Can I get workers comp and unemployment at the same time? California EDD question

So if my doctor says I can do light duty work but just not my specific warehouse job, could I certify saying I'm available for light duty positions? Like I could realistically take an office job or something with these restrictions.

That's the right way to think about it. If you're able and available for some category of work, even with restrictions, and you're actively looking, that's what matters for the weekly certification question. EDD will ask about your restrictions at some point. What your doctor documents and what you certify need to match up.

My physical therapist actually told me the same thing about being available for light duty work opening the door to unemployment. Turned out to be right in my case last year.

Wait, so EDD classified your situation as a layoff even though it was connected to an injury? That's actually really helpful to know. Did the workers comp payments affect your unemployment amount at all?

The agent couldn't tell me exactly how EDD would handle the workers comp income side of it - said I should report it when I certify and EDD decides. I reported it every two weeks and my payments were reduced some weeks. EDD definitely tracks it.

DE 1101CZ is the notice EDD sends the employer after you file - glad you mentioned that form because a lot of people don't know the employer has a window to respond and if they miss it they lose the ability to appeal EDD's decision.

this is the right answer, i tried collecting both when i hurt my back in 2024 and EDD flagged it pretty quickly. had to sort it out

How did you sort it out when EDD flagged it? Did you get an overpayment notice or just a pending status on your weeks?

got a notice in the mail and had to respond explaining my situation. it was stressful but i hadnt done anything fraudulent so they sorted it without a penalty. just had to repay some of the overlap weeks

Good to know about the DE 4800. So I should apply now and then wait to see if I get that notice?

Apply as soon as possible. The claim starts from the Sunday of the week you file, so every week you wait is a week you can't go back and claim. You can apply online through UI Online, fastest way.

Missing that phone interview is really bad news - EDD just decides based on what they have, and without your side of the story that rarely goes well. Someone posted here a few months back that they missed theirs and ended up with a denial they had to appeal.

I haven't even applied for unemployment yet, still figuring out if I'm eligible. But CalJOBS is caljobs.ca.gov right? I'll bookmark that.

Correct. And you do it after you apply - EDD will mail the DE 8405 if you need to register. Just flagging it early because a lot of people get their claim going and then miss the CalJOBS step.

CalJOBS also has job listings filtered by type of work which might actually be useful for you if you're looking for light duty positions while you're on restrictions.

wait does workers comp count as earnings the same way a paycheck does? i thought it was more like insurance

Workers comp is on the list of things EDD says to report when certifying. EDD decides how it affects the payment. I wouldn't call it wages exactly but EDD still wants to know about it - report it and let them calculate.

This is a situation where calling EDD to ask how your specific workers comp payments will be treated is worth the effort. The rules on this are complex enough that getting it from an agent rather than guessing is smarter.

That's really encouraging. Did EDD ever question your ability-to-work status or was it smooth after the initial interview?

Had one phone interview early on where the EDD interviewer asked about my restrictions and what kinds of jobs I was looking for. I explained the light duty availability honestly and they accepted it. No issues after that.

Having your doctor's documentation in order like that is smart. If EDD ever questions your availability claim down the road, being able to point to what your physician actually cleared you for makes a huge difference.

My highest quarter was probably around $11,000 from the warehouse job. Any idea what that would translate to weekly?

Run it through the calculator on EDD's site - it'll be more accurate than any estimate here. But generally a highest quarter in that range puts you somewhere in the middle of the $40-450 band. The full base period earnings also factor in.

Don't forget the waiting week - every new claim has a one-week unpaid period. First certification usually covers the waiting week and one paid week, so don't freak out when the first payment seems short.

My adjuster did say something like 'you shouldn't need unemployment if you're on our benefits' and it felt like a warning. Good to know they have no actual authority over my EDD claim.

ZERO authority. EDD decides your unemployment eligibility period stop. The adjuster can respond to EDD's employer notice but that's it. File your claim.

The adjuster might also respond to the DE 1101CZ notice as a third party since they're involved in the employment situation - worth knowing that EDD may hear from them. But as said above, EDD makes the call.

Makes sense to just be straightforward. Were you able to certify during the time between applying and when the interview happened?

Yes, keep certifying every two weeks even while waiting. If the interview results in approval, those certified weeks get paid. If you stop certifying you lose those weeks entirely - can't go back and claim them.

This is the part people mess up most - they stop certifying thinking there's no point while things are pending. Always keep certifying through adjudication and even through an appeal if it comes to that.

Not accurate - what your cousin probably heard is that you can't get paid by both for the same days, which is true. But being on workers comp doesn't automatically bar you from even filing for unemployment. The able-and-available requirement is what matters, and that depends on what your restrictions actually allow you to do.

ok that makes more sense. he went through this himself a few years back and thought it was a hard rule

A lot of people leave money on the table because of that exact misunderstanding. If you're able to work in some capacity and looking, unemployment may very well be available to you even during workers comp.

Mine is definitely modified restrictions, not total disability. Doctor cleared me for sedentary and light work. So I should be able to honestly certify availability for those kinds of jobs.

That's the key distinction. Document what jobs you're applying to, keep notes on where and when you applied. EDD doesn't specify a contact number you have to hit each week but having records is good practice if your claim ever gets questioned.

The CalJOBS job search tools are genuinely useful for this - you can filter by physical demand level which helps when you're working with restrictions.

ID.me - is that the thing where you have to do a video selfie? I did something like that for a different government program last year.

Same system. You create an account, upload your ID, and they verify it. Some people get through instantly, others get stuck and have to do a video call with an ID.me agent. Frustrating but necessary.

If the DE 1326C comes, don't delay on it. Every day you wait is another day your claim sits frozen.

I didn't know that form had a deadline attached. What would be wrong on it typically - like if the weekly amount seems too low?

Usually the weekly amount is off if EDD used different wages than you expected, or if they used the standard base period when your wages fall mostly in a more recent quarter. If you think the amount is wrong, appeal within 30 days and EDD will review it.

An alternate base period uses your most recent four completed quarters instead of the standard base period - but EDD only applies it automatically when the standard period doesn't give you a valid claim at all. It doesn't get used just to bump up the amount on a valid claim.

52 weeks from when I apply - so I should really apply now rather than waiting to see how workers comp plays out. Got it.

Exactly. The claim year doesn't pause. And if you eventually go back to work and then get laid off again during that same 52-week window, you can reopen the existing claim through UI Online rather than starting from scratch.

Reopening a claim through UI Online is faster than filing new - the system already has your base period wages on file so it doesn't have to recalculate everything from the start.

The pending status is what I've heard scares people the most. Good to know it's not the same as denied.

Pending just means they haven't finished deciding yet. Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what the status says. Those weeks only get paid if you certified them.

i panicked when i saw pending for weeks and stopped certifying thinking it was hopeless. cost me several weeks of back pay because those uncertified weeks were just gone

If I accidentally report something wrong on a certification, is there a way to fix it before it becomes an overpayment issue?

There's a Report Wages option in UI Online that lets you work out a week's wages before you certify. But if you've already submitted a certification with a mistake, contact EDD directly - through a message in your UI Online account or by phone - to correct it. Don't just leave a known error sitting there.

Contacting EDD proactively about a mistake shows good faith and is a lot better than waiting for them to find it later and start an overpayment investigation.

Social Security not being deducted trips people up - a lot of people assume any government benefit reduces unemployment. Only certain kinds do and EDD decides the amount.

The safe move with any income type you're unsure about is to report it and let EDD decide rather than trying to interpret the rules yourself and potentially underreporting.

How did you find dealing with the agent once you got through? Did they actually have all your claim info in front of them?

Agent had everything - could see which weeks were pending, when the employer responded, what the open issue was. Way more useful than staring at the Pending status in UI Online with no explanation.

might try that for my own situation, been trying to figure out why two weeks of mine have been sitting pending for almost a month

Calendar days from the mailing date, not when I receive it - that's a really important distinction. I'll make a note of that.

A lot of appeals get rejected because people count from when they got the letter rather than the date printed on it. Mail can take a few days. File as soon as you decide to appeal rather than waiting until day 29.

Even during an appeal, keep certifying. The California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board handles the hearing after EDD does its first review - an administrative law judge decides and mails a written decision.

Training benefits being tied to EDD approval is the key part - you can't just sign up for any class and claim the exemption. EDD has to specifically approve the training program.

Right, definitely not automatic. Had to contact EDD and go through their review of the program I wanted to take. Worth exploring if your workers comp recovery is going to keep you out of your old job type long-term.

Worth knowing that benefits are federal taxable income whether they come from unemployment or any extension. California doesn't tax them at the state level, but federal applies. EDD lets you opt into 10% federal withholding when you certify, or you can handle it yourself at tax time.