Can I get EDD benefits if my hours were cut from 40 to 15 per week?

Yes, you absolutely can apply for partial unemployment when your hours are significantly reduced! This is called 'partial UI benefits' and it's specifically designed for situations like yours. To qualify, you need to be working less than full-time and earning less than your weekly benefit amount would be if you were fully unemployed. When you certify, you'll report your reduced work hours and wages, and EDD will calculate a partial payment based on what you're earning now. The basic calculation is that the first 25% of your earnings doesn't count against your benefits, then the rest reduces your payment dollar-for-dollar. Make sure when you apply that you clearly indicate your hours were reduced (not that you quit or were fired). You'll still need to meet all the other eligibility requirements, like being able and available for work.

i got hourse cut lsat year from 38 to 22 and got partial benefits no problem. just be honest on ur weekly certification about how many horus u work each week. dont forget 2 report ur gross pay (before taxes) not ur take-home pay or they'll come after u for overpayment later!!!

When you apply, make sure to have your last 18 months of employment history ready, and know exactly what date your hours will be reduced. You'll want to use the effective date of the reduction as your date of unemployment, NOT when they informed you about it. And yes, you should definitely apply. The general rule is that if your hours/wages are reduced by 20% or more, you may qualify. Going from 40 to 15 hours is well over that threshold. For your benefit calculation, EDD will look at your highest-earning quarter in the base period (typically the 12-month period before the last completed calendar quarter). With your hourly rate, you should qualify for a decent partial benefit, but it depends on your overall earnings history. One important thing: don't wait until after your hours are reduced to apply. You can apply as soon as you know when the reduction will take effect.

The system is BROKEN!!! I had my hours cut from 40 to 12 last summer and EDD made me wait SEVEN WEEKS before I got my first payment. They required a phone interview to "verify" why my hours were cut even though my employer already confirmed everything. I almost lost my apartment waiting. If you need to actually reach someone at EDD (which you probably will), good luck getting through on their phone lines!!! You'll get the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and then they hang up on you. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Question - did your employer tell you the reduction is permanent or temporary? That matters for your claim. If permanent, you may want to look for full-time work elsewhere while collecting partial benefits. If temporary, make sure to indicate that on your application. Also, be aware that when you certify every two weeks, if your hours fluctuate, you need to report that accurately each time.

One more important tip: When you're certifying bi-weekly, you'll answer a question asking if you refused any work. If your employer offers you additional hours and you turn them down, you must report that as refusing work, which could disqualify you from benefits for that week. Also, you still need to be actively seeking work while on partial unemployment. Document all your job search activities each week. EDD can request this information at any time, and if you can't provide it, they could disqualify you retroactively and demand repayment of benefits.

To answer your follow-up about job search: You should perform at least 3 work search activities each week, which can include applying for jobs, attending job interviews, registering with placement agencies, networking, etc. Regarding your question about when your claim starts - you'll use the Sunday of the week when your hours were actually reduced as your claim start date, not when you were notified. EDD calculates everything based on calendar weeks (Sunday through Saturday). Based on your hourly rate of $25 at 40 hours, you were making about $1000/week. Now at 15 hours, you're at $375/week. Your weekly benefit amount might be around $450 (depending on your base period earnings), so you'd likely receive a partial payment after the 25% deduction and remaining offset.

Anybody else notice how EDD makes everything 10x more complicated than it needs to be?? The whole system feels designed to discourage people from claiming benefits they're entitled to.