Can I get a payday loan while on unemployment? California EDD claimant asking

That's exactly the kind of answer I needed. So borrowing money doesn't touch the certification at all? My benefit year goes until next spring so I want to make sure I don't accidentally mess anything up by taking out some short-term debt.

Loan proceeds are not wages and EDD's certification questions ask about work and wages, not loans. You'd only be reporting something if you actually earned it.

Makes sense. I keep second-guessing every financial move I make while on UI, so it's good to hear this confirmed by someone who actually spoke to an agent about it.

wait does severance actually count?? I got a small severance payout when I was laid off and I didn't report it, now I'm freaking out

EDD's rules say to report severance when you certify, and then EDD decides how it affects your payment. It's on their list of things to report even though it doesn't necessarily disqualify you. If you didn't report it, you should contact EDD through your UI Online account message or by phone before it comes up another way.

oh no. ok I'll send a message through UI Online today. I didn't realize severance was different from just like, a going-away gift almost

EDD's list of reportable income is longer than most people expect. Vacation pay, holiday pay, bonuses, tips all go on there. When in doubt, report it and let EDD sort out what it does to your weekly amount.

Good to know the AJCC staff confirmed it too even if unofficially. Did you find the resume workshop helpful? I should probably be doing more on the job search front while I wait for something to open up.

Honestly yes, they had a mock interview session that caught some things I was doing wrong. And they had job fair info. Worth going even just for that.

CalJOBS is connected to those AJCC job fairs too. If you're registered in CalJOBS already you can RSVP through there sometimes.

I made that exact mistake my first time certifying. I thought any money I received in a week had to go on the form. Panicked and over-reported stuff. EDD actually had to sort out the mess later.

Over-reporting creates its own headaches, yeah. The form is really asking: did you do any work? How much did you earn from working? That's the scope of it.

I was definitely overthinking it in the same direction. I kept thinking 'money came in, I should report it' but that's not how it works apparently.

For anyone still unsure: interest you earn on a savings account is also not something EDD asks about on the UI certification. The form is about labor-based earnings.

I hadn't thought about CalFresh honestly. I assumed being on unemployment meant I made too much but I don't actually know where the threshold is.

Eligibility depends on household size and income, and the county decides what your benefit amount would be. Worth calling 1-877-847-3663 or going through BenefitsCal to find out. It won't affect your EDD claim.

dialing 211 also works if you want to find other local help in your area, like rental assistance programs and stuff like that. they know what's available county by county

what about like, selling stuff on Facebook Marketplace? I sold my old gaming setup for a couple hundred bucks while on EDD and now I'm worried

EDD's certification asks about wages from work and self-employment income. Selling personal belongings one-off is generally not the same as running a business or working. If you occasionally sell personal items that's different from operating as a reseller. That said, edge cases like that are worth asking EDD directly if you're unsure.

Agreed, the safest move on anything ambiguous is to send a message through your UI Online account and get EDD's answer in writing essentially. Then you have something to point to.

Two times through the process gives you a good sense of how it actually works. I'm still in first-time mode so everything feels like a potential landmine.

first claim is definitely the most stressful. by the second one you kind of know what to expect and what actually matters vs what you can stop worrying about

I did get that notice and I did register, but my resume on there is pretty bare bones. Should I be updating it regularly or is just having it posted enough?

Having it posted is the requirement EDD cares about. Keeping it current is good practice for actual job searching but EDD's system just needs it to exist.

Make sure the resume is actually visible/searchable in CalJOBS too, not set to private. That's tripped people up before where they technically posted it but no one could see it.

Ha, the tax refund fear is real. For what it's worth, Social Security benefits also don't get reported on EDD certifications and don't reduce your weekly benefit amount. But wages from part-time work, those absolutely do get reported.

yeah wages are really the only thing that affects the weekly amount right? like actual work earnings

Wages from work and certain other income like pensions can reduce what EDD pays you that week. Pensions based on past work may lower your benefit. But a loan, a gift, a refund, none of those.

I did get the DE 429Z, that's the notice showing my $387 amount. I didn't read it super closely but I should probably go back to it now that I know what it is.

Check it carefully. If anything on that notice looks wrong, like the wage amounts they used to calculate your weekly benefit, you have 30 days from the mailing date to appeal it in writing.

I didn't know there was an appeal window on that document specifically. Good to know in case the numbers are off.

Did it take a long time to find out? I'm dealing with some immediate bills so I'm trying to figure out what moves to make quickly.

The county processed mine in a couple of weeks if I remember right. You can also call 1-877-847-3663 for a quicker sense of whether you'd likely qualify before doing the full BenefitsCal application.

I actually did have that conversation with my landlord already and they gave me until the 20th. The car registration is the more urgent thing honestly.

Some counties have emergency rental assistance programs and 211 connects you to those. For the registration specifically, the DMV does have payment plans for registration fees, though you'd have to look into that separately.

211 is underrated for finding local emergency help fast. I've used it twice and both times they knew exactly which programs had open applications.

this is reassuring to read. I've been so stressed about accidentally screwing up my claim that I've been paranoid about literally every financial decision I make

That stress is really common for first-time claimants especially. The certification questions are more straightforward than people expect once you've done a couple of them.

the anxiety of the first few certifications is real. once you get through two or three and you see that the process is just 'did you work, how much did you earn, are you still looking for work' it gets a lot less scary

I've been applying but honestly not keeping great records of it. I should start a simple spreadsheet at minimum.

a spreadsheet is exactly what I use. company name, date, how I applied, position. nothing fancy but if EDD ever audits your work search activity you have something to show

Exactly. It doesn't have to be elaborate. The habit of recording it is what matters.

Glad you got an answer on that. The pending weeks with no explanation is one of the most stressful parts of being on UI. At least now you know what to fix.

Yeah, once I knew what the actual issue was I could address it. Without talking to an agent it was just a black box.

Employer-reported wage mismatches cause a lot of pending weeks and you'd never know just from looking at UI Online. Getting someone on the phone who can actually see what flag is on the claim is the only way to find out.

Part-time earnings while on UI - how does that work exactly? I might have an opportunity for some freelance hours.

You report what you earned that week. EDD has a formula where the first $25 or 25 percent of your gross earnings (whichever is bigger) is excluded and the rest gets subtracted from your weekly benefit. So if your benefit is $387 and you earned $100, your payment for that week gets reduced but you don't lose everything.

That formula is right. Part-time work while certifying doesn't end your claim, it just adjusts the weekly payment. Report Wages in UI Online lets you track the earnings before you certify, though it only works for the current week before you submit.

I hadn't thought to call the DMV directly. I assumed it was just pay or get a late fee but maybe there's more flexibility than I think.

They don't advertise it but it's worth asking about. Same way your landlord gave you until the 20th once you talked to them directly.

I actually kept COBRA because I'm mid-treatment for something and didn't want to switch plans. It's expensive but I didn't feel like I had a choice.

COBRA is brutal on the wallet but makes sense when you're in treatment. Hopefully the job search moves fast for you.

Medi-Cal is also worth checking through BenefitsCal depending on your income. COBRA is often more expensive than it needs to be for people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Covered California subsidies.

Wait so the interview date is on the UI Online homepage too? I need to look more carefully at that screen. I always just go straight to Claim History.

Scroll down from the top of the homepage when you're logged in. It shows the scheduled interview time there if you have one. Easy to miss if you're just clicking through to certify.

The DE 4800 notice is the official one for the interview. It tells you when the interviewer will phone you and what topics will come up. Keep your phone available at that exact time.

Appreciate the clear summary. I think I've got enough to feel confident about my situation now. Main takeaway: loans don't touch EDD, report actual work earnings, stay on top of CalJOBS and certifications.

That's exactly it. And look into CalFresh and 211 for the immediate bills if the loan route feels risky. Sometimes those resources are faster than people expect.

also don't forget your work search requirements while all this is going on. I got so focused on my financial stress during my claim that I went a couple weeks barely applying anywhere and it made me really anxious about whether I was technically in compliance. staying active on the job search is what keeps the whole claim solid