Can I increase my weekly benefit amount after high-paying freelance work ended?
I'm in a weird situation with my unemployment claim. Last year I was laid off from my regular job where I was making about $22/hr. I filed for unemployment and was getting around $340/week. Then I landed this amazing freelance contract in the tech industry that paid almost triple my previous salary (about $8,500/month). The contract lasted for 4 months, and during that time I properly reported my earnings and didn't collect any UI benefits. Now the contract has ended, and I need to reopen my claim. Here's my question - is there any way to update my claim to reflect these higher earnings? My current weekly benefit amount is based on my old lower-paying job. I've been on the EDD website for hours and can't figure out if this is even possible. Has anyone successfully increased their WBA after having higher earnings? Or am I stuck with the original calculation until my benefit year ends?
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Evelyn Martinez
Unfortunately, your weekly benefit amount (WBA) is fixed for your entire benefit year based on your base period earnings at the time you first filed. The base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. Those high-paying freelance earnings won't affect your current claim. You'll need to wait until your current benefit year expires, then file a completely new claim to potentially get a higher WBA based on those freelance earnings (assuming they fall within the base period for your new claim).
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Alexander Evans
•Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. My benefit year doesn't end until November 2025. So there's absolutely no way to update my earnings? Even if I call EDD directly?
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Benjamin Carter
DONT BOTHER TRYING!! EDD is the WORST about this stuff. I had almost the exact same situation last year with contract work and they told me I was STUCK with my original WBA no matter what. The system is designed to screw us over. The rep literally laughed when I asked if I could get my benefit amount increased!!
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Alexander Evans
•That's so frustrating. Did you try filing a new claim? Or was there really no way around it?
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Maya Lewis
I think you might be confusing how the system works. The whole point of unemployment is to provide temporary assistance based on your established work history, not recent short-term gigs. Your base period is calculated from the specific quarters before you apply. That's why they call it a "base" - it's the foundation that doesn't change throughout your claim. I'd be happy to be wrong though! Would make my own benefits higher too lol.
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Evelyn Martinez
•You're exactly right. The base period is fixed for the entire benefit year. Those freelance earnings, while impressive, won't impact the current claim's WBA.
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Isaac Wright
If you need to speak with an EDD representative about this (though the others are correct that your WBA won't change mid-claim), I'd recommend using Claimyr.com to get through to EDD much faster. I was in a similar situation with questions about my claim after some contract work, and I spent DAYS trying to get through on the phone with no luck. Claimyr connected me to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Just to set expectations though - the agent will likely confirm what others here have said. Your benefit amount is fixed for your benefit year regardless of recent earnings.
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Alexander Evans
•Thanks for the tip about Claimyr. I might try that just to get a definitive answer straight from EDD. Even if it's not what I want to hear, at least I'll know for sure.
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Lucy Taylor
same thing happened to me!! so annoying right? the whole system is set up to keep paying you the lowest amount possible.
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Connor Murphy
•Not really, its just how the system works. They dont change your benefit amount mid-claim, never have. Makes sense when you think about it - otherwise people would game the system with short high-paying gigs.
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KhalilStar
Quick question related to this - I'm in the opposite situation where I had high-paying work when I first filed but then had to take a lower-paying job before getting laid off again. Am I stuck with the high calculation even though I can't find anything paying that much now?
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Evelyn Martinez
•You actually have the favorable situation in this case. Your WBA is based on your higher earnings, which means you'll receive more in benefits than if you had filed based on your lower-paying job. The system works both ways - it can't be adjusted up or down during your benefit year.
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Alexander Evans
Thanks everyone for the responses. Looks like I'm stuck with my current WBA until my benefit year ends in November 2025. I'm still going to try calling EDD using that Claimyr service just to see if there are any exceptions or if I'm missing something. Really wish there was a way to file a new claim based on my recent higher earnings, but it sounds like that's not how the system works. I'll just have to budget accordingly with the lower benefit amount until I can find another good job.
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Evelyn Martinez
•That's the right approach. Use your time on unemployment to find another good opportunity in your field, hopefully at the higher pay rate you've proven you can earn. While your WBA is fixed, you've demonstrated you have skills that command a higher salary, which is valuable for your next position.
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