Do PFL and disability payments count as wages for EDD unemployment application?

No, you shouldn't include PFL or disability payments as wages. For unemployment purposes, 'wages' only refers to money earned from actual employment. The EDD will have records of your W-2 earnings already, and PFL/SDI benefits aren't considered wages for UI calculations. They use your highest-earning quarter from your base period (typically the 12-month period before the last completed calendar quarter) to determine your weekly benefit amount.

i put my disability on mine and got my claim denied took 2 months to fix it dont do that

Are you SURE you shouldn't include it?? I'm pretty sure my cousin said she DID include her disability payments when she filed last year and she got approved right away. The EDD website is so confusing about this!!! It just says "report all wages" but doesn't specify what counts as wages. Maybe call and ask directly? But good luck getting through to anyone there...

When I filled out my application last month, I noticed they specifically ask for "wages" which means money you earned from an employer. I was in a similar situation with maternity leave through PFL earlier in the year. The EDD rep told me that only include what would show up on a W-2 form from an employer.

The EDD system is such a mess right now. I tried calling them with this EXACT question last month and couldn't get through for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT!!! Always got the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and then it hung up on me. I finally used Claimyr.com to get through - they have this service that calls EDD for you and connects you when they get an agent. Saved me so much frustration! There's a video about how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The agent confirmed that PFL and SDI should NOT be included as wages.

This is why the EDD system is BROKEN!! They make the forms so confusing and then penalize YOU when you make a mistake! I accidentally included my workers comp payments as wages last year and they flagged my account for "potential fraud" and froze everything for MONTHS while they "investigated" - even though it was just an honest mistake! The system is designed to trip people up and deny benefits!

To clarify what others have said: When filing for unemployment, you should only report wages earned from employment. PFL and SDI benefits are administered by EDD but are not considered wages for UI purposes. EDD defines wages as money earned from an employer for work performed. They calculate your UI benefit amount based on your highest-earning quarter during your base period. Important: If you were receiving PFL or SDI in the 18 months before filing for UI, make sure to mention this elsewhere in your application when asked about other benefits. This helps EDD correctly establish your claim and can sometimes affect your base period calculation in a positive way.

My situation was sort of similar to yours last year when I got laid off. I was on medical leave for a while before returning and then getting laid off two months later. When I applied for unemployment I was sooooo confused about what to include! I just ended up putting only my actual work income and my claim went through fine. Good luck with everything!

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! I was on SDI for about 12 weeks after a car accident, then got laid off when I returned to work. The key thing to remember is that PFL and SDI are benefits, not wages - they're replacement income, not earned income. Only include what you actually earned from working (what would show up on your paystubs/W-2). I made the mistake of overthinking it at first, but once I understood that distinction, filling out the application was much clearer. The EDD already has all your wage records anyway, so they'll catch any discrepancies. Stick to actual employment earnings only and you'll be fine!

Just wanted to add my experience from when I filed earlier this year - I was also confused about this exact question! I had been on PFL for bonding leave and then got laid off shortly after returning. The EDD phone rep I finally got through to explained it really simply: if it didn't come from your employer as payment for work you performed, don't include it in the wages section. PFL and SDI are state benefits that replace your income when you can't work, but they're not wages earned from employment. The application has separate sections where you can mention these benefits if relevant. I only included my actual paychecks from when I was actively working and my claim processed without any issues. Hope this helps ease your mind about filling it out correctly!

I'm new here but dealing with a similar situation right now! I was on SDI for 6 weeks earlier this year after a work injury, then returned to my job for about 3 months before getting laid off due to budget cuts. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I was also confused about whether to include those disability payments as wages. It sounds like the consensus is clear: only include actual employment wages, not benefit payments. The distinction between "earned income" vs "replacement income" that someone mentioned really clicked for me. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who found the EDD application confusing on this point.

I just went through this same situation last month! I was on PFL for 6 weeks after having my baby, then returned to work for about 2 months before getting laid off in a company restructuring. I was so confused about the wages section too - the EDD application really isn't clear about what they consider "wages." After reading through all the responses here and calling EDD (finally got through after using one of those callback services), I can confirm what everyone is saying: DO NOT include PFL or SDI payments as wages. Only report your actual employment earnings - basically what you'd see on your W-2 from your employer. The EDD rep told me they already have all your wage history from employers, so including benefit payments could actually flag your application and cause delays. I only included my actual paychecks from when I was working and my claim went through smoothly. There are other sections in the application where you can mention if you received PFL/SDI benefits, which is important for them to know, but it shouldn't go in the wages section. Hope this helps and good luck with your application!