Can part time employees get unemployment in California EDD?

Wait so I would still certify every week even if I'm working those few hours? I thought you had to be totally unemployed to file at all. This is really good to know, thank you.

This is correct. Partial UI claims are super common and EDD handles them all the time. The earnings reporting is critical though - never underreport what you made that week or you could end up with an overpayment notice later.

i didnt know this either honestly thought you had to be fully laid off

This is super helpful. So my WBA would be calculated off my higher-earning weeks from before the cut, not from the new 4 hour weeks?

Exactly right. Your WBA is set when you file and is based on your base period wages. It doesn't change just because your hours got cut. That's actually the whole point of partial UI - it protects people whose hours are reduced against their will.

does the math on this actually work out to real money though? like after taxes and everything is it worth the hassle of filing every week

Oh wow I've been dreading trying to call EDD. I'll check out that Claimyr link, thanks for sharing.

claimyr worked for me too when i was trying to get through about my adjudication issue. edd phones are basically impossible otherwise

I was super skeptical of those services but after 3 weeks of failed calls during my own claim I would try literally anything at that point lol

Oh that's a really important distinction, I get paid biweekly so there would definitely be a difference between when I earn it and when I get the check. Good to know.

This is accurate and honestly one of the most common mistakes that causes overpayment issues. The gross earnings in the week they were earned is the rule. EDD has been pretty strict about this.

wait i definitely reported net on mine last year... am i going to get an overpayment notice?? how far back do they go

@above - you should contact EDD about that. They may catch it they may not but it's better to address it proactively than wait for a notice to show up.

This is really helpful context from the employer side, thank you. I definitely want to be accurate when I file. So I just select something like 'hours reduced' when it asks why I'm filing?

Yes, on the initial claim form EDD asks for your separation reason and there's an option for reduced hours. Describe the situation honestly and accurately. Keep any documentation your manager gave you about the hour reduction too.

as someone who got burned badly by an employer contesting my claim - document EVERYTHING. texts, emails, anything in writing about the hour cuts. even a note you wrote yourself right after a conversation with dates and details.

That's really frustrating but also good to know it can happen even when you do everything right. Glad you got it resolved. I'll keep Claimyr in mind if I run into that kind of wall.

adjudication for no reason is SO common. the automated flags in EDD's system catch normal stuff and kick it to adjudication and then you're stuck waiting with no communication. it's genuinely maddening

The partial UI claims do seem to trigger adjudication at a higher rate than regular claims in my experience watching people go through this. Something about the ongoing employment relationship probably flags the system.

Thank you for the simple answer lol I was starting to get overwhelmed with all the details. Good to know the actual filing process isn't too bad.

the initial claim is fine its the waiting and uncertainty after that gets people. especially if it goes into adjudication

Good point. EDD does have a calculation where if your reduced wages are above a certain threshold relative to your WBA it affects what you receive. Worth understanding the numbers upfront. The EDD website has a UI benefit calculator you can use to estimate before you file.

I'll check the benefit calculator before I file, that's a smart idea. I want to understand what I'm actually looking at benefit-wise.

the calculator on the edd website is decent for estimates but the actual number can sometimes be a little different. still worth doing just to have a ballpark

Oh I had no idea about the job search requirements applying to partial UI too. What counts as a job search activity for EDD purposes?

Things like applying to jobs, attending job fairs, reaching out to employers, using CalJOBS. EDD wants typically 3 activities per week. You log them when you do your weekly certification. Keep your own records too just in case.

This is accurate. The job search requirement is 3 activities per week for most claimants. You can request standby status in limited circumstances if your employer confirms you'll be brought back to full hours, which waives the job search requirement. But in OP's situation where the reduction seems permanent, standby probably doesn't apply.

CalJOBS registration is also required within a certain number of weeks of starting your claim. EDD will remind you but don't ignore it or it can affect your benefits

Yeah the 'weird' feeling about filing while still technically employed is definitely part of why I hesitated to look into this. Helps to hear others felt that way too.

100% this. also the employer finding out is fine and legal and they can't retaliate against you for filing. just wanted to put that out there since people worry about it

the mental load of dealing with EDD on top of already being stressed about money is exhausting honestly

This is super practical, I'll set up a spreadsheet right away. Better to track from day one than scramble later.

The spreadsheet idea saved me during my claim. EDD sent me a questionnaire about my job search at one point and I had everything documented and it was fine. If I hadn't kept records I would have been in trouble.

Yes you can update your claim status if you go from partial to fully unemployed. You would notify EDD that your employment situation changed and your weekly certification would reflect zero earnings going forward. Your WBA stays the same, you just lose the partial income on top of it.

Right, and importantly your benefit year stays the same. You don't get a new base period or new WBA. You continue the existing claim just without the partial earnings offsetting anything.

oh that's good to know, i was worried it would complicate things to start on partial and then go full

I felt the same way trying to research this before posting. The EDD website has a lot of information but it's really hard to find specific answers to specific situations.

their website has gotten slightly better but yeah it's still pretty bad for anything beyond the most basic questions. forums like this are genuinely more useful for real-world questions

the EDD YouTube channel actually has some decent explanatory videos for basic questions. not perfect but more digestible than the website walls of text

Good prep tip. I'll gather all that info before I sit down to file so I don't have to stop and look things up halfway through.

also have your social security number handy and your ID. they may route you through ID verification which adds steps to the process

the ID verification thing tripped me up. set aside extra time if it prompts you for that, it can take a while

That's actually a common scenario. You would file for unemployment based on the wages from the job that ended. The ongoing part time job's earnings would be reported weekly and could reduce your benefit payment, but you can still receive partial UI for the lost income from the terminated job. File and report everything accurately.

To add - when you file the initial claim you can list multiple employers. EDD will consider all your base period wages from all employers to calculate your WBA, which is actually beneficial for you since more wages generally means a higher benefit amount.

oh interesting so the other job's wages actually help my benefit amount even though that job still exists? that's actually pretty good

I think I'm going to use this before filing, especially since there are so many details I want to get right. Thanks for the reinforcement on this.

talking to an agent before filing your first claim is really smart advice for anyone. so much easier to get it right the first time than to fix errors later

does claimyr work for general questions too or just for people who already have claims open? asking for myself because i have a question about eligibility before filing

Good call, I'll make a habit of checking it regularly. I've heard horror stories of people missing notices and losing benefits.

EDD will also mail physical notices to your address on file so make sure that's updated and you're actually checking your mail. some stuff comes by mail only

turn on email notifications in UI Online settings if you haven't already. you'll still want to check the portal directly but at least you'll get a heads up when something needs attention

The overpayment concern is valid but the way to avoid it is pretty simple - report all earnings accurately every week, gross not net, in the week earned not the week paid. As long as you're honest and accurate in your reporting you're not going to create an overpayment problem. EDD understands that people make honest mistakes and the system is designed to catch them - just correct errors quickly if you notice them.

Also if you ever realize you made an error on a weekly certification, you can contact EDD to correct it before it becomes a formal overpayment determination. Proactive correction is treated much better than errors they discover on their own.

ok that makes me feel a little better. i'll be super careful about the reporting and keep detailed records

Great news! The first two weeks is the unpaid waiting period (week 1 is your waiting week, week 2 you certify but it's still processing). Keep certifying every week and reporting your partial hours accurately and you should be in good shape.

Smart move getting CalJOBS sorted right away. Some people wait and then scramble when EDD follows up. Good luck with the claim, sounds like you set it up correctly.

good luck!! hope it gets approved quickly without any adjudication drama

keep us posted, and remember if anything weird happens with your claim status don't hesitate to reach out to EDD directly. having that Claimyr option in your back pocket is useful if something flags unexpectedly