Can I claim EDD benefits if laid off from one job but still working part-time at another?
I'm in a weird situation and not sure if I qualify for unemployment. I was working 25 hours/week at a restaurant ($21/hr) and 15 hours/week at a retail store ($19/hr). Last week, the restaurant suddenly closed and I lost those hours completely. I still have my retail job but those 15 hours aren't enough to cover my bills. Can I apply for partial unemployment benefits even though I'm still employed part-time? Has anyone been in this situation before? The EDD website isn't clear about this scenario and I'm worried about making a mistake on my application.
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Mateo Rodriguez
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.
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Nia Thompson
•Thanks so much for the quick response! Do you know if there's a minimum amount of hours I need to have lost to qualify? Also, when certifying, do I just report my current retail income or do I need to mention the job I lost too?
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Aisha Hussain
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
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Nia Thompson
•That's good to hear! Did you have any issues with the application process? I'm worried they'll be confused about why I'm applying when I technically still have a job.
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GalacticGladiator
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.
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Nia Thompson
•That makes sense. I didn't realize they would consider the percentage of hours lost across both jobs. I'll definitely include information about both positions when I apply. Thanks for explaining!
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Ethan Brown
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!!!
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Yuki Yamamoto
•While I understand your frustration, this isn't entirely accurate. If your earnings from your remaining job exceed your weekly benefit amount, then yes, you won't receive benefits that week - that's by design, not because the system is broken. However, OP should still apply because they lost significant hours and their remaining retail job likely doesn't exceed their potential benefit amount.
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Carmen Ruiz
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!
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Andre Lefebvre
•If you're having trouble getting through to EDD, try Claimyr.com - it helped me get connected to an actual agent without spending days calling. They have a system that basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km
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Zoe Dimitriou
when i certify do i put the hours im working or the hours i lost?? im confused about this part too
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Mateo Rodriguez
•When you certify, you report the hours you actually worked and the money you earned during that certification period (usually 2 weeks). You don't report the hours you lost. EDD will calculate your partial benefit based on what you're currently earning compared to your approved benefit amount.
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Yuki Yamamoto
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.
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Nia Thompson
•This is super helpful, thank you! I didn't know about the $25/25% rule. That makes me feel more optimistic about actually getting some assistance while I look for a replacement for my restaurant hours.
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Aisha Hussain
just wondering what happened with this? did u end up getting benefits? im in kinda the same boat now
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Nia Thompson
•Yes! I applied about 3 weeks ago and got approved last week. I'm getting partial benefits that help bridge the gap while I look for another job to replace my restaurant hours. Definitely apply if you're in a similar situation. Just make sure you report your current income accurately when certifying.
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