Can I certify for EDD during unpaid holiday closure at my temp job?

ur fine just make sure to report any hours/wages for days u actually worked. if the place is closed and ur not getting paid u can totally certify for those weeks. my cousin works seasonal at nordstrom and does this every jan when they cut hours

Be EXTREMELY careful with this!!! I was in a similar situation with a seasonal retail job last year and got hit with an overpayment notice 4 months later because I didn't report correctly. EDD considers you still 'employed' even during temporary business closures. You have to answer YES to 'do you have a job' but then clearly indicate zero hours worked and zero wages for those specific days. DON'T say you're unemployed or you'll have issues later!!!

Yes, you can certify for those weeks. This situation falls under what EDD calls "partial unemployment." Here's how to handle it: 1. Answer YES to "Did you work or earn money?" 2. Report any hours and wages for days you actually worked that week 3. For the closed days, report 0 hours and 0 wages 4. Answer YES to "Were you available for work?" 5. Make sure to select "Temporary shutdown" as your reason for reduced hours EDD will calculate a partial payment based on your reported earnings for the week. If you earn over your Weekly Benefit Amount, you won't receive payment for that week, but you'll still keep your claim active.

Last time this happened to me with a temp job, I tried to call EDD to ask this exact question and spent DAYS trying to get through. Eventually found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The EDD agent confirmed exactly what people are saying here - you can certify for those weeks with zero income, just make sure to indicate it's a temporary closure and not that you lost your job completely.

To clarify what others have said: You report the TOTAL hours and wages for each certification week. If your week is Sunday-Saturday and you worked Monday-Wednesday before the closure, you'd report those total hours and earnings for that week. For weeks you're completely off due to closure, you'd report zero hours and wages. Importantly: Don't report that you're no longer employed. You're still employed but temporarily not working. This distinction is crucial for avoiding issues later. When asked if you're still employed, say YES. The question "Did you look for work?" should still be answered YES, as maintaining your claim requires you to be available and searching for work, even during temporary shutdowns.

I went through something similar with my seasonal construction job last winter. What I learned is that you need to be VERY specific about your situation with EDD. When you certify, you should: 1. Report you're still employed (because you are - the temp job hasn't ended) 2. Report zero wages during the shutdown weeks 3. Indicate "no work available" as the reason 4. Continue doing your work search activities But here's what confused me: You might get a follow-up questionnaire about your employment status. Answer it carefully explaining it's a TEMPORARY shutdown, not a layoff or termination. My mistake was rushing through this part and it triggered an eligibility interview that took weeks to resolve.

Just wanteed to say im in the EXACT same situation but with a gardening company!! they close for 3 weeks over xmas and new years and im so stressed about paying rent. going to follow this thread for advice too. good luck to you!!

ALSO!!! Make sure you know exactly what day you're supposed to return to work after the shutdown. EDD might ask for that date specifically. If you say "I don't know" or give the wrong date, they can disqualify your benefits for those weeks because they'll think you're not "attached" to the employer anymore. This happened to my sister-in-law last year and it was a NIGHTMARE to fix!!!

Yes, getting the closure and return dates in writing is absolutely advisable. A simple email confirming "Our facility will be closed from December 22, 2025 to January 3, 2026, with regular operations resuming on January 4, 2026" would be perfect documentation. One additional point: If there's any chance of you working at all during the shutdown (like if they might call you in for inventory or other tasks), make sure you're clear about your availability. If you indicate you're available for work during certification but then decline work if they offer it during the closure, that could potentially create issues with your claim. It's best to have clear expectations on both sides.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you're certifying during the shutdown weeks, pay close attention to the work search requirement questions. Even though you're technically still employed, you still need to be conducting work searches to maintain eligibility. Some people think they can skip this step during temporary shutdowns, but EDD still requires it. Keep a record of your job search activities (even if it's just updating your resume or checking job boards) because they can audit this at any time. Also, if your temp agency has other positions available during the closure, you might be expected to accept suitable work through them. Good luck with everything - the holiday closure situation is super stressful when you're already tight on money!