Can I get California EDD unemployment if I was fired for being sick?

This is really reassuring to hear. So the fact that I called in every time and followed their procedures should matter? I was worried they'd just take my employer's side automatically.

yeah this is right. my sister got fired for 'attendance' related to her chronic migraines and she got approved after her adjudication interview. the key is being able to explain it was medical

One thing to add - make sure you have documentation ready for the interview. Any doctor's notes, texts to your supervisor, emails about the absences. The more paper trail you have showing the absences were legitimate, the stronger your position.

Wait so the lack of any written warning actually helps my case? My employer just called me in out of nowhere. I never received anything in writing saying my job was in danger.

Exactly. It shows there was no progressive discipline process. EDD takes that into account when evaluating whether the separation was truly for disqualifying misconduct or just a business decision.

this is good info. i always assumed getting fired meant automatic denial but thats clearly not true

Oh wow I didn't realize I needed to keep filing. I almost stopped because I thought it was pointless while the claim was pending. Thank you for that.

This is so important!! I made the mistake of not filing during my adjudication period and when I was finally approved I lost out on like 5 weeks of payments. Keep filing every week no matter what!!

100% correct on continuing to file weekly claims. That's one of the most common and costly mistakes claimants make during adjudication.

Oh interesting - I've been trying to call EDD to ask about what to expect in the interview and can't get through at all. I'll check this out.

does that actually work? i've been trying to call edd for 3 weeks straight

It worked for me. I was skeptical too but I genuinely had an agent on the line and was able to ask about my specific situation. Worth trying if you're hitting walls.

This is incredibly helpful. I'm going to write all of this down. Should I bring physical copies of my doctor's notes to the interview or just have them ready in case they ask?

Bring everything you have. Organized is better than scrambling. Even if they don't ask for it during the call, you can offer to fax or email documentation after.

agreed being prepared with actual documents makes a huge difference. my adjudication went much smoother once i sent in supporting materials

This gives me so much hope. Thank you for sharing that. Did the whole process take long after the interview?

About 2 weeks after my phone interview I got the determination letter. Then payments started processing pretty fast after that.

glad it worked out for you. these approval stories are really helpful for people going through it right now

Both situations can result in benefits depending on circumstances. Quitting can be approved if you had 'good cause' (like unsafe working conditions or significant pay cut). Being fired is approved UNLESS EDD determines it was for misconduct. Neither automatically approves or denies - it depends on the reason.

ohhhh okay that makes way more sense. so neither one is automatic either way. thanks for clarifying i always had that backwards

yeah the misconduct thing is key. not all firings are misconduct. being sick is not misconduct

I looked up that code section after reading this and it's really reassuring. The key word being 'willful' - I had zero control over getting sick.

Exactly right. Willfulness is the core of misconduct disqualification. You can't willfully get sick. As long as you can show the absences were genuine and properly reported, you're on solid legal ground.

This is a really important point. A lot of employers try to frame legitimate medical absences as policy violations to avoid UI charges. EDD is supposed to look past employer framing to actual facts.

The timing you're describing could be relevant. If performance was never an issue before medical leave and suddenly became the reason for termination right after you returned, that's worth presenting in your adjudication interview. EDD considers context, not just the employer's stated reason.

ugh okay yeah. the timing is so obvious. my reviews were fine before i took leave. definitely bringing this up

Document that timeline if you can - any performance reviews, emails praising your work, then the sudden shift. That contrast tells a story.

Worth noting that this could also potentially be a separate legal issue under CFRA/FMLA protections, but that's a different conversation from the EDD claim process.

Job abandonment claims are actually often easier to disprove because there's typically phone records, texts, or emails showing you DID contact your employer. If you have any proof you called in, that directly contradicts the abandonment claim. Gather everything.

I have texts to my manager each time saying I was sick and couldn't come in. So there's a clear record. That's good right?

Those texts are gold for your adjudication. Save screenshots of every single one. That directly refutes the abandonment claim.

I'm sorry that happened to you. It's a good reminder not to be overconfident and to really prepare with documentation. Did you go through an attorney for the appeal?

I didn't, I couldn't afford one at the time. I've heard the California EDD appeals board sometimes has different outcomes than initial adjudication so that might have helped. Lesson learned the hard way.

This is really valuable even if it's not the outcome you wanted. Documentation really does make or break these cases. Thank you for sharing.

gonna try this today. been trying to call EDD for literally two weeks and can never get through

same here. the phone situation with EDD is absolutely brutal. anything that actually gets a human on the line is worth it

Good call on the quiet environment. I was going to do it during my lunch break in my car but maybe I should plan better than that.

Car is fine as long as you're parked and have signal! I did mine from my car actually. Just make sure it's somewhere you won't be interrupted.

also write down notes during the call if you can! i wish i had taken notes on what the rep said instead of just trying to remember it all later

This perspective is really eye-opening. So from the employer's side, firing someone without documented warnings actually weakens their ability to contest the UI claim? I had no idea it worked that way.

Exactly. To successfully argue misconduct and block your UI benefits, they basically need to show a documented pattern of warnings that you ignored. No paper trail makes that very hard to establish.

This HR perspective is really valuable context. Employers who skip progressive discipline frequently find their UI claims contested and lose.

wow never knew it was that hard for employers to contest claims without documentation. that's actually really reassuring for people in this situation

Yes, adjudication interviews are generally part of the official record. If your case goes to an appeal hearing, the record from adjudication can be referenced. This is why accuracy and consistency matter - tell the same true story every time.

okay good to know. not that i have anything to hide just wanted to know what the stakes were

It cuts both ways - if you're honest and consistent, having a record actually helps you. If an employer changes their story between adjudication and appeal, that inconsistency gets noticed too.

This is amazing news, congratulations!! This gives me so much hope heading into my interview next week.

Yes!! These approval posts are so important. People need to know this isn't automatic denial when you're fired.

congrats!! and thanks for coming back to update. it really helps people who are going through it right now

Wait seriously?? I didn't know I needed to be doing job searches while the claim is still being decided. I've only done like one or two things this week.

Yes - you should be completing and documenting job search activities every week you certify even during adjudication. It's a continuing eligibility requirement separate from the adjudication of your separation.

This is so important. Continuing eligibility requirements (able and available, actively seeking work, job searches) run parallel to the adjudication process. You can lose weeks even after being approved if you didn't meet those requirements during certification.

CalJOBS is the state system for logging your job search activities if you aren't already using it. Worth registering if you haven't yet.

Appeals are absolutely worth pursuing if you believe the determination was wrong. You file with the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB). You have 30 days from the determination date to appeal. The hearing is more formal than the adjudication interview - it's conducted like a mini administrative hearing with an ALJ (administrative law judge). It can take several weeks to months to get a hearing date but many people do win on appeal even after initial denial.

okay 30 days is good to know. i always assumed appeal was like a long shot but sounds like it's worth trying

The appeal process genuinely does correct a lot of incorrect initial determinations. The CUIAB hearing allows you to present more complete evidence and cross-examine employer witnesses. Initial adjudication decisions get overturned fairly often.

Really good tip. I actually kept a notes app open on my phone when I went through Claimyr so I could refer to my questions and also take notes on answers. Claimyr (claimyr.com) got me connected but what you do with that connection is up to you!

This is great advice. I'm going to write out all my questions before I try calling again. I've been so scattered trying to figure all this out.

the notes idea is genius. i always space out when i finally get someone on the line because im so surprised it worked lol