Can you draw unemployment if you are on social security? California EDD rules explained

Wait, so pensions reduce it but Social Security doesn't? That's kind of a weird distinction. I do have a small pension from a job I had in my 50s - should I be worried about that one?

EDD decides how much any pension reduces your payment, so list it when you apply and EDD will work out the math. Social Security specifically is not deducted though, that part is settled.

My mom ran into this exact confusion last year. She thought her SS would cancel out any unemployment and almost didn't file. Turned out her retail wages were enough to get her a weekly benefit amount and SS didn't touch it at all.

I didn't know the start date worked that way. I've already been out of work for about five weeks - does that mean those weeks are just gone?

Unfortunately yes, EDD can only go back to the Sunday of the week you filed, not the day your job ended. File today if you haven't already.

This happened to me and I lost three weeks because nobody told me. File as soon as you lose your job, don't wait for a final paycheck or anything.

same thing i did, waited thinking id get rehired and lost two weeks of benefits. file first worry later

This is exactly what I needed to hear from someone who actually went through it. The pension thing is what I'm going to look into now. Did EDD end up reducing your weekly amount because of the pension?

EDD did reduce mine slightly because of the manufacturing pension. The DE 429Z showed the adjusted amount and explained it. If you disagree with what it shows you have 30 days from the mailing date to appeal in writing.

The 1-800-300-5616 line being impossible to get through is so real. I've tried calling before 8am just to be first in queue and still got disconnected. Good to know there's another way to reach someone.

So I could get the DE 429Z and then still be denied? That seems stressful.

For a straightforward layoff it's pretty rare to get denied after the DE 429Z. The denial route usually only happens when there's a question about why someone left - like a quit or a firing where misconduct is claimed. A store downsizing you out is clean.

I got confused about this too when I first filed. The DE 429Z came and I thought I was done and paid, then realized I still had to certify every two weeks before any money actually moved.

I haven't gotten any mail from EDD yet since I just applied yesterday. Should I register on CalJOBS now just to be safe?

Registering early on caljobs.ca.gov won't hurt you. If EDD says you don't need it, fine, but if they do require it you'll already be ahead of the deadline.

My claim got held up for two weeks because I missed that CalJOBS step. EDD doesn't send reminders, the clock just runs from the date on the DE 8405.

I'm 67 but I genuinely want to keep working part-time so the work search part doesn't scare me. I just want to know what 'available for work' means when you have doctor appointments and stuff.

Being available means you can't have restrictions that would prevent you from accepting suitable work. A regular doctor appointment here and there doesn't disqualify you from a whole week - you'd still be available during most hours. It's more about whether something completely blocks you from working at all.

Part-time availability counts too from what I understand. If you're only looking for and available for part-time work though, that's the pool you're in and EDD can consider it.

My pay went up a bit about a year ago when they promoted me to shift lead, so the most recent quarters might actually be my highest. Does a recent raise help or is the base period fixed to older dates?

The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters, so a raise from recent quarters may or may not fall in that window depending on exactly when your claim starts. EDD also has an alternate base period that uses the most recent four completed quarters, but that only kicks in automatically when the standard one doesn't generate enough wages for a valid claim. It doesn't get used just because newer quarters are higher.

Had the same question about a raise that happened close to my layoff date. My highest quarter ended up being from the standard base period anyway so it worked out, but it's definitely not obvious how to calculate it yourself.

Part-time workers absolutely can qualify for California EDD unemployment. The requirement is about wages earned during the base period, not whether you were full-time or part-time. Working 25 hours a week for three years could easily meet the wage threshold EDD uses to validate a claim.

oh wow i did not know that. i got laid off from a part time job two years ago and never filed thinking i couldnt

Yeah I was nervous about this too but it really is based on wages not hours worked per week. Twenty-five hours times three years adds up.

I was going to report my SS payments during certification thinking I had to report all income. Good to know that's not how it works.

Social Security is specifically not on EDD's list of things to report when certifying. Wages from any work you do, including part-time, vacation pay, severance - those get reported. SS sits outside that.

This is a big deal and worth repeating loudly. Pension payments also get reported but SS does not. Don't conflate them when you're certifying.

The ID.me process stressed me out when I applied. I had to take a photo with my phone and it kept rejecting it. Eventually it went through but it took a few tries.

Same experience. Lighting and angle matter more than you'd think with their photo verification. Try good natural light facing a window.

If ID.me still won't work after multiple tries there's a live video call option where you verify with a person instead of the automated photo scan. Worth doing if the automated route keeps failing.

My pension is about $340 a month from an old manufacturing job. I did list it on the application. I guess I'll see what the DE 429Z says and go from there.

That's the right approach. 340 a month is on the smaller side so the offset probably won't wipe out your whole weekly benefit, but EDD's calculation is theirs to make. If the DE 429Z shows something that looks off, appeal it in writing within those 30 days.

I appealed a DE 429Z once and it was straightforward. Just wrote a letter explaining what I thought the error was and mailed it to the address on the notice. Got a corrected notice a few weeks later.

Social Security has nothing to do with how many weeks you get. California unemployment runs up to 26 weeks on a standard claim, and that clock starts with your first eligible week. No program stacks on top of that right now - extended benefits aren't paying in California currently.

ok 26 weeks good to know. and after that its just done right you cant get more

After 26 weeks the standard claim is done unless Extended Benefits happen to be triggered under state or federal law, which requires unemployment levels to hit specific thresholds. That's not the situation right now. If your benefit year ends and you've worked again and earned enough wages, you could potentially file a new claim.

I haven't gotten a DE 4800 yet, is that normal for a layoff? Should I expect one?

Straightforward layoffs sometimes go through without a phone interview at all. If EDD needs more information they'll send the DE 4800. Keep checking your mail and your UI Online homepage for any notices.

The UI Online homepage shows any scheduled interviews too, so check there along with physical mail in case anything arrives digitally first.

So I'll get paid for one week the first time and two weeks every time after that? Just want to make sure I'm reading that right.

Roughly yes. The waiting week is a one-time unpaid week at the start, then certifications after that cover two paid weeks each time.

How did you correct the certification error? That's the kind of thing I'd panic about.

The agent told me to send a message through UI Online explaining the correction needed. The Report Wages option in UI Online is for before certifying, not after, so once a week is already certified you have to contact EDD to fix it. Message through UI Online worked for mine.

Good to know that's how they handle it. I always wondered what happened if you certified with wrong wages by accident.

I'll probably do direct deposit since I already have all my SS going to my bank account. Nice to have everything in one place.

Direct deposit works fine. Set it up in myEDD and it should apply within a cycle or two.

The 1-866-333-4606 line is really handy for checking payment status without waiting on hold with a live person. Good for quick 'did my payment post' checks.

I already have federal withholding set up for my SS payments. Is unemployment withholding separate from that?

Completely separate. The 10 percent withholding on unemployment is an option you choose during certification and it only covers EDD payments. Your SS withholding is handled by Social Security on their end and doesn't cross over.

The Form 1099G is also available in UI Online under Payments if you need it before the mail arrives, or if you went paperless.

I'll try that. I'm guessing retail part-time wages won't be enormous but even $200-250 a week would help a lot on top of my Social Security.

The benefit range is $40 to $450 a week max in California, so part-time retail for three years should land you somewhere in the middle of that range depending on your highest quarter. The calculator will give you a real number to plan around.

Run the calculator with your actual quarterly pay stubs if you have them, not just estimates. The more accurate the numbers you put in, the more useful the estimate.

Did the agent give you a specific dollar amount for the pension offset or was it more general?

Specific. They told me the amount that would be deducted weekly based on the pension info I'd given on the application, and said to verify it matched what the DE 429Z showed when it arrived.

That's exactly what the DE 429Z is for - confirming the numbers match what EDD calculated. If it doesn't match what the agent indicated, appeal within that 30-day window.

I actually already filed yesterday and got through the ID.me part. Now I'm just waiting. How long until mail starts arriving?

About two weeks for the first documents including the DE 429Z, give or take. EDD says roughly three weeks to process a new application and issue the first payment.

While you wait, get your CalJOBS profile set up at caljobs.ca.gov and start documenting any jobs you apply for. If EDD sends the DE 8405 requiring registration you'll already be ahead of the 21-day clock.

Already signed up for CalJOBS this morning. Trying to stay on top of everything before the mail arrives.

Agreed. I keep a simple spreadsheet with dates, company names, and how I applied. EDD has never asked to see it but I sleep better having it.

Makes sense. I've already applied to two stores near me since getting laid off so I'll start logging those going forward.

i thought you had to do like 3 applications a week or they cut you off. glad to know thats not an actual rule

I didn't know the live chat existed. That's really good to know for when I have questions about my claim status and don't want to spend all day on hold.

Hours are 9 to 2 weekdays so you have to catch it in that window. For anything more complex where you need EDD to actually look at your file, the phone is better.

The live chat is hit or miss on complex questions from my experience but great for quick stuff like 'why does my Claim History show Pending' type questions.

Good tip on using different channels for different types of questions. Saves a lot of frustration when you go in knowing what each one is actually useful for.