Can substitute teachers claim EDD benefits during summer breaks when permanent teachers get priority?

Yes, substitute teachers CAN claim unemployment benefits during summer breaks in California. This falls under what EDD calls "reasonable assurance" rules. As a substitute, you typically don't have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work because sub positions aren't guaranteed, unlike contracted teachers. When you file, make sure to indicate that you're available for ANY suitable work, not just teaching positions. Also, be very clear that your work as a substitute is "on-call" and not a regular, guaranteed position.

idk my sister subs and she gets unemployment every summer. She says just apply and be honest. they might interview you by phone to verify stuff.

No offense to the previous responses, but this actually depends on YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION with the district. Not all substitute teachers automatically qualify. It depends on whether you have "reasonable assurance" of work in the fall. If the district has sent you ANY kind of letter stating that they expect to use your services again in the fall semester, EDD might consider that "reasonable assurance" and deny your claim. One of my friends got denied because she received an email from her district saying "we look forward to working with you in the upcoming school year" - EDD considered that reasonable assurance! You need to be prepared to explain why you DON'T have reasonable assurance (like if your contract specifically states you're hired on a day-by-day basis with no guarantee of future work).

I've been a substitute for 8 years and here's what I've learned about EDD: everything hinges on the "reasonable assurance" concept mentioned above. Here's the key - even if you received a letter saying they want you back in fall, if you can prove your work is SUBSTANTIALLY LESS in terms of pay or hours compared to your regular academic year employment, you might still qualify. When you apply, be prepared for an eligibility interview. EDD will likely schedule a phone interview to determine if you qualify. During this interview: 1. Explain that as a substitute, you're called on an as-needed basis 2. Clarify that you have no guaranteed hours or income 3. State that you're available for all suitable work, not just teaching 4. Emphasize that summer school assignments prioritize permanent teachers If they initially deny you, APPEAL! Many subs get approved on appeal when they can clearly explain their situation.

you should TOTALLY apply!!! i'm a sub too and i get unemployment every summer and winter break. the key is when they ask about "reasonable expectation" or whatever you say NO. because we DON'T have guaranteed work! they might ask if you got any letter from the district about coming back next year but those letters don't actually promise any specific work so it's not a guarantee!!!!

I've been through this exact situation and had to FIGHT with EDD for my benefits. The first time I applied, I got denied because of the "reasonable assurance" issue everyone's mentioned. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to EDD on the phone to appeal - it was virtually impossible to reach anyone. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an EDD rep within 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I got through and explained my situation clearly to the rep (that as a substitute I had no guaranteed hours or income), they helped push my claim through. The key was getting to speak to an actual person who understood the nuances of substitute teaching employment.

Here's something important no one has mentioned yet: when you certify for benefits each week, you MUST be available for and actively seeking work. This means you can't go on vacation or be unavailable for job opportunities. You'll need to list your job search activities for each week. You must be looking for ANY suitable work, not just substitute teaching positions.

i got denied last yr and my friend got approved makes NO SENSE the system is completely BROKEN

To help ensure your claim gets approved, I'd suggest taking these steps: 1. Apply online through UI Online as soon as your last day of work ends 2. When asked if you have reasonable assurance of returning to work, be truthful but make it clear your work is on-call with no guarantees 3. Request a letter from your school district that specifically states you are employed on an "as-needed" basis with no guaranteed hours 4. Start documenting your job search activities now (keep a spreadsheet of where you apply) 5. Be prepared for the phone interview by having documentation ready showing the variable/inconsistent nature of substitute assignments Also, make sure to file your claim against the school district, not individual schools. The specific employer should be LAUSD if that's who processes your paychecks.

Just wanted to add one more important tip based on my experience: when you do your phone interview with EDD (if they schedule one), have ALL your documentation organized and ready. I mean everything - your substitute teaching contract, pay stubs showing irregular hours, any communication from the district about your employment status, and a clear timeline of your work history. The EDD rep will likely ask very specific questions about your employment arrangement, so being able to quickly reference exact dates and details makes a huge difference. I've seen cases where people got denied simply because they couldn't clearly articulate their situation during the interview. Also, if you get an initial denial, don't panic! The appeal process exists for a reason, and many substitute teachers who get initially denied are approved on appeal once they can present their case more thoroughly. The key is persistence and having your documentation ready. Good luck with your claim - you've got solid grounds for approval based on what you've described!

As someone who just went through this process successfully, I want to emphasize that timing is crucial. Don't wait until you're completely out of work to apply - you can file your claim as soon as your work becomes substantially reduced or irregular. In your case, since you mentioned calls are already dropping off significantly, you might want to file sooner rather than later. One thing I wish I had known: if you've been working as a substitute for 8 months consistently, make sure to highlight the CHANGE in your employment situation for summer. EDD needs to understand that while you were working regularly during the school year, the summer represents a clear break in that pattern due to circumstances beyond your control (permanent teachers getting priority). Also, keep detailed records of every day you were available to work but didn't get called. This helps establish that you're unemployed through no fault of your own, which is a key requirement for benefits. The fact that you're actively seeking work by being on the sub list counts as job searching too. Don't let anyone discourage you from applying - every situation is unique, and you won't know until you try. The worst they can say is no, and then you can appeal with better documentation.

Just wanted to share my recent experience as a substitute teacher who successfully got approved for EDD benefits last summer. The key thing that helped me was being very specific about the "on-call" nature of substitute work during my phone interview. Here's what I emphasized to the EDD representative: - As a substitute, I have zero guaranteed hours or income - My work schedule is entirely dependent on teacher absences and school needs - Summer break means virtually no work opportunities since permanent staff get priority for summer programs - I'm available for ANY suitable employment, not just teaching positions The rep asked me directly: "Do you have reasonable assurance that you'll return to work in the fall?" I answered honestly: "The district has indicated they may use my services, but there's no guarantee of specific hours, days, or income. My work depends entirely on daily teacher absences which I cannot predict or control." I got approved within two weeks. The documentation that helped most was showing my irregular work pattern throughout the school year - some weeks with 5 days, others with none. This proved I was already working an inconsistent, on-call schedule. Don't be discouraged by mixed stories you hear. Every case is individual, and substitute teachers often DO qualify because we lack the "reasonable assurance" that permanent staff have. Just be prepared to clearly explain your employment situation and have documentation ready. Good luck!

Based on everyone's helpful advice here, I just wanted to update that I successfully filed my claim this morning! The online application was pretty straightforward, and I made sure to emphasize that my substitute position is "on-call" with no guaranteed hours or income. For anyone else in a similar situation, here's what I included in my application: - Clear statement that I'm employed on an as-needed basis only - Documentation showing my irregular work pattern (some weeks 4-5 days, others zero) - Explanation that summer school positions go to permanent teachers first - Confirmation that I'm actively seeking ANY suitable work, not just teaching I also requested that letter from LAUSD HR confirming my on-call status. Now I'm waiting to see if they schedule a phone interview. Fingers crossed! Will update once I hear back from EDD. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helped me feel prepared and confident about applying.

I'm in a very similar situation as a substitute teacher in San Diego Unified - my work has dropped dramatically as we approach summer break. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I especially appreciate the detailed advice about emphasizing the "on-call" nature of our work and the lack of guaranteed hours. One thing I wanted to add based on my research: make sure you understand your weekly benefit amount calculation before you apply. Since substitute teacher income can be pretty variable throughout the year, EDD will look at your highest earning quarter to determine your benefits. For those of us who worked more consistently during the school year, this could actually work in our favor. Also, I've been keeping a detailed log of every day I was available but didn't get called, which several people mentioned as helpful documentation. It's pretty eye-opening to see how sporadic the work really is when you track it week by week. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's given me the confidence to move forward with my own application. The substitute teacher community really needs to support each other through these processes since our employment situation is so unique and often misunderstood by EDD reps who aren't familiar with how substitute teaching actually works.

I'm also a substitute teacher facing the same summer situation! This whole thread has been so incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the "reasonable assurance" concept before reading everyone's experiences. What really stands out to me is how inconsistent EDD seems to be with substitute teacher claims. Some people get approved easily while others have to fight and appeal. It sounds like the key is really being able to clearly articulate that we're on-call employees with no guaranteed work, even if the district sends those generic "we look forward to working with you next year" emails. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about gathering documentation of my irregular work schedule and requesting that letter from HR about being employed on an as-needed basis. The tip about using Claimyr to actually get through to EDD by phone is gold too - I've been dreading trying to call them directly. One question for those who've been through this: if you do get occasional summer school sub calls (like maybe 2-3 days total over the whole break), does that hurt your claim? Or do you just report that income for those specific weeks and still get partial benefits for the other weeks? Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences - it makes such a difference to hear from people who actually understand the substitute teaching situation!

I'm a substitute teacher in Riverside County and this thread has been incredibly informative! I've been subbing for about 6 months and am in almost the exact same situation - my calls have dropped from 4-5 days per week to maybe one call every 10 days as we approach summer. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: when I called my district's HR department to ask about getting documentation of my employment status, they were actually really helpful and familiar with this situation. Apparently they get requests like this from subs every summer. They provided me with a letter that specifically states I'm employed "on a day-to-day basis with no guarantee of continued employment or specific number of work days." I also learned from HR that the district sends those generic "looking forward to working with you next year" emails to literally hundreds of subs, but it's just a courtesy notice - not any kind of employment contract or guarantee. They suggested I mention this if EDD asks about any communications from the district. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me the confidence to apply. It's clear that substitute teachers CAN qualify for unemployment during summer breaks, but we need to be well-prepared to explain our unique employment situation. The key seems to be having good documentation and being able to clearly articulate that we're on-call employees with zero guaranteed hours. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - the substitute teacher community looking out for each other like this is amazing!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also a substitute teacher (in Fresno Unified) and have been worried about summer unemployment eligibility. Reading everyone's detailed experiences has given me so much clarity on the process. One thing I want to emphasize based on what I've learned here: the documentation phase seems crucial. I'm now planning to gather everything before I apply - my substitute assignment history showing irregular work patterns, a letter from HR confirming my on-call status, and that availability log tracking days I was available but not called. The point about being honest during the phone interview really resonates with me. It sounds like the key is confidently explaining that substitute work is fundamentally different from regular employment - we truly don't have "reasonable assurance" because our work depends entirely on daily teacher absences that we can't predict or control. For anyone else reading this who's hesitant about applying: this thread shows that many substitute teachers DO successfully get approved for summer unemployment. Yes, some face initial denials, but even those can often be overturned on appeal with proper documentation and explanation of our unique employment situation. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - the substitute teaching community supporting each other like this is invaluable, especially when dealing with complex systems like EDD that don't always understand our employment reality.

This goes back to the 1930's and a very obscure labor law called FUTA that AT THAT TIME considered a substitute teacher the exact same as a regular teacher. It's really terrible that nothing has been done to improve labor representation for substitutes. Substitutes don't have reasonable assurance of ANYTHING. No health benefits. No pay during mandatory breaks. Much less jobs. Usually "not allowed" to join unions. Honestly, it's almost like they TRY to treat subs like c rap. There is a lot on Reddit about this under Substitutes "Reasonable Assurance" search and here is a link on this topic on another teacher forum when a sub contacted an attorney. The problem is UE Depts have NO IDEA the conditions under which subs work. Apparently this information is making a huge difference. You have to educate them and your legislators so substitutes get the respect and benefits and pay they deserve. https://proteacher.net/discussions/threads/reasonable-assurance-standard-for-substitute-teachers-is-legal-false-equivalency.694916/

I got this off Reddit. Every substitute teacher needs to make a copy if you're applying for UEI.

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! As a substitute teacher who's been hesitant about applying for summer unemployment, reading everyone's detailed experiences has given me the knowledge and confidence I needed. What really stands out to me is how critical it is to frame our situation correctly - emphasizing that we're "on-call" employees with zero guaranteed hours rather than traditional employees with predictable schedules. The distinction between getting those generic "we look forward to working with you" emails versus actually having "reasonable assurance" of work is so important to understand. I'm also struck by how much preparation seems to matter for success. Having documentation ready (irregular work patterns, HR letters confirming on-call status, availability logs) and being able to clearly articulate our unique employment situation during phone interviews appears to make all the difference. For those still on the fence about applying - this thread shows that substitute teachers absolutely CAN qualify for unemployment benefits during summer breaks. Yes, the process can be challenging and sometimes requires appeals, but with proper preparation and understanding of the "reasonable assurance" rules, many subs do get approved. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences, especially the specific language that worked during EDD interviews and the practical tips about documentation. The substitute teaching community supporting each other through these complex processes is truly amazing!

I'm a substitute teacher in the Bay Area and this thread has been incredibly comprehensive and helpful! Reading through everyone's experiences has really clarified the process for me. One additional tip I'd like to share: when you're documenting your irregular work pattern, don't forget to include any professional development days or meetings you attended but didn't get paid for. This helps show that you were actively engaged and available for work even when not getting regular assignments. Also, I've found it helpful to keep track of the reasons given when I don't get called back for multi-day assignments (usually because the regular teacher returned early or they found a permanent sub). This documentation helps demonstrate that even when you think you have work lined up, it can disappear without notice - which is the opposite of "reasonable assurance." The community support in this thread is amazing. It's clear that with proper documentation and understanding of our unique employment situation, substitute teachers can successfully navigate the EDD process. Thanks to everyone who shared their detailed experiences - you've created an incredible resource for subs facing this situation!

As a substitute teacher who successfully received EDD benefits last summer, I want to add one crucial point that hasn't been mentioned yet: timing your application strategically can make a big difference. I filed my claim on the very last day I worked (rather than waiting until I was completely out of calls), which helped establish a clear "last day of work" for EDD's records. Also, when they ask about your availability for work during the eligibility interview, be very specific that you're seeking ALL types of suitable employment - retail, office work, tutoring, etc. - not just substitute teaching. This shows you're genuinely unemployed and available for work, not just waiting around for the school year to resume. One thing that really helped my case was creating a simple chart showing my weekly hours worked throughout the school year. It visually demonstrated the massive drop-off as summer approached, making it crystal clear that this wasn't a "planned vacation" but an actual reduction in available work. EDD loves concrete data like this. The substitute teaching situation is unique, but don't let that discourage you from applying. We deserve the same unemployment protections as other workers whose jobs become seasonally unavailable. Just be prepared, be honest, and emphasize the unpredictable, on-call nature of our work!