Can I get California EDD unemployment and SSI at the same time?

This is exactly the clarification I needed - so I won't lose my SSI entirely, it'll just be offset? That's actually a relief. I was terrified I'd have to pick one or the other.

wait so they reduce your ssi dollar for dollar?? that seems really unfair if youre already struggling

Not exactly dollar for dollar - there's a $20 general income exclusion first, so SSA subtracts your unemployment benefit amount minus $20 from your SSI payment. So if you get $400/week in unemployment that's roughly $1,600/month, minus the $20 exclusion = $1,580 reduction to SSI. But since the maximum SSI payment is currently around $967/month, your SSI would just go to $0 temporarily rather than creating a debt. You'd need to run the actual numbers for your situation.

That's such an important distinction that nobody explains clearly anywhere. I was worried that having SSI would make EDD think I was claiming to be too disabled to work. The fact that they use different legal standards makes a lot of sense.

this is actually really good info. my cousin has a similar situation and has been afraid to even file for unemployment because of her disability benefits. gonna share this thread with her

Totally agree with this. I know someone who collected both for several months after a layoff. The key is being honest with both agencies about your situation. Don't hide the unemployment from SSA and don't hide your SSI disability status from EDD but also don't volunteer more than what they ask for.

I've been trying to call EDD all week with zero luck. I'll check out that video, thanks. I do feel like I need to speak to someone directly about my specific situation before I file.

oh man the EDD phone situation is genuinely a nightmare. ive tried calling at 8am like people say and still cant get through half the time

seconding Claimyr - used it when my claim got stuck in adjudication and actually got through to talk to someone within the same day. for complicated situations like mixing SSI with unemployment you really do need a human on the phone

Okay this is crucial information. I was genuinely unsure how to answer that question because I do have physical limitations. But you're right - my limitations didn't stop me from working, they just mean I can't do every type of job.

YES this is so important. i answered no once because i had a doctors appointment and thought it meant something different and my whole claim got flagged. took forever to sort out

Good point - and to add to this, if you have work restrictions due to your disability, California EDD considers you 'available for suitable work' as long as there IS some type of work you can perform. You don't have to be available for every type of job, just for work that fits your physical capabilities. Document your limitations clearly but don't overstate them.

This is actually a really common misconception worth clearing up. SSI has a program called Ticket to Work and also allows for 'trial work periods' and partial disability classifications. Someone can receive SSI while also doing some level of work activity - it's not always a complete inability to work. The OP mentioned their SSI was already being reduced because of their earnings, which means SSA was already aware they were working. The two programs absolutely coexist for many people.

ohhhh okay i totally did not know that. i thought it was like you're either disabled and can't work or you're able to work and can't get disability. the reality is a lot more complicated apparently

Yeah this is the exact confusion I had too. The SSI rules are actually more nuanced than most people realize - they reduce your benefit based on earnings rather than cutting you off completely in most cases.

This is so reassuring to hear a real success story. Did EDD ever question your SSI status during the process or was it pretty straightforward?

EDD never asked about my SSI at all honestly. Their questions focus on your work history, your reason for separation, and your job search activities. SSA and EDD genuinely don't share that information with each other in real time. Just make sure YOU report correctly to both sides.

This is such helpful real world experience. The point about filing ASAP is so important - I delayed filing once thinking I needed to have everything figured out first and lost almost two weeks of potential benefits.

Great question. California EDD's standard job search requirement is to make at least one job search contact per week, though they encourage more. Having a disability doesn't exempt you from job search requirements in most cases. HOWEVER - you can limit your job search to positions that accommodate your physical restrictions. So if you can only do light duty work, you only need to apply to light duty positions. Keep a detailed job search log documenting the positions you applied to and why they match your capabilities. This actually protects you if EDD ever reviews your claim.

ok good to know. i was wondering if having restrictions meant you could skip the job search part entirely. makes sense that you still have to look, just within your limitations

The job search log thing is something I need to set up immediately. I've been so focused on figuring out the SSI-unemployment interaction that I almost forgot about the ongoing requirements once I'm actually approved.

This is my fear exactly - that I'll get someone who just reads scripts at me. Is there any way to get to someone more senior?

When you do get through, be very clear upfront that you have a complex situation involving multiple benefit types and ask if they can transfer you to someone with more specialized knowledge or a supervisor. Some agents will, some won't, but it doesn't hurt to ask immediately rather than wasting 20 minutes with someone who can't help.

This is another reason why actually reaching someone quickly matters so much - using something like Claimyr to get through faster means you can try again if the first agent isn't helpful, rather than giving up after a 3-hour hold session just to reach someone unhelpful

Same - I've read so many government websites and none of them explain the interaction clearly. This forum has been way more helpful than anything official.

the official websites are written to be as confusing as possible i swear

Saving this comment. This is exactly the kind of organized breakdown I needed. The point about describing my situation consistently to both agencies is something I wouldn't have thought to be careful about.

This is a great list. I'd add: take screenshots or print confirmations of everything you submit to both agencies. If anything ever gets disputed having a paper trail saves you.

The 'do not forget to certify' warning cannot be overstated. I missed one week by like 3 hours because I thought the deadline was midnight and it's actually 11:59pm and they would NOT let me certify late. Lost that whole week.

California EDD's able and available requirement applies regardless of whether the disability is physical or mental. The question is whether the condition prevents you from working entirely or just limits what type of work you can do. If your brother has been successfully working with his condition, that's evidence he's able to work - same analysis as for physical disabilities. If his condition has periods where he's genuinely unable to work, he'd need to answer the weekly certification questions honestly about those specific weeks.

ok that makes sense. he's been working consistently so i think he'd be fine. just wasn't sure if mental health disabilities got treated differently

SSA has actually been moving toward parity in how they treat physical and mental health conditions in recent years. For EDD purposes the distinction really doesn't matter - it's all about your functional ability to work, not the category of disability.

What you might be describing is actually SSI based on your own low income/resources situation while your husband has a qualifying disability in the household - SSI isn't actually paid to family members based on someone else's disability the way Social Security survivor or dependent benefits work. But whatever your benefit situation, your own California EDD unemployment claim is evaluated entirely separately based on YOUR work history and separation reason. If you personally worked and got laid off, you can file for unemployment on your own work record regardless of household benefit situations.

hmm you're right i might be mixing up the terminology. i'll have to look at my actual benefit paperwork more carefully. thanks for not just dismissing my question

This is a really important warning. So even if I report everything on time and correctly I could still end up with an overpayment situation just from timing issues?

Unfortunately yes, it can happen. In my case I filed an appeal with SSA explaining the timeline and submitted EDD payment records as evidence, and they reversed the overpayment finding. It was stressful but ultimately resolved. Keep absolutely everything documented.

This is why the paper trail advice keeps coming up in this thread. Documentation of WHEN you reported things, not just what you reported, is crucial for exactly this kind of situation. The SSA appeal process for overpayments is workable if you have the records to back up your timeline.

I keep hearing about this service in this thread. I'm going to try it this week - I really do feel like I need to hear from an actual EDD agent that my specific claim setup is okay before I start spending money I may not actually receive.

That peace of mind is exactly why I used it - I just needed someone to look at MY account and confirm it was fine, not just generic answers. The agent I spoke to was actually pretty helpful once I got through.

the two week struggle to get through to EDD before finding a solution is SO relatable. ive given up after day 3 before

Not a dumb question at all - it's actually an important distinction. Unemployment benefits are counted as UNEARNED income by SSA for SSI purposes. Earned income (from working) has a more favorable exclusion formula - SSA disregards the first $65 plus half of the remainder. Unearned income only gets the $20 general exclusion. So unemployment benefits actually get less favorable SSI treatment than wages would, which is a bit counterintuitive.

wait so if i was working part time i'd keep more of my SSI than if i'm collecting unemployment?? that actually seems backwards

Yes, that's correct and it surprises a lot of people. The SSI program generally encourages work through the more favorable earned income exclusions. Unemployment is considered a replacement for lost wages, not work itself, so it gets the less favorable unearned income treatment. It doesn't mean unemployment is bad to collect - you're still likely better off financially - it just doesn't have the same incentive structure as actual wages.

Oh this is a good point. In my case the disability isn't currently stopping me from working - I was working fine until the layoff - so UI seems correct. But good to know SDI exists as a separate thing.

Correct distinction. SDI is for when your OWN disability is the reason you can't work right now. UI is for when you're ready, willing, and able to work but there's no job because of the layoff. Since OP's situation is the latter, UI is absolutely the right program to apply for.

I genuinely did not know SDI and UI were different programs. I've seen both terms and assumed they were the same thing with different names. Thanks for clarifying.

EDD doesn't actually see your SSI status when they review your claim - those systems don't communicate. So SSI itself shouldn't trigger an interview. Claims get flagged for interviews typically due to issues with your employment separation (employer disputes the reason, contract work situations, etc.) or identity verification issues, not because of separate government benefits you receive.

Oh good - so EDD is only looking at my employment relationship, not my broader financial/benefit situation. That actually makes sense from a data privacy standpoint.

Exactly right. EDD's job is to verify you had qualifying employment, were laid off through no fault of your own, and are meeting your ongoing requirements. Your SSI, savings, other income sources - those aren't their concern. SSA handles its own accounting separately.

Good to know it actually worked for you! I'm going to try it tomorrow. I feel like I have most of the information I need from this thread but I really want to confirm with an actual agent before my first certification.

three separate people in this thread have had success with it, that's pretty compelling lol

okay fine i'll try it. been putting it off but two weeks of getting disconnected over and over is enough

So glad to hear it worked out! Your update is going to be helpful for everyone else who finds this thread searching for the same question. The 'can I get unemployment and SSI' situation is way more common than people think.

Great outcome and thanks for coming back to update. The SSI offset working out in your favor financially is exactly what tends to happen - the combined total usually beats either one alone. Good luck with the job search.

Love a resolved thread. Bookmarking this whole thing for future reference because I could definitely see this coming up again for me or people I know.