Collecting EDD benefits while receiving severance pay - confused about start date

You generally cannot collect unemployment while receiving severance in California. EDD considers severance as wages, so you'll need to report that income during certification. Your claim eligibility typically begins after your severance period ends. However, you should still file your claim now - select your last actual working day (April 15th) as your last date of employment, not when severance ends. When certifying, you'll report the severance income which will reduce or eliminate your weekly benefit until severance ends. This establishes your claim in the system though, which is important.

To add to what the previous person said, if your severance payments are less than your potential weekly benefit amount, you might qualify for partial benefits. For example, if your weekly benefit would be $450 but your weekly severance is $300, you could receive the difference of $150. Also, the key thing is whether your severance is paid as a lump sum or as continued wages. If it's a lump sum, the EDD treats it differently than if it's paid out like regular paychecks.

just fyi my company did somethign similar to me last year. filed right after my last day even tho i was gettin severance for 3 months. didnt get any $ until severance ended but at least my claim was in the system. dont wait to file!!

When I got laid off in 2024, EDD made a mess of my claim because of severance issues. They initially disqualified me completely saying I wasn't unemployed yet because of severance! Had to appeal and wait FOREVER. My advice - DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! Save your termination letter showing your last day worked vs. severance period. You'll need it if there's confusion.

I went through this exact situation last year! File your claim now using April 15th as your last day worked. When you certify, answer YES to the question about receiving other income and report your severance. You probably won't get benefits until your severance ends, but at least your claim will be established and ready to go. The most important thing is that you need to be truthful about your severance when certifying. If you don't report it, they'll eventually find out and you'll end up with an overpayment situation which is a nightmare to deal with.

I've had so much trouble getting through to EDD on the phone lately. I spent two weeks trying to reach someone about my severance situation back in March - kept getting "we're experiencing high call volume" messages. Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. Totally worth it for peace of mind. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their site is claimyr.com if you end up needing to actually speak with someone at EDD.

One more thing to consider - make sure you're fulfilling the work search requirements even while on severance. Since you mentioned you've been job hunting, keep detailed records of all applications, interviews, networking, etc. You'll need to certify that you're looking for work, and EDD can audit those records later. Also, once you file, set up your UI Online account right away so you can manage everything electronically.

wait i thot severance and unemployment were totally different???? my friend got both at same time last year!!! why is everyone saying u cant???

After reading through all these comments, I think the consensus is pretty clear: 1. File now with April 15th as your last working day 2. Report your severance income when certifying 3. Keep detailed records of your job search 4. Expect to receive reduced or no benefits until severance ends 5. Make sure you have your termination letter and severance agreement ready in case there are questions This is exactly what worked for me when I was in your situation. The system is designed to handle this common scenario, but you need to be patient and thorough with your documentation.

Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - when you file your claim, make sure to keep copies of all your severance documentation (pay stubs, severance agreement, etc.) easily accessible. EDD sometimes requests additional documentation weeks or even months after you file, and having everything organized will save you a lot of stress. Also, if your severance includes things like health insurance continuation or other benefits, those typically don't count as wages for unemployment purposes - only the actual cash payments do. Good luck with your claim!

As someone who just went through this process a few months ago, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - definitely file now! I was in almost the exact same situation (laid off in January but severance through March). The key thing I learned is that filing early doesn't hurt you at all, it just gets your claim in the system. Even though I didn't receive any actual benefit payments until my severance ended, having that claim already established meant I got my first payment within a week of my severance ending instead of waiting weeks for processing. Also, make sure when you report your severance income that you're reporting the gross amount before taxes - that tripped me up initially. The EDD reps are actually pretty helpful once you get through to them, so don't stress too much about making mistakes. You can always call to clarify if something seems off with your claim status.

I went through something very similar when I got laid off from my marketing job last fall. My severance ran through December but my last work day was in September. I filed my claim immediately using my actual last work day, and I'm so glad I did! Even though I didn't get any benefit payments until January (after severance ended), having the claim already processed meant I got paid right away once I was eligible. One thing I wish someone had told me - when you're reporting your severance income during certification, make sure you report it for the week you actually received the payment, not the week it's supposed to cover. I got confused about this initially and had to call EDD to clarify. Also, keep every single piece of paperwork from your employer about the severance terms - I had to provide mine twice during the process. The whole thing was way less scary than I expected once I actually started the process. You've got this!

One thing I want to emphasize that others have touched on - don't let the complexity of this situation discourage you from filing right away. I was in your exact shoes two years ago (tech layoff, severance through summer, last work day in spring) and I almost waited because I was overwhelmed by all the rules. That would have been a huge mistake! Filing early gives you time to work through any issues without the pressure of needing immediate income. Also, since you mentioned you've been job hunting for a month already, you're already ahead of the game on work search requirements. Make sure to log every application, networking call, and interview - EDD loves detailed records. The tech job market is tough right now but having your unemployment claim ready to go once your severance ends will give you more flexibility in your job search. You won't feel pressured to take the first offer just because you need income. Hang in there - this process is more straightforward than it seems at first!

I was in a very similar situation when I got laid off from my software engineering job last year - severance through August but last work day in May. The advice here is spot on: file immediately using your actual last work day (April 15th), not when severance ends. I made the mistake of waiting a few weeks because I thought I had to wait until severance ended, and it just delayed everything unnecessarily. When you certify each week, you'll report your severance payments which will likely zero out your benefits until July, but your claim will be established and ready to activate once severance stops. Also, since you're in tech, I'd recommend checking if your company offers any career transition services or job placement assistance as part of your severance package - mine did and it was actually really helpful for networking. The job market is definitely challenging right now, but having your UI claim ready to go will give you breathing room to find the right opportunity rather than having to rush into something. Document everything and don't stress too much about the process - EDD handles severance situations all the time!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who handles unemployment claims professionally - everyone here is giving you excellent advice! The key points are absolutely correct: file now using April 15th as your last work day, report your severance during weekly certifications, and keep meticulous records of everything. One additional tip I'd add is to screenshot or print your weekly certification confirmations - if there are any issues later, having proof of what you reported and when can be invaluable. Also, make sure you understand exactly how your severance is structured (weekly payments vs. lump sum allocated over time) because EDD treats these differently. Since you're in tech, you might also want to consider whether any stock options or equity vesting could affect your claim timing. The most important thing is getting your claim in the system now rather than waiting - you're already behind the curve by not filing immediately after your last work day, but it's not too late to get things moving. Good luck with both your claim and your job search!

I'm really glad I found this thread! I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my job three weeks ago with severance running through September, but my actual last work day was May 1st. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful. I was also confused about whether to file now or wait until my severance ends, but it's clear from all your stories that filing immediately is the way to go. I've been putting it off because the whole process seemed overwhelming, but seeing how many of you successfully navigated this exact scenario gives me confidence. One question - for those who filed while on severance, did you have any issues with the initial eligibility determination, or did EDD pretty smoothly recognize that you were unemployed even though you were receiving severance payments? I'm worried they might initially deny my claim and I'll have to go through an appeals process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing!