Can you get unemployment and food stamps at the same time in California?

Oh thank goodness, I was so worried about this. So when I apply for CalFresh do I just tell them I'm getting unemployment income?

Exactly right. When you fill out the CalFresh application you report your unemployment benefit as income. They'll calculate your household size, income, and expenses and tell you if you qualify and for how much. Go to benefitscal.org to apply online, it takes maybe 20-30 minutes.

same here i get both and it helps a lot tbh, every little bit counts when ur unemployed

$180 a month would make such a difference honestly. How long did it take for CalFresh to get approved after you applied?

My CalFresh was approved in about 10 days. They do a phone interview and then mail you an EBT card. Process was pretty smooth actually compared to dealing with EDD lol

edd approval process is a whole other nightmare, i been waiting 5 weeks just to talk to someone about my claim

wait so this claimyr thing actually gets you through to a real EDD person?? I've been trying to call for 3 weeks straight

Yeah it got me connected to an actual agent. Way better than redialing 200 times. claimyr.com is the site

ive heard of this before, does it actually work or is it one of those things that sounds too good

It worked for me, that's all I can say. Saved me a ton of frustration when I really needed answers about my claim amount before applying for other benefits

My weekly benefit is only $320 so I think I should be under that limit. Good to know though

This is correct info. Income limits vary by household size too so a family of 4 has a much higher limit than a single person. Always worth applying to find out for sure.

exactly, and people forget that CalFresh also has deductions for things like rent and utilities that can lower your countable income further so even if you're near the limit you might still qualify after deductions

I'm sorry you went through that, it really seems like they should connect people to these resources automatically

100% agree the system makes it so hard to navigate all the different programs

And then you finally figure it out and wonder how many other people are suffering not knowing. I eventually got $210/month in CalFresh and wished I'd applied from day one of being unemployed

Oh good tip, I wasn't sure what proof they'd need. I'll log into UI Online and look for that letter

Yeah it's under like account or payment info I think, been a while since I looked at it. You could also just show them your bank statements showing the EDD deposits if you can't find the letter

The benefit verification letter on UI Online is actually super easy to find, it's right in the main menu area when you log in

They are completely separate programs with separate requirements. CalFresh for able-bodied adults without dependents does have work requirements called ABAWD rules but California has largely suspended or expanded exemptions from those. Your EDD job search activities don't count toward CalFresh requirements and vice versa, but in most California counties right now the CalFresh work requirements aren't being heavily enforced. If you have kids or any disability you're likely exempt anyway.

Oh okay good to know, I was worried it would add more stuff to track and keep up with

This is one of those things that sounds complicated but in practice rarely comes up. The CalFresh workers focus way more on income and household size than work activities in my experience

Oh wow I hadn't even thought about Medi-Cal, I actually lost my health insurance when I got laid off so that's really useful to know

Yeah Medi-Cal is also separate from EDD and CalFresh, apply through Covered California or benefitscal.org. With unemployment income only you will almost certainly qualify

this is real talk, the combination of EDD + CalFresh + Medi-Cal honestly kept me afloat when I was unemployed for 4 months, use every resource available

I'm not working at all right now so no other income to worry about, but good reminder about the weekly certifications

the weekly certifications stress me out every time even though ive done them for months, always scared I'll answer something wrong

I get that anxiety completely. If you're ever unsure about how to answer a certification question an EDD agent can walk you through it, that's worth a call to EDD for sure

Your cousin is misinformed. CalFresh (or any government assistance program) does NOT appear on your credit report and has zero impact on your credit score. Benefits programs are completely separate from credit reporting systems. The only thing that could potentially matter is if you ever apply for certain immigration statuses, but for US citizens and permanent residents there's no issue at all.

ok good I thought that sounded wrong lol thanks for clarifying

Yeah this is a common myth that unfortunately scares people away from benefits they're entitled to. Please ignore that misinformation

Yes you need to report gig/self-employment income to both EDD and CalFresh. For EDD you report any earnings when you certify for that week, and gig work earnings reduce your UI benefit for that week. For CalFresh you report income changes to your county worker, typically within 10 days of a change. Your CalFresh amount may adjust based on the additional income. Transparency with both programs is really important to avoid overpayment issues down the road.

Ugh that seems complicated to track. So every week with DoorDash income I need to report different amounts to two different agencies?

Basically yes. EDD is week by week on your certification. CalFresh is more of a monthly income reporting situation. It's worth keeping a simple log of your gig earnings so you have accurate numbers for both programs.

I did exactly this with rideshare driving while on EDD. It's a bit of paperwork but totally doable. The alternative - not reporting and getting hit with an overpayment demand from EDD or CalFresh - is so much worse

California EDD regular unemployment insurance lasts up to 26 weeks. CalFresh has no strict time limit as long as you continue to meet the income and eligibility requirements, you recertify every 6-12 months. So it's possible to exhaust your UI benefits and still remain on CalFresh if your income stays low enough, like if you find part-time work but not enough to exceed CalFresh income limits.

Oh interesting so CalFresh could potentially continue even after EDD runs out

Exactly. Lots of people transition from EDD + CalFresh to just CalFresh while they're still job searching or in part-time work situations

This is actually really helpful to know because I've already tried calling EDD twice and got disconnected both times

Yeah it was genuinely such a relief to finally talk to someone. The video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 explains how it works if you want to check it out before trying it

bookmarking this for when I inevitably have issues with my claim lol

Thank you for saying this, I'll admit I did feel a little weird about it at first

Super common feeling but completely unnecessary. These programs have no downside for using them when you qualify.

100% this. There is zero shame in using systems you've already contributed to through taxes. Take care of yourself first.

I didn't know it was all in one application, that's really convenient

Yeah benefitscal.org is actually pretty well designed for this. Takes like 30-40 minutes if you have your income info handy but you can save and come back to it

I did this when I lost my job last time and got CalFresh and Medi-Cal approved at the same time, the combined application is definitely the way to go

This is really important advice, I feel like overpayment situations are so stressful and avoidable if you just report things correctly

Exactly, the stress of an overpayment demand is so much worse than just being on top of reporting. Set a calendar reminder or whatever works for you

Do you have to report to CalFresh right away or is there like a grace period when you start a new job?

Generally you're supposed to report within 10 days of a change in income or employment status. Don't wait until your next recertification if something changes significantly.

Great outcome! Glad it worked out and that you posted back with an update. This will definitely help other people in the same situation searching for this info.

Love seeing this update!! Congrats, use those benefits and take care of yourself

This is the best kind of thread ending. Good luck with your job search, hope things turn around soon for you

Awesome news! And if you ever need to reach an EDD agent for any questions about your UI claim going forward, remember claimyr.com saved me so much time. Hope you're back on your feet soon