Can you get unemployment while on FMLA in California?

Thanks for breaking that down. My mom's recovery is actually going better than expected so I would be able to take a job at this point, the FMLA was more of a formal protection thing once we got past the acute phase. So I think the able and available piece is fine for me.

yeah I went through something vaguely similar when I got laid off while on medical leave and California EDD approved my claim no problem, the leave status didn't seem to matter once they confirmed it was a company layoff

That makes sense. I was overthinking it and trying to figure out how to explain the FMLA angle but you're right, the reason for separation is the layoff not the leave.

THIS. So many people confuse the reason for separation and end up triggering adjudication unnecessarily. Report what happened accurately - you were laid off. The FMLA was just the context around it.

agreed, keep it simple and factual when filing

I've been trying to call EDD for three days and can't get through at all. Definitely going to check out Claimyr before I file, I have a few specific questions about my situation I want answered first.

I used Claimyr when my claim went into adjudication and it was the only way I actually got to talk to a real person. Highly recommend especially for complicated situations like this one.

does it actually work? I've tried everything to reach EDD and given up multiple times

That's actually a misconception. There's no California EDD rule that requires you to wait until FMLA ends before filing for unemployment. Since this person was laid off, the FMLA period is essentially moot - the employment relationship ended with the layoff, not when the leave was supposed to conclude.

oh ok thanks for clarifying, I must have been thinking of something else or just had wrong info. good to know

Really appreciate hearing a real experience like this. Did you have any issue with the job search requirements during the time your FMLA was still technically active?

Honestly I just made sure I was genuinely looking and documented everything in my job search log. By the time EDD approved my claim I had already completed several applications so it worked out. The job search requirement doesn't pause just because you were on FMLA.

the back payments thing is so important, make sure you certify every week from the start even if it's showing as pending

same experience here, the adjudication took a bit longer than usual but ultimately approved

No, you can't collect both California SDI and California EDD unemployment simultaneously. SDI is for when you personally have a medical condition preventing you from working. UI unemployment is for when you're able and available to work but don't have a job. They serve different purposes and have different eligibility criteria. Some people on FMLA do get SDI if it's for their own health condition, but in OP's case they were providing caretaking so they'd be looking at Paid Family Leave potentially - but that's a separate program from UI unemployment.

oh wow I had no idea those were different things, thanks for explaining

Yes, my situation is genuinely that I could take a job now. Mom has other help lined up and her recovery is solid. So I'm not worried about that piece - I just wanted to understand the FMLA angle.

This is the right answer. The able and available question is what California EDD actually cares about. The FMLA status is kind of irrelevant to them.

Try Claimyr if you need to talk to an EDD agent - claimyr.com - it's honestly the only thing that worked for me when I couldn't get through on my own. There's also a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 if you want to see how it works first.

oh thank you I'm going to look into that right now, I've wasted so many hours trying to get through

Also just start your claim online through UI Online even if you have questions. You can file and then get questions answered - waiting to file until all your questions are answered just delays your potential benefit weeks.

I worked there for over four years before taking the leave, so my base period wages are definitely solid. This is reassuring.

Exactly right. The base period calculation is completely separate from your current leave status. California EDD is looking backward at what you earned, not at what your current employment status is.

does anyone know the minimum amount you have to earn to qualify? I've always wondered how low you can go

good info. yeah if you worked full time for years you're nowhere near the threshold issue

appreciate you coming back to answer that

That's a really interesting point I hadn't considered. The restructuring was broader than just me - several positions were eliminated. But it is worth thinking about.

This is valid. However for the purposes of the California EDD unemployment claim, OP shouldn't wait on that to file. File the UI claim now to protect your weeks. Any potential legal action is a completely separate process and California EDD won't care about the potential legal angle when processing the unemployment claim.

yes absolutely file the EDD claim regardless. that clock starts ticking on your benefit weeks

That's encouraging! Did you have to do anything special or just file normally?

just filed normally online, explained I was laid off, and that was basically it. the FMLA stuff never even came up in the process

Thank you for this - I need to make sure I'm tracking everything from day one. I'll set up a spreadsheet.

The three activities per week is current as of 2025 yes. Keep records of employer name, contact info, type of activity, date, and any response you received. California EDD can and does audit job search records.

do they actually check?? I always wondered how often they actually audit people

They absolutely do audit, and they can ask for records going back to the start of your claim. Not worth the risk of not keeping records.

That simplifies things a lot. I was imagining there'd be some complicated question about the leave status on every certification.

nope, the weekly cert questions are pretty straightforward. the complexity is really just in the initial claim filing.

FMLA itself (federal Family Medical Leave Act) is unpaid job-protected leave. However in California, employees may also be eligible for California Paid Family Leave (PFL) through EDD which can provide partial wage replacement during FMLA - it's a separate state program that sometimes runs concurrently with FMLA. So it depends on the specific situation whether someone had any income during their FMLA leave.

wow I had no idea California had that separate program. the whole system is complicated

California actually has a bunch of programs that other states don't have, PFL being one of them. it can get confusing

Yes, adjudication is more likely when there's any kind of leave involved in the separation timeline. It doesn't mean you'll be denied - it just means they're doing additional review. Keep filing your weekly certifications throughout the adjudication period and you'll get back pay if approved.

I did eventually get approved and got all the back weeks paid. Just a really stressful month of not knowing.

If anyone gets stuck in adjudication and needs to reach EDD to check on their claim status, claimyr.com really helped me get through. The regular phone line was impossible during my adjudication period.

ugh five weeks is brutal, how did you survive financially during that

I actually filed last night after reading through this thread! Went with the layoff as reason for separation and was very clear about being able and available to work. Fingers crossed.

Great! Now just make sure you start your weekly certifications on time. You should get a notice about when your first certification is due. Don't miss it.

Good luck! Come back and let us know how it goes. Based on everything you've described it sounds like a pretty straightforward layoff claim.

So glad to hear it! Quick approval too. Good luck with the job search.

Great outcome and thanks for coming back to update. Your experience will be helpful to others searching this exact situation.

this gives me so much hope, I'm in a similar situation and just started my claim. fingers crossed mine goes as smoothly

Love when these threads have actual resolution. Congrats!