Can I get EDD benefits after being reduced to part-time hours? Need advice ASAP
I'm really stressing out here. My employer cut my hours from full-time to 20 hours per week about a month ago, and I'm seriously struggling to pay bills. My rent is due next week and I'm going to be short. I had no idea this reduction would impact me so much financially. Can I apply for partial unemployment benefits to cover those missing 20 hours? Has anyone successfully done this with EDD? Do I need to tell my employer I'm applying? I've never been in this situation before and have no clue how to start the process or if I even qualify. Any advice would be really appreciated!
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Diego Ramirez
Yes! You absolutely can apply for what's called "partial unemployment" benefits. This is specifically designed for situations like yours where your hours have been reduced. You'll need to: 1. File a regular UI claim through UI Online 2. When certifying, accurately report your part-time earnings each week 3. EDD will calculate a partial benefit payment based on your full weekly benefit amount minus a portion of your earnings The basic rule is that the first $25 or 25% of your wages (whichever is greater) won't count against your benefits. The remainder reduces your weekly benefit amount. And no, you don't need your employer's permission to apply, though they will be notified when you file a claim since they pay into the unemployment insurance system.
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ShadowHunter
•Thank you so much for this detailed explanation! This gives me hope. Do you know if there's a minimum number of hours that need to be reduced to qualify? Also, how long does it typically take for the first payment to come through? I'm trying to figure out how to manage until then.
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Anastasia Sokolov
i went thru this last year. boss cut me to 15hrs n i got partial UI. just be super careful reporting ur earnings each week dont mess up the math or theyll flag ur account trust me lol
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ShadowHunter
•Thanks for sharing your experience! Did EDD contact your employer to verify the reduction in hours? I'm just wondering what the process looks like.
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Sean O'Connor
THE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY RIGGED AGAINST PART-TIMERS!!! I tried filing for reduced hours last year and EDD made it IMPOSSIBLE to get through their stupid phone system!!! I called for TWO WEEKS straight and never got a human!!! Then when I finally got approved they said I reported my hours wrong and now I owe $2400 back!!! BE CAREFUL with these people they are NOT on your side!!!
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Zara Ahmed
•Sorry you had such a rough experience. I used a service called Claimyr when I couldn't get through to EDD after my hours were cut. Their system got me connected to an agent within about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. For me it was worth it just to get my claim questions answered and moving forward instead of being stuck in limbo for weeks.
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Luca Conti
you should qualify but make sure u understand how it wors. I got partial UI last month but they reduce your benefit for every dollar u earn (after the first 25% exemption). so if ur normal UI would be $400/week but u earn $300 at ur part time job, u might only get like $175 in UI benefits. still better than nothing but its not gonna replace ur full lost income just fyi
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Nia Johnson
•This isn't exactly right. The calculation is more complex. EDD doesn't deduct dollar-for-dollar. After disregarding the greater of $25 or 25% of your earnings, they subtract the remaining earnings from your weekly benefit amount. So if your weekly benefit amount would be $400, and you earn $300 working part-time, they'd disregard $75 (25% of $300), leaving $225 to be deducted. So $400 - $225 = $175 would be your partial UI payment. But yes, the key point is that partial UI won't fully replace all lost wages, but it definitely helps bridge the gap.
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CyberNinja
Good luck! I had my hours cut last year and applied right away. Just be super honest when reporting your hours each week. My checks were like $180 extra and it made a huge difference. Hang in there!!! 🙏
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ShadowHunter
Thank you all for the advice! I'm going to apply today through UI Online. I'm still a bit nervous about how my employer might react, but it sounds like this is exactly what partial unemployment is for. I'll be super careful about reporting my earnings correctly each week. Hopefully the extra income will help me stay afloat until I can either get my hours back or find a full-time position somewhere else.
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Diego Ramirez
•That's the right approach! Just remember that when you certify, you report your gross earnings (before taxes) for the week they were earned, not when you got paid. And if you work variable hours, keep a detailed log of your schedule. Good luck!
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Anastasia Sokolov
my roommate had same thing happen but w/ 18 hrs and he got denied cuz he still made too much $$ so dont get ur hopes up til u see what they say but def apply
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CyberNinja
my friend says theres a calculator on the edd website where u can put in ur hourly rate and see if u qualify? not sure where exactly but might help u figure it out before u apply
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Nia Johnson
•You're thinking of the UI benefit calculator: https://edd.ca.gov/en/Unemployment/UI-Calculator/. It can give you a rough estimate, but the actual calculation depends on your specific earnings history during the base period (typically the 12-18 months before you file). Part-time eligibility depends on your previous full-time wages and what you're earning now. The key is that your current weekly earnings must be less than your weekly benefit amount for you to receive something.
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Zara Ahmed
I went through the exact same situation in February - got cut from 40 to 22 hours. The EDD website was confusing but I finally figured it out. One tip: after you apply, there's a mandatory one-week waiting period before benefits start. So you won't get paid for the first week you certify for - that threw me off when I first saw my claim summary. Also check out the Work Sharing program if your company has multiple employees in the same boat: https://edd.ca.gov/en/Unemployment/Work_Sharing_Program/
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ShadowHunter
•Thank you for that heads-up about the waiting week! That's super helpful to know for budgeting purposes. I'll look into the Work Sharing program too, though I'm not sure if other employees had their hours cut or if it's just me.
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