Contract work reporting tip** - If you know your hourly rate, multiply by hours worked. If it's project-based, estimate daily earnings by dividing total project value by expected working days. The key is being honest on your certifications and reporting based on when you actually perform work, not when you accept offers or receive payment. Since you're asking these questions, you're clearly trying to do things correctly - that's exactly the right approach! Good luck with the new contract position! 🎉

This thread has been incredibly comprehensive! Just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who recently navigated this transition successfully. I was in almost the exact same situation last month - accepted a contract role while on EDD but had about 2 weeks between accepting and starting. The key insight that helped me was understanding that EDD's certification system is really straightforward: it's all about your actual work status for those specific weeks you're certifying for. For your situation: - **Week of 4/10-4/23**: You didn't work = continue certifying normally - **Week you start working**: Report earnings for days actually worked in that week One thing I found super helpful was contacting the new employer to clarify exactly how they calculate pay for that first partial week. Some prorate based on days worked, others have minimum weekly amounts - knowing this upfront made my first certification much smoother. Also, don't overthink the "fraud" concern! The fact that you're here asking detailed questions shows you want to do everything correctly. EDD's system is designed to handle these transitions - they happen all the time. Just answer the certification questions honestly based on your actual work status each week. You've got this! Contract work can be a great stepping stone, and you're handling the transition perfectly by being thorough about the rules.