Do seasonal workers get unemployment in California? EDD claim eligibility questions

That's really reassuring. I was worried the 'seasonal' label would automatically flag my claim somehow. My employer definitely didn't say anything about not rehiring me - they literally said see you next November.

wait so even if they already told you theyre gonna hire you back you can still collect?? asking for a friend lol

The 'rehire expected' situation is more nuanced - if you have a definite return-to-work date within a few weeks, EDD may put you on standby status rather than regular UI. But if the next season is months away, you'd typically file for regular benefits and handle it from there.

That threshold actually sounds very doable based on what I earned this past season. Did you have to do anything special when filing or just go through the normal UI Online process?

Just the normal UI Online process at edd.ca.gov. When it asks about your separation reason just be honest - seasonal layoff, end of season. Don't overthink it.

the base period wage stuff is accurate, good info here

Okay this is news to me. How do I even apply for standby status and would that make sense for my situation where I'm not going back for like 7-8 months?

Standby is really only meant for temporary layoffs of a few weeks to a couple months. For an 8 month off-season you'd almost certainly be on regular UI with standard job search requirements. You'd apply through UI Online when certifying weekly claims.

ugh the job search requirement is SO annoying when you know where you're working next season. makes zero sense

I know it feels pointless but technically you're supposed to be genuinely available for any suitable work during the benefit period, not just waiting for your old job to start back up

I've heard EDD phone lines are basically impossible to get through. Is this legit? Might need to call before I file to make sure I understand my specific situation.

100% legit, I was skeptical too. Saved me a ton of time and stress when I needed an actual human to answer my specific question about seasonal employment.

gonna look into this, have been trying to reach EDD for two weeks about something unrelated and its been a nightmare

Your employer reports your wages and separation to EDD when you file. They can contest your claim and claim you're expected to return to work, which might trigger an adjudication review. But that's not necessarily bad - it just means EDD reviews the specifics of your situation before approving. Most seasonal layoffs get resolved appropriately.

oh okay so if my employer fights it that could cause problems? my manager was kinda vague about whether im coming back

If there's ambiguity about rehire status that could cause a temporary hold while EDD sorts it out. Best to file and let the process play out rather than preemptively not filing.

Three weeks with no income would be really stressful. Did they ever explain what triggered the adjudication?

i think my employer checked a box wrong on their end. eventually got sorted out and i got back pay for the weeks i was waiting so it worked out

Back pay for adjudication period is standard - you won't lose benefits just because of a processing delay as long as you keep certifying every week

Oh wow I did not know that. I've been sitting on this for two weeks already kind of procrastinating. Going to file tonight.

yeah get on it! you can backdate to your last day of work but there's a limit to how far back you can go. sooner is always better

This is really good advice that more people need to hear. The clock starts ticking immediately.

I learned this the hard way and lost like 2 weeks of benefits. don't repeat my mistake

Great question - for EDD purposes the employer of record is whoever has been reporting her wages and withholding taxes. If the labor contractor/staffing agency was her legal employer (which is common in agricultural placement situations), they'd be the one EDD contacts. She should check her W-2s to see who the employer name is.

okay that makes sense. her W2 shows the staffing agency name so probably them then

That's correct. And staffing agency seasonal workers can absolutely qualify for UI when their assignment ends - same rules apply.

That sounds exhausting. Did you end up getting approved after all that?

yes eventually but it was like 5 weeks of back and forth. their questionnaires are ABSURD

The seasonal employment questionnaire is their way of determining whether you fall under any special rules, like if your union contract has a recall provision or if you're considered a 'seasonal worker' in a specific legal sense that could affect eligibility. Annoying but it does serve a purpose.

I guess but the way they phrase the questions is so confusing. I answered one wrong the first time and had to send a correction

I was literally going to overthink the certification questions. Thank you for clarifying this.

I used to answer those questions so wrong because I didn't understand what they were actually asking. got a scary letter from EDD once

Yeah the wording on those questions hasn't been updated in forever and it trips people up constantly. When in doubt, answer for what actually happened that week, not for what you plan to do.

Do I need to submit the job search records when I certify or just keep them at home?

Keep them at home. You only submit them if EDD requests an audit, but they need to be legit records - employer name, contact method, date, position applied for. Some people keep a spreadsheet.

Pro tip: CalJOBS is the state job search system and creating an account there and applying through it counts toward your job search requirement AND it's already documented in the system

This is encouraging to hear! I feel like I only see the horror stories online.

I mean the horror stories are real too lol but not everyone has a nightmare experience. file correctly and completely and a lot of the issues don't come up

Agree. Most adjudication headaches come from incomplete applications or employers who contest claims. Straightforward seasonal layoffs often just... get approved.

I was in this exact situation and couldn't get answers through the regular phone lines. Ended up using Claimyr to get through to an actual EDD agent - the website is claimyr.com and there's a demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10. The agent I spoke with was able to tell me exactly what was causing my adjudication hold and what I needed to do. Worth trying if you're stuck.

I've literally spent 6+ hours on hold across different days and either get disconnected or told to call back later. Will try this.

4 weeks is frustrating but not unusual for adjudication unfortunately. make sure you're still certifying every week while you wait - if you stop certifying you lose those weeks even when the adjudication clears

There's no lifetime cap on how many times you can collect UI in California. Each new benefit year is evaluated on its own merits based on wages earned in the relevant base period. As long as you keep earning sufficient wages each season and meet the eligibility requirements, you can file each off-season.

okay that's good to know. some of my coworkers thought there was like a 3-time limit or something

No limit like that exists. The 3-strikes myth gets repeated a lot but it's not accurate California EDD policy.

I've filed 4 off-seasons in a row and never had any issue related to 'collecting too often.' each year starts fresh.

Don't skip it - missing a required reemployment services appointment can result in disqualification from benefits. It's usually pretty quick, like an hour online. They go over job search resources and expectations.

ugh okay I'll do it. what do they actually make you do in it

Mostly just watch/listen to information about job search resources, labor market info, that kind of thing. At the end they usually have you confirm you understand the job search requirements. Pretty low stakes, just don't miss it.

Yes, reported tips count as wages for EDD base period calculations. If your employer included them in your W-2 or if you reported them on your taxes as income, they should be reflected in your wage record with EDD. If there's a discrepancy you can request a wage audit.

okay good. i was worried my benefit amount would be super low if they only counted my hourly wage

This is actually an important point - if you think your reported wages look wrong in UI Online you can contest the wage record. Worth checking before your claim gets processed.

This is really useful to know. I should probably have a quick conversation with my manager to understand what they plan to report to EDD.

Honestly yes - not to coordinate your stories but just to understand the situation accurately. If your employer says 'definite rehire' and you say 'no commitment' that flags an inconsistency that causes delays.

And if you end up in a situation where your employer's report triggers an extended adjudication review, getting a live EDD agent on the phone can really speed things up. That's when it's worth trying services like Claimyr (claimyr.com) to cut through the phone system wait times.

agreed - the one time I needed to actually talk to someone about the discrepancy, being able to reach a live agent made a huge difference vs waiting weeks for a decision

They're completely different programs. UI (unemployment insurance) is for people who lost their job through no fault of their own and are able and available to work. SDI (State Disability Insurance) is for people who can't work due to a non-work-related illness or injury. If you're healthy and just between seasonal jobs, UI is what you want - SDI would only apply if you're actually unable to work for medical reasons.

ohhhh okay that makes way more sense. I was so confused about why disability would apply to me. I'll file for UI.

your coworker might have been confused or maybe they had a specific situation (like an injury during the season) that made SDI relevant for them. definitely different programs for different situations

Oh interesting - I think I might be this thread's original poster lol. Did you run into any questions that tripped you up during the application?

The part about 'separation reason' had me second-guessing myself but I just said 'lack of work/end of season' and it seemed fine. The base period wage section was auto-populated which was helpful.

Good luck! Pending is normal at first, usually resolves within 1-3 weeks for straightforward seasonal layoffs. Just keep certifying every week starting from when EDD tells you your first certification week is.

Please do! You may have left years of benefits on the table. The eligibility rules genuinely do cover seasonal agricultural workers - file and see what happens.

yeah i feel kinda dumb for assuming all these years. the whole 'seasonal workers can't get unemployment' thing just seemed like common sense that turned out to be wrong

You're not alone - this misconception is incredibly widespread. Better to find out now than never. Good luck with your claim.

same thing happened to me, filed for the first time after 6 seasons assuming i didn't qualify. got approved. wish i'd known earlier