Can you get California EDD unemployment benefits if you already receive Social Security?

This is really reassuring, thank you. So when I fill out the initial claim form, I just don't even need to mention Social Security at all? It won't come up anywhere in the application?

Correct - the initial UI claim application asks about wages from employment, not about other income sources like Social Security. You'll report your earnings from the logistics job and that's what determines your eligibility and benefit amount. Social Security is simply not part of the California EDD unemployment calculation.

Just want to add - I was in almost the exact same situation two years ago, retired but working part time, got laid off. Filed with California EDD and received unemployment no problem while still getting my SS checks every month. Nobody at EDD ever mentioned anything about it being an issue.

Good point actually - there IS a distinction. Social Security RETIREMENT benefits have no impact on California unemployment eligibility whatsoever. Social Security DISABILITY benefits (SSDI) are a different situation because SSDI recipients have certified that they cannot perform substantial gainful work, which could conflict with being 'able and available' for work, which is a requirement for UI. The original poster mentioned retirement benefits so they should be fine, but yes the disability situation is more complicated.

oh ok that makes sense, thanks for clarifying. Yeah OP said retirement so they should be good then

This is such an important distinction that trips people up all the time. If anyone on SSDI is reading this and thinking about filing UI, please call California EDD directly before filing because it's complicated and you don't want to create an overpayment situation.

I've been trying to get through to someone at EDD for like four days now. Going to check out that Claimyr thing because I really want to talk to an agent before I file given my situation.

Claimyr saved me so much time when my claim went into adjudication. The hold times at EDD are absolutely brutal and that service made it actually possible to reach someone.

Does it actually work? I've been skeptical of those phone services but I'm desperate at this point lol

It worked for me - got a call back within a couple hours and talked to an actual EDD rep who was able to look at my account and answer my questions directly. Way better than redial hell.

Social Security retirement has very flexible rules about working - there's no restriction on employment income once you're past full retirement age (which is 67 for anyone born after 1960). And as we've discussed, California unemployment is completely separate and available to anyone with qualifying wages from covered employment, regardless of age or Social Security status. Your mom should definitely file if she loses her job.

ok wow thats great news. I was so worried. She's 68 so past that full retirement age thing you mentioned. Thank you!!

This is worth clarifying. California EDD weekly certifications ask specifically about wages earned from WORK performed during that week, not about all income sources. Social Security retirement payments are not wages from work and should not be reported on your weekly certification. If you're unsure about your specific situation, this is exactly the kind of question worth calling EDD about.

Yeah I ultimately called and was told exactly what you said - SS retirement doesn't get reported on the weekly cert. I was overthinking it. Just wanted OP to know it can feel confusing even mid-claim.

This thread is genuinely so helpful. This is the exact kind of detail I was worried about getting wrong and accidentally triggering an overpayment situation.

Adjudication for mixed income situations (wages + self employment) can take a while because they have to verify the wages from the employer and also determine how to handle the self-employment piece. Hang in there, 6 weeks is frustrating but not unusual for complex situations.

I know I know. I'm just venting. 6 weeks without income is genuinely stressful and the zero communication from EDD makes it so much worse.

I feel this so hard. The silence from EDD during adjudication is the worst part. You just sit there not knowing anything.

Good to know. I was making about $1,400 a month at the part time job so I'm guessing my weekly benefit won't be huge but something is better than nothing while I look for new work.

At roughly that income level you'd probably see somewhere in the neighborhood of $200-280 per week in UI benefits. Not life-changing but definitely worth claiming. And since you have Social Security coming in already you're probably not in dire straits which is good - you have runway to find the right next job.

Also worth knowing - California's standard UI duration is 26 weeks maximum. So for OP's part-time income level that might mean a shorter benefit duration if the total benefit amount cap is reached sooner. Worth understanding before you start planning finances around it.

No upper age limit for California unemployment eligibility whatsoever. As long as someone has qualifying wages from covered employment in their base period and they meet the other requirements (laid off through no fault of their own, able and available for work, actively seeking employment), age is irrelevant. 74 year olds can and do receive California UI benefits.

Wow ok good to know! He's been worried about this. I'll tell him.

Pensions are actually treated a bit differently in California. If your pension comes from an employer who also paid into your unemployment insurance base period wages, it CAN potentially reduce your weekly UI benefit. If the pension is from a completely different employer or from a union fund, it generally does not affect your UI. This is one where I'd strongly recommend calling California EDD directly to ask about your specific pension because it genuinely depends on the source.

Ugh of course it's complicated. The pension is from a job I left like 15 years ago, completely different employer from my current one. Hopefully that means it won't affect things.

For what it's worth I had a pension from an old job and it didn't affect my EDD benefits at all - they only cared about the wages from my current employer who I was filing against. But yes call and confirm for your specific situation.

For getting through to EDD on the phone to ask these kinds of questions, seriously look into Claimyr (claimyr.com) - the regular hold times are brutal but that service helped me actually reach an agent. Demo video here if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10

Same - I posted this kind of hoping for one or two responses and this turned into exactly the resource I needed. The internet needed a clear answer on this question.

Yes it was definitely a formal layoff with a severance package and everything. They gave us all official separation letters. Is it worth attaching that letter to my application somehow?

California EDD doesn't have a great mechanism for uploading documents with the initial claim application, but keep that letter handy. If your claim goes into adjudication or the employer disputes anything (unlikely given a formal layoff with severance), you'll want that documentation for the appeal process. In your case I doubt you'll need it but always good to have.

Agree - formal layoffs with documentation almost never end up in adjudication. The separation is clear, the reason is verified. OP should have a pretty smooth claim process.

Not a dumb question at all and the answer is no - receiving California unemployment insurance does NOT affect your Social Security benefits in any way. The two programs don't communicate in a way that would reduce or modify either benefit based on the other. You can receive both simultaneously without either one impacting the other.

ok phew. I have a family member asking me this and I had no idea what to tell them. This helps a lot

The only potential tax consideration is that both Social Security (depending on your income level) and unemployment benefits can be taxable income for federal tax purposes. So if you're receiving both, you might want to elect to have federal taxes withheld from your UI benefits to avoid a surprise tax bill. Just a heads up.

Yes I very much want to keep working - I enjoyed my job and staying active is important to me. The job search requirement is totally fine, I was planning on looking actively anyway.

Then you're in perfect shape. EDD just wants to make sure UI recipients are genuinely seeking employment, not treating it as early additional retirement income. Sounds like you'll have no issues with that requirement.

what counts as an employer contact for the job search thing? is applying online enough?

Yes, submitting an online application to an employer counts as a contact. So does attending a job fair, reaching out to a recruiter, or registering with a staffing agency. You should keep a log of your contacts with dates, company names, and how you applied - EDD can audit this and you want to be able to show your work if asked.

Oh I had not heard this! Thank you for mentioning it. I'll do this right away.

CalJOBS registration is required yes - you're supposed to register within 21 days of filing your claim. It's not always clearly communicated by EDD but it IS a requirement and can affect your benefits if you don't complete it.

Honestly in my experience the phone situation hasn't improved much - they're just perpetually overwhelmed. That's why I ended up using Claimyr when I needed to reach someone. claimyr.com - they navigate the EDD phone system and get you a callback when an agent is available. For an adjudication situation where you really need to speak with someone directly, it made a huge difference for me. Watch the demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10

I looked at that Claimyr thing earlier in this thread and was skeptical but at this point I'll try anything. Weeks without income while my claim sits in adjudication is not sustainable.

I was skeptical too but a few people I know in EDD Facebook groups have said it works. The EDD phone system is just genuinely broken for regular callers so having something that navigates it makes sense.

Really important point, thank you. I plan to look for work and will definitely report any earnings. Good to understand the formula though - didn't realize there was a partial benefit calculation that lets you earn a little without totally losing the benefit.

The partial UI formula in California is actually pretty reasonable - it incentivizes people to take gig work or part time jobs while job searching rather than avoiding work to protect full benefits. Knowing this formula exists is genuinely useful.

For a standard, uncomplicated claim (clear layoff, sufficient wages, no issues with eligibility) - you can expect about 2-3 weeks from filing to first payment. There's a one-week unpaid waiting period built into California UI that everyone serves before payments begin. Then there's usually a week or so of processing. So realistically budget 3 weeks before seeing money. If anything triggers adjudication it takes longer.

OP's situation sounds clean so I'd expect the 3 week timeline. Keep certifying every week starting from day one even before you're approved - those certifications lock in your weeks so you'll get paid retroactively once approved.

Thats super helpful thank you. My cousin just got laid off and was asking me

Great news! Keep certifying every week on time, document your job search contacts, and you should be all set. Good luck with the job search!

Perfect outcome. For anyone else who finds this thread with the same question - yes, you can receive both Social Security retirement benefits and California EDD unemployment insurance simultaneously with no issues. File your claim, keep certifying, and do your job search requirements.

Love an update! Thanks for coming back to close the loop. This thread is going to help a lot of people.