Do I need a termination letter for my California EDD unemployment claim?

Oh wow that's actually really reassuring to hear. So EDD contacts them directly? I was worried I'd have to be the one to prove everything myself.

Yeah this is correct. I went through this exact thing last year. My company laid off a whole department and none of us got letters. All our claims went through fine once EDD contacted HR.

Same here. Verbal layoff, no documentation, claim approved in about 3 weeks. The employer verification process handles it.

What if my employer says something different than what I said? Like what if they try to say I quit when I didn't?

If that happens your claim would go into adjudication and you'd have a chance to explain your side. EDD would look at both accounts and make a determination. You can also appeal if you disagree with the decision. But honestly most employers don't dispute straightforward layoffs.

this happened to me and it was a nightmare. employer lied and said i quit. took me 2 months to get it sorted out. just be prepared for the possibility

Wait this actually works? I've been trying to get EDD on the phone for days and keep getting the automated message saying they can't take my call.

Yeah it worked for me. I was skeptical too but I was desperate at that point. Got through to an agent within a couple hours.

claimyr.com? gonna check this out because the phone situation with EDD is absolutely insane. been trying for a week

Do I need to be doing job search activities already? I literally just filed yesterday.

Yes, job search requirements start from when you become unemployed, not when you file. You need to contact 3 employers per week and log it. EDD can audit your job search records so keep track.

To clarify - for regular UI in California you need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and record employer name, contact method, position applied for, and date. Keep those records for 3 years just in case.

That's a smart idea actually. I have my manager's email, I could probably just send a quick message asking for something in writing.

I did this and the company said they don't provide termination letters as policy. Still got my unemployment with no problem. So don't freak out if they refuse.

Same thing happened to me, big corporation said it was against policy. EDD didn't care, they just went through their normal employer verification process.

Adjudication just means EDD is reviewing something about your claim - it's NOT an automatic denial. It means there's a question that needs to be answered, like why you separated from your employer. Many claims go through adjudication and end up approved. Don't panic yet.

Yeah adjudication is a review process, not a denial. An adjudicator at EDD will look at the information from both you and your employer and make a determination. Could go either way but it doesn't mean you've been denied.

oh my god thank you. i've been spiraling for two days thinking adjudication meant i was rejected. that makes way more sense

Oh this is exactly what I was afraid of. Did you end up winning your appeal at least?

Yes eventually. But 8 weeks of no income is brutal. I had to borrow money from family. Just protect yourself with any documentation you can get.

This situation is the exception not the rule for layoffs, but it's a valid point. Any written record - even an email from your manager saying 'your last day will be X' - is worth keeping. For a clear-cut position elimination though, most employers won't dispute it because they don't want the unemployment insurance rate increase that comes from disputing and losing.

This was me before I found Claimyr. Seriously check out claimyr.com - it navigates the phone system and connects you to an actual EDD agent. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 that shows what it does. I know it sounds too good to be true but it's the only thing that worked for me after days of busy signals.

Okay I just watched the video. Going to try this because I'm completely out of options at this point. Thank you.

I've also heard calling right when they open at 8am on a Tuesday or Wednesday (avoiding Mondays) can help but honestly even that is hit or miss with EDD

This is really helpful context. My employer is a pretty big company so I imagine their HR just processes this stuff routinely.

Yes, large companies with HR departments are often very efficient about responding to EDD inquiries. They have people whose job it is to handle exactly this. Smaller companies with no HR are sometimes where delays happen.

Good info. This matches what I've seen. The big companies almost always respond quickly and accurately because they have processes. It's the small employers who sometimes cause complications.

Smart. I don't think I saved a copy of what I entered. Can I go back into UI Online and see what I put?

I think you can see some of it in your claim details. Log into your myEDD account and look at your claim information. Not sure if it shows every answer but you can see the basics.

You can view your claim details in UI Online but the system doesn't always show every answer from your initial application. Going forward I'd recommend writing down the key details - your last day worked, your stated reason for separation, and your base period wages - so you have a personal reference.

Wait so even if it goes to adjudication you might just get a phone call and that's it? That's way less scary than I thought.

In my case yes. It was like a 10 minute call. The adjudicator was actually pretty professional. They just needed to verify the details of why I separated. Not all adjudications are that simple but mine definitely was for a straightforward layoff.

This is pretty typical for layoff cases. The phone interview is usually brief and informal for position elimination situations. It only gets complicated if there's a dispute or a misconduct allegation.

Yes I'm aware of that part thankfully. I saw that in the information EDD sent after I filed. Every two weeks, report any work or income.

good! just checking because i see so many posts from people who didn't certify and lost weeks of benefits

wait you certify every two weeks or every week?? i thought it was weekly

You certify every TWO weeks in California EDD, covering the two-week claim period. So every 14 days you log in to UI Online or call TELEC to report your job search, any income earned, and answer the eligibility questions.

What kind of things would they send me that I'd need to respond to?

Could be a questionnaire about your separation, a request for more information, a notice that they scheduled a phone interview. Whatever it is, respond by the deadline or it can hurt your claim. I set up email notifications so I'd know right away when something new appeared in my account.

This is important advice. EDD notices have hard deadlines and ignoring them can result in a denial even if you would have otherwise been approved. Check your UI Online inbox frequently, especially in the first few weeks after filing.

Generally if an employer doesn't respond to EDD's inquiry, EDD will rule in favor of the claimant. The burden is on the employer to provide a reason for the separation. If they don't respond, EDD typically treats it as a non-contested layoff and approves the claim.

Yep this is correct from an HR perspective. If we don't respond to EDD inquiries, we lose the ability to contest the claim and EDD defaults to approving. Most companies try to respond for that reason.

Oh interesting. So employer silence actually benefits me. That's kind of counterintuitive but makes sense.

I hear you - EDD phone access has been a serious problem. Someone mentioned Claimyr earlier in this thread and it genuinely helped me get through after days of failed attempts. Worth checking out claimyr.com if you haven't tried it. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 showing how it works. Not a magic fix but it was the only thing that actually connected me to a real agent.

ugh fine I'll look at it. at this point I've spent more time trying to reach EDD than the call itself would take

same boat. the irony of needing to call EDD to ask about unemployment but being unemployed and therefore having all day to call yet still not being able to get through is truly something

No, EDD does not automatically side with employers. They weigh the information from both sides. In disputes, they look at the consistency and credibility of both accounts, any documentation either party provides, and what's more plausible given the circumstances. Employees win these disputes regularly.

It can feel like they side with employers but that's not technically how it works. I fought mine and won. The key is being specific, consistent, and having any documentation you can find - even just emails or texts.

That's good to know. I've heard horror stories but I guess people usually only post about the bad experiences.

That's clever. I might dig through my old work emails too and see if there's anything. Even a meeting invite for a 'restructuring discussion' would probably be something.

exactly. anything that establishes context. even forwarding yourself relevant emails before you lose work account access

Good call on forwarding emails before losing account access - that's an important one. Once your work email is deactivated you can't get back into it. Save anything relevant to your personal email right away.

Yes I filed it about a week ago now. No adjudication flag yet, just shows as pending. I've been certifying on time and logging my job search contacts. Still waiting to hear anything but feeling less anxious after this thread. Will update if anything happens.

keep us posted! this is helpful to read through as someone who might need to file soon

Pending is normal at this stage. Most regular layoff claims process within 3-5 weeks. Just stay on top of your weekly certifications and respond quickly if EDD contacts you.

I really hope it doesn't come to that but good to know the appeals process exists. 30 days to file, got it.

The appeals process was what saved me. The hearing was over the phone and the judge actually listened to my side carefully. Worth pursuing if you get denied unfairly.

Yeah the CUIAB judges are independent from EDD which helps. They're not just rubber-stamping EDD decisions. You can also request a postponement if you need more time to prepare.

Worth noting you can also get free help with unemployment appeals from legal aid organizations in California. Bay Area Legal Aid, Bet Tzedek, and others offer free representation for UI appeals. Just search 'unemployment appeal legal aid California' to find help in your area.