Can seasonal employees collect unemployment in California EDD?

Wait so the base period - does that include wages from my previous seasonal job last year too? I worked two seasons back to back at different places.

Yes! Your base period wages can include wages from multiple employers. California EDD looks at all wages reported under your Social Security number during that period, so previous seasonal employment counts toward your eligibility calculation.

This is really good to know. I always assumed seasonal work meant no UI benefits. Going to tell my brother about this, he just finished a seasonal harvest gig.

Okay that's the part that worries me. I live in a pretty rural mountain town so there aren't a ton of jobs available. Does that affect my claim?

You should still file. California EDD doesn't expect you to relocate. They assess your job search efforts based on what's reasonably available in your area. Just make sure you're doing your required job search activities each week and keeping a log of employer contacts.

same situation here, rural area seasonal worker. just file and be honest about your job search. worst they can do is deny it and you can appeal

I didn't even know something like that existed. I've been dreading calling EDD. Have you used it more than once?

Used it twice now. Both times got connected to a real agent without sitting there hitting redial for hours. The second time was to ask about my weekly certification and the agent was actually really helpful once I got through.

gonna look into this. I have been putting off calling edd for like 3 weeks because every time i try i get the high call volume message and it hangs up on me

Does it actually work or is it just another thing that wastes your time? Seems too good to be true when edd is basically impossible to reach

That makes me really angry honestly. I've been paying into this system for years through every job I've worked.

Exactly. UI is insurance you earn through working. Your employer also pays into the system on your behalf. You are 100% entitled to file and find out if you qualify.

my old boss used to say the same thing every end of season. found out later half my coworkers filed and got approved no problem lol

No, that's not a voluntary quit at all. A seasonal layoff at the expected end of a fixed-term seasonal position is considered a lack of work separation, which is a qualifying reason for unemployment. You didn't quit - the season ended. That's exactly what UI is designed for.

Oh thank goodness. I was really worried about that. Filing today.

Also worth noting - if an employer tries to contest your claim by claiming you quit, you can provide documentation showing the seasonal nature of the role. Offer letters, contracts, anything that shows the end date was predetermined.

Three contacts a week - is that calls, applications, what counts as a contact?

applications count, in person visits, staffing agency registrations, all kinds of stuff. you just log them in UI Online when you certify

I think it's actually been updated. California EDD's current job search requirements list a bunch of qualifying activities. Worth checking the EDD website to see the current list so you know exactly what counts.

Good question - standby status is actually a specific program where California EDD can waive the job search requirement for workers who have a definite return-to-work date with their employer within 60 days. If OP's resort opens back up in a few months and they have a confirmed return date, they could potentially apply for standby status. But if the return date is more than 60 days out or not confirmed, regular UI with job search requirements applies.

Oh okay so standby is actually a real thing that exists, not just an excuse employers use. Interesting. Thanks for explaining.

My resort doesn't reopen until May so that's way more than 60 days. Sounds like I just need to do regular UI with the job search stuff.

I was planning to wait until I saw if I could get through to EDD on the phone first to ask questions. Should I just go ahead and file online without calling?

YES file online right now. You can always call with questions after but your claim date matters. UI Online is actually pretty straightforward for filing. The phone is really for when issues come up AFTER you've filed.

Agree 100%. File first, ask questions later. The online system will walk you through each step. You can always amend or clarify things during the interview process if needed.

Agricultural workers in California are covered by state UI, not the federal system, and there are some different provisions that historically affected eligibility in certain situations. However, California has fairly broad coverage for agricultural employees. Your cousin should actually try filing - it's possible he was told incorrect information or the rules have changed. Worst case it gets denied and he can appeal.

Interesting. I always just assumed he was right about that. Will let him know to look into it more carefully.

This is exactly why misinformation about seasonal workers and UI is so harmful. People just accept what they're told and miss out on benefits they may be fully entitled to.

That's scary. How did you deal with it? Did you need to provide documentation?

Yeah I sent in old emails showing the seasonal end date was always planned, my original offer letter showing the seasonal dates, and a statement explaining the situation. EDD eventually sided with me but it was really stressful not having income during that time.

This is another situation where calling EDD directly actually helps. When you're in adjudication you can sometimes get info about where your case stands. That's when I used Claimyr to get through - the agent was able to tell me what documentation they needed and where in the process my claim was. Saved me a lot of guessing.

You CAN work part time while receiving UI benefits. You just need to report ALL earnings when you certify for each week. California EDD will reduce your weekly benefit amount based on what you earn that week. There's a formula they use - basically if you earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you still receive partial benefits. You don't just lose everything.

oh thats actually really helpful. I didn't want to turn down hours if I could find them but I also didn't want to mess up my claim by not reporting.

key word is REPORT everything. the worst thing you can do is not report wages. that can lead to an overpayment notice later which is a huge headache

As someone in the industry, what do you think is the biggest mistake seasonal workers make when filing?

Not filing immediately and not keeping proper records of job search activities. Both of those can cost you weeks of benefits or lead to disqualification. Set reminders to certify on time every two weeks too - missing a certification can interrupt your payments.

The certification deadline thing is real. I missed one by a day once and had to call EDD to get it sorted out. Giant headache.

For most purposes the industry doesn't change your basic eligibility - California UI covers most workers regardless of industry. The main exceptions historically involved certain agricultural workers and some domestic workers, but California has expanded coverage significantly over the years. For resort, retail, hospitality seasonal work there's generally no industry-based exclusion.

Good to know. Was worried my ski patrol certification somehow made it weird lol

Nope, ski patrol is just a job. File away.

Three months is a long time to go without income though. How did you manage?

It was really hard honestly. I picked up some gig work in the meantime and had family help. But getting that lump sum payment at the end was a relief. Don't let the timeline discourage you from appealing if you have a legitimate case.

This is important info. Appeals do actually work. EDD's initial decisions aren't always correct and the appeal process exists for a reason.

And the appeal process is FREE. You don't need a lawyer although you can have one. Many workers win appeals on their own with proper documentation.

okay you sold me. gonna try it for my claim situation. what's the site again?

claimyr.com - and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 if you want to see how it works before trying it

Good to hear it worked for you. I might try this too since I want to ask some specific questions about my situation before I start certifying.

Is there a specific option for seasonal end of work? Or do you pick the general lack of work option?

In UI Online there's typically a lack of work/layoff option that fits most seasonal separations. Just answer the questions truthfully and add detail in the text fields when prompted. If EDD needs clarification they'll reach out.

Also take screenshots of your completed application before submitting. Good to have a record of what you submitted in case anything comes up during the claim process.

This thread helped me too. I filed this morning actually. Fingers crossed!

Good luck to both of you! The system can be frustrating but you're doing the right thing by filing. Remember to certify on time every two weeks once your claim is set up.

Will do. Set a reminder in my phone already. Thanks again everyone.

Pending usually just means they're processing your initial claim and haven't made a determination yet. Adjudication is more specific - it means there's an issue or question about your eligibility that an EDD rep needs to review and decide on. Pending is more routine, adjudication usually means something triggered a closer look.

okay so pending is like normal processing and adjudication is more of a flag situation. got it. mine says pending right now so hopefully it stays that way

yeah pending is basically just the waiting room. most claims move through pretty fast if there are no issues with the separation reason

The inconsistency is 100% real and SO frustrating. EDD's systems flag things almost algorithmically sometimes and then a human has to sort it out. It's not fair but it's the reality.

And good luck reaching a human during that 8 weeks. I must have called 200 times. Wish I'd known about Claimyr back then, would have saved me hours of hitting redial.

The unpredictability is exactly why keeping documentation of everything is so important. When you do get through to an agent you want to be ready to explain your situation clearly and have evidence to back it up.

Oh I didn't know about the waiting week. Good to know so I'm not panicking when I don't see payment right away.

Yep totally normal. Also the first payment can take a little longer than subsequent ones just because the system is setting up your payment method and everything. After the first one it usually gets more predictable.

The waiting week is annoying but at least they explain it upfront. When I first got it I thought something was wrong with my claim.