Can I claim EDD benefits if laid off from one job but still working part-time at another?

Yes, you absolutely can and should apply for unemployment! This is called partial unemployment. You'll report your current work and earnings each time you certify, and EDD will calculate a reduced benefit amount based on what you're still earning. The key is that you lost hours/wages through no fault of your own from one job, which qualifies you even while working another. Just make sure you accurately report your continuing income when you certify every two weeks.

i did this in 2023! restaurant cut my hours from 30 to like 8 a week and i got partial benefits. just be honest about what ur still making when u certify and theyll figure it out

The important thing here is the concept of "substantial reduction in hours." Since you lost over 60% of your total working hours (25 out of 40), you should qualify. When you file, you'll need to provide information about BOTH jobs - the one you lost and the one you still have. Then during certification, you report your current earnings from the retail job. One thing to note: if your weekly earnings from the retail job exceed your weekly benefit amount, you won't receive benefits for that week. But definitely apply, as your restaurant job was your primary source of income.

Be CAREFUL! I tried to do this last year and got denied because I was making "too much" at my second job!! The EDD system is BROKEN and they will find ANY excuse not to pay you what you deserve!! I had to appeal THREE TIMES before they finally approved my claim and by then I was already behind on rent. They make this process impossible on purpose!!!

Good luck actually getting through to anyone at EDD if you have questions or problems with your application. Took me like 45 calls to talk to someone when I had a similar situation!

when i certify do i put the hours im working or the hours i lost?? im confused about this part too

To add some specifics that might help: California has a formula for partial unemployment. For each week, they take your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) and subtract a portion of what you earn at your part-time job. The first $25 or 25% of your earnings (whichever is greater) doesn't count against you. So if your WBA is $350 and you earn $200 at your retail job, they would calculate roughly: $350 - ($200 - $50) = $200 in benefits for that week. This is why it's worth applying even with your retail job.

just wondering what happened with this? did u end up getting benefits? im in kinda the same boat now

I'm glad to see this worked out for you! Your situation is actually pretty common - a lot of people don't realize they can get partial unemployment when they lose one job but keep another. For anyone else reading this thread, it's also worth noting that you should apply as soon as possible after losing the hours since there's usually a one-week waiting period, and benefits are only paid from the date you file (not retroactively to when you lost the job). The sooner you apply, the sooner you can start getting that financial help while job searching.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation where I lost my main job but still have a few hours at another place. Reading through all these responses really clarifies how partial unemployment works. One thing I'd add for anyone applying - make sure to keep detailed records of your work hours and earnings from both jobs when you apply. EDD will want to see your employment history and wage information for both positions to properly calculate your benefits. Having pay stubs or a work schedule from both jobs handy will make the application process much smoother.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share that I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago! I was working at a coffee shop (30 hrs/week) and doing freelance tutoring (10-15 hrs/week). When the coffee shop laid off half their staff, I was terrified I wouldn't qualify for anything since I still had the tutoring income. But I applied anyway and got approved for partial benefits that really helped me stay afloat while job hunting. The key thing I learned is that EDD looks at your total loss of income, not just whether you're completely unemployed. Don't let fear stop you from applying - the application process was actually more straightforward than I expected, and the partial benefits made a huge difference in covering my rent and groceries during that transition period.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I was working two part-time jobs - one at a bookstore (20 hrs/week) and another doing food delivery (about 25 hrs/week). The bookstore just closed permanently last month, and now I'm scrambling to make ends meet with just the delivery income. Reading through this thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea partial unemployment was even a thing! I've been putting off applying because I thought having any job would disqualify me, but seeing all these success stories is giving me the confidence to finally submit my application. Does anyone know if gig work like food delivery gets treated differently than traditional part-time employment when it comes to reporting earnings during certification?

I've been following this thread as someone who works with folks navigating unemployment benefits, and wanted to add a few practical tips that might help others in similar situations. First, when you apply, be very clear about the reason for separation from your lost job - "lack of work" or "business closure" rather than anything that might suggest you quit voluntarily. Second, if you're having trouble with the online application, you can also file by phone, though wait times can be long. Finally, once approved, set up direct deposit if possible - it's much faster than waiting for benefit cards to arrive by mail. The partial unemployment program is really designed for exactly these scenarios, so don't hesitate to use it when you need it!

As someone who recently went through this exact scenario, I can confirm that partial unemployment benefits are absolutely available for your situation! I was working at a grocery store (22 hrs/week) and a small marketing firm (18 hrs/week) when the firm suddenly shut down. Even though I kept my grocery store job, I qualified for partial benefits because I lost a substantial portion of my weekly income through no fault of my own. The application process was actually pretty straightforward - just make sure you have all your wage information from both jobs ready, including your final pay stub from the restaurant. When you certify biweekly, you'll report your current retail earnings and EDD will calculate your partial benefit amount. Don't let the fact that you're still working discourage you from applying - this is exactly what the partial unemployment program is designed for. I'd recommend applying as soon as possible since there's typically a one-week waiting period. Good luck!

I'm currently going through a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I was working full-time at a hotel (40 hrs/week) and part-time at a catering company (12 hrs/week) when the hotel laid me off due to budget cuts. I still have my catering gig but those few hours barely cover my gas money. I was worried that having ANY employment would disqualify me, but reading everyone's experiences here has convinced me to apply for partial benefits. It's amazing how many people don't know this option exists - I certainly didn't until I found this discussion. For anyone else hesitating like I was, the common theme seems to be: apply quickly, be honest about your earnings when certifying, and keep good documentation. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - you've really helped clarify this confusing process!

I went through something very similar last year and want to encourage you to apply right away! I was working at a gym (28 hrs/week) and cleaning offices on weekends (10 hrs/week) when the gym closed permanently. I was so confused about whether I'd qualify since I still had the cleaning work, but it turned out to be a perfect case for partial unemployment. The key thing that helped me was understanding that EDD looks at your total weekly earnings before and after the job loss. Since you went from earning roughly $810/week to about $285/week, that's a massive reduction that absolutely qualifies you for benefits. When I applied, I made sure to emphasize that the restaurant closure was completely beyond my control and provided documentation from both jobs. The partial benefits I received made such a difference while I searched for a replacement job. Don't overthink it - apply today if you can!

I'm new here but wanted to share my experience since I just went through this exact situation! I was working at a bakery (32 hrs/week) and doing freelance graphic design (about 8-12 hrs/week) when the bakery suddenly closed due to their lease issues. I was terrified about applying for unemployment since I still had some design income, but this thread convinced me to go for it. I applied about a month ago and just got approved last week! The partial benefits are definitely helping bridge the gap while I look for a new main job. For anyone still hesitating - the application really wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Just be completely honest about both jobs when you apply and report your continuing freelance income accurately when you certify. The EDD representatives I spoke with were actually pretty helpful in explaining how partial unemployment works. Don't let fear stop you from getting the help you're entitled to!

This thread has been incredibly helpful for so many people! I'm currently in a very similar situation - was working at a clothing store (24 hrs/week) and a coffee shop (20 hrs/week) when the clothing store had to close due to their parent company going bankrupt. I still have my coffee shop hours but it's definitely not enough to cover my expenses. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me the confidence to apply for partial unemployment benefits. It's amazing how many of us didn't know this was even an option! I'm going to gather all my documentation from both jobs tonight and submit my application tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - knowing that so many people in similar situations have successfully navigated this process makes it feel much less overwhelming. Fingers crossed it works out!

I just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I was in almost the exact same boat about 8 months ago - working at a restaurant (30 hrs/week) and doing part-time retail (12 hrs/week) when the restaurant suddenly shut down due to health code violations. Like so many others here, I had no idea partial unemployment was even a thing and almost didn't apply because I thought any remaining income would disqualify me completely. What really helped me was calling the EDD phone line (yes, it took forever to get through) and speaking with a representative who walked me through exactly how partial benefits work. They explained that since I lost the majority of my weekly income through no fault of my own, I absolutely qualified for help while searching for replacement hours. The application process was much more straightforward than I expected, and I've been receiving partial benefits for the past several months while building up my hours at a new job. For anyone still hesitating - this program exists specifically for situations like ours where you lose significant income but aren't completely unemployed. Don't let uncertainty stop you from getting the financial assistance you're entitled to during this transition period!