Can I get EDD benefits if I quit due to supervisor harassment with HR recordings?

Yes, you might qualify for UI benefits if you quit due to harassment, but you need to be extremely careful about how you handle this. EDD typically requires you to show that you made reasonable efforts to preserve your employment before quitting. This means: 1) Document EVERYTHING - save those videos and that recorded HR call 2) Follow your company's grievance procedure completely 3) Give management reasonable time to correct the situation 4) Make formal complaints in writing, not just verbal If you quit without giving the employer a chance to fix the issue, EDD may determine you quit without good cause. When you file, you'll have a phone interview with an EDD representative where you'll need to explain all this. Make sure you can clearly articulate how the work environment affected you and what steps you took to resolve it before leaving.

just quit n file. my cousin got approved after her boss was bein a jerk. edd usually sides with workers when theres proof. dont let them treat u like garbage!!

I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT THING in 2025!!! My manager was constantly belittling me and creating a hostile work environment. I documented EVERYTHING, reported to HR THREE TIMES, and waited 2 weeks for them to "investigate" before I finally had to leave for my mental health. EDD initially DENIED my claim saying I didn't have good cause to quit!!! I was shocked because I had so much evidence. I filed an appeal and had to wait 6 WEEKS for a hearing. The judge overturned the denial because I proved I tried to resolve the issues before quitting. MY ADVICE: Don't quit yet! Send a FORMAL WRITTEN complaint to HR detailing everything. Give them at least 2 weeks to resolve it. If nothing changes, send ANOTHER written complaint stating the issues continue. Only then should you consider quitting. And SAVE EVERYTHING - emails, recordings, names of witnesses. This system is BROKEN and stacked against workers, but you CAN win if you follow the right steps!

You should also know that California is a two-party consent state for recordings. This means both parties need to consent to being recorded for it to be legal. If you recorded your supervisor without their knowledge or consent, that evidence may not be usable and could potentially create legal issues for you. The HR call recording may be different if they informed you it was being recorded. Regarding unemployment eligibility: EDD considers whether you had "good cause" to quit. Harassment can qualify as good cause, but you need to show that: 1) The conditions would cause a reasonable person to quit 2) You attempted to preserve your employment After you apply, you'll have a phone interview where you'll need to explain your situation in detail. Prepare for this carefully with all your documentation.

have u tried talking to ur supervisor directly before going to HR? sometimes people don't realize how they come across and giving them a chance to correct might work. not defending them just saying EDD might ask if u tried to resolve directly

When I was in a similar situation last year, I spent WEEKS trying to get through to EDD to ask this exact question before making my decision. The phone lines were constantly busy with the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep told me that hostile work environment claims are evaluated case-by-case, and that documentation is absolutely critical. They also told me something nobody mentioned - that if you're denied benefits, you might still qualify for SDI (State Disability Insurance) if the situation is causing anxiety/depression that a doctor documents. Might be worth considering all your options.

To address your question about the recordings in an open office - the law focuses on whether there was a reasonable expectation of privacy, not just the physical location. Courts have ruled differently on this depending on specific circumstances. Since you're depending on these recordings for your UI claim, I'd recommend consulting with an employment attorney before using them. Many offer free initial consultations. Regarding next steps, I highly recommend sending a formal written complaint to HR (email is fine) summarizing the verbal discussion you already had and requesting specific remedial action. This creates a paper trail showing you're trying to resolve the situation. If you do decide to quit, do so in writing stating specifically that the reason is the hostile work environment that wasn't remedied despite your reports.

Just wondering - has anyone here successfully gotten backpay for the weeks during the appeal process if you were initially denied but then approved? I'm in week 4 of waiting for my appeal hearing after leaving a toxic workplace...

Thank you everyone for all this helpful advice! I'm going to follow the suggestions about creating a paper trail. I just sent a formal email to HR summarizing our conversation and specifically requesting intervention. I'll give them two weeks to address it, and in the meantime, I'll continue documenting any further incidents. I also managed to get through to an EDD representative using the Claimyr service someone suggested. The rep confirmed that harassment can qualify as good cause to quit, but I need to show I tried to resolve it first. They suggested I keep a detailed log with dates/times/descriptions of incidents and any witnesses present. If things don't improve after my formal complaint, I'll draft a resignation letter specifically citing the hostile work environment as the reason. I'm still hoping it won't come to that, but at least I feel more prepared now if it does. I'll update this thread once there's a resolution.