Do you have to apply for jobs while on unemployment in California EDD?

Oh okay so networking actually counts? That's good to know because I've been reaching out to former colleagues about openings. Do I need to log those conversations specifically or just note that I networked?

Log everything - date, who you contacted, what method (email, phone, LinkedIn, in person), and what the outcome was. Something like 'contacted John Smith at ABC Restaurant Group via LinkedIn regarding potential management openings' is perfectly fine. Vague entries like 'networked' with no details won't hold up if EDD reviews your claim.

wait does creating a linkedin profile count as one of the 3 activities? asking for myself lol

Six weeks is terrifying honestly. Did she eventually get her benefits reinstated?

Yeah she did but she had to appeal and go through this whole process. It was a huge headache. Moral of the story just keep detailed records from day one.

this is why i keep a spreadsheet. every single activity logged with timestamps. takes like 5 minutes a week and protects you completely

I didn't know about the CalJOBS thing! I'm going to register right now. Was it complicated to set up?

Not complicated at all - just goes to CalJOBS.ca.gov and create a profile. Upload your resume while you're at it because that counts as a job search activity for that week.

Good tip about CalJOBS. A lot of people skip that step and then wonder why their claim gets flagged. EDD cross-references your CalJOBS activity with what you report on your weekly certifications.

claimyr actually worked for me too when i needed to talk to someone about my job search requirements. saved like 3 hours of hold time

Were you given any notice before the audit or did it just happen suddenly?

Got a letter in the mail asking me to submit my job search records within 10 days. No warning at all. Just boom here's a letter now prove you were looking for work.

same happened to my brother in law. they asked for 12 weeks worth of records out of nowhere. he had most of it but there were 2 weeks where his notes were vague and he had to write a statement explaining those entries

Each individual job application counts as one separate activity. So if you apply to 5 jobs on Indeed that's 5 activities for the week. The platform doesn't matter - Indeed, LinkedIn, company website, walking in and handing in a resume - each application to a distinct employer is one activity.

Oh that makes way more sense. So I've probably been doing way more than 3 activities per week without even realizing it.

yeah same, i was applying to like 10 jobs a week thinking i only had to count it as one lol. definitely log each one separately

I'm not in a union so this doesn't apply to me but good to know for others reading this thread.

This is actually really useful info, I'm a union electrician and didn't know the rules were different for us. Gonna look into this.

Yeah the union hiring hall registration basically serves as your active job search in a lot of cases. But confirm with EDD directly because it can depend on your specific union and trade.

Not a dumb question at all - the weekly certification covers the week that just ended (Sunday through Saturday). So when you certify on a Sunday or Monday you're reporting activities that happened during the previous Sunday-Saturday period. Your 3 activities need to fall within that window.

Okay that makes sense. So I need to make sure I'm doing activities during the certification week not the week I'm actually submitting the form.

Exactly right. And if for some reason you certify late your activities still need to be from the correct claim week, not the week you're filling out the form.

You're supposed to be seeking work in your usual occupation or something similar, but you can broaden your search over time. Early in your claim you're generally expected to look in your field. California EDD isn't going to audit whether every application was a perfect fit, but you should at least be applying to jobs you're reasonably qualified for.

That's a relief. I was picturing having to apply to fast food places to hit my numbers when I have 12 years of arborist experience.

There's actually guidance that says if your skills are highly specialized and jobs in your field are genuinely scarce in your area, you can document that as context for your search. Just keep a note about market conditions in your area as part of your records.

I never knew you could document market conditions as context. That's actually really helpful, gonna start doing that.

Four days to get through is insane. I've been trying to call about something else and can't get anyone. Did you have a trick for getting through?

Honestly no trick worked reliably. I tried the early morning thing, tried different days of the week, kept getting the 'we cannot take your call' message. Would have been worth using something like Claimyr to skip all that - a friend used it afterward for a different issue and said it actually connected her to an agent same day at claimyr.com. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 that shows how it works.

Okay I'm bookmarking that. I need to talk to someone about my CalJOBS registration status and have been dreading trying to call.

I hadn't even thought about that angle. I've been considering doing a food safety certification course - would something like that qualify?

Short courses probably don't qualify for the full waiver but they might count as job search activities themselves depending on how they're structured. A full-time approved training program is what usually gets you the waiver. Worth calling EDD to ask about your specific situation.

i took a coursera certificate program while on UI and logged it as a job search activity (skill development). my claim went fine so apparently that works

I've heard of standby but never fully understood it. My old employer hinted they might bring people back in a few months. Does that count for standby?

If your employer gave you a specific return date within 8 weeks from your claim date you can request standby status. If it's vague or longer than 8 weeks it probably doesn't qualify and you'd need to actively seek work like normal.

Mine was pretty vague so I guess I'm doing job searches. Good to know the threshold is 8 weeks though.

If your log is audited and only shows 2 activities for a given week it could trigger a disqualification for that specific week which means they'd want back the benefits paid for that certification period. However in practice EDD typically sends a notice giving you a chance to explain or provide additional documentation before fully disqualifying you. So if you genuinely did 3 activities but just forgot to log one, you'd have an opportunity to provide a written explanation.

okay that's less scary than i thought. but still keeping better records going forward

Don't rely on being able to explain it after the fact. Just keep the log current as you go. 30 seconds per activity entry is all it takes and it protects you completely.

This is a really practical breakdown. I like the idea of diversifying the activity types.

Yeah it also honestly made my job search feel less monotonous. Instead of just mass applying I was actually doing more strategic networking and it ended up being more effective.

The diversification approach is smart and it's actually what EDD intends - they want to see that you're using multiple channels to find work, not just hitting submit on the same job board 3 times a week.

Oh wow I'm glad you mentioned that. I'm literally in my first week right now. I'm going to go log everything I've done so far today.

Good! Even if you applied to stuff before your claim was formally approved you might be able to log those activities if they fall within your first certification week's date range. Check the exact dates your first cert period covers.

this is such an important point that nobody warns you about upfront. the edd paperwork does not make this clear at all

Same honestly. Coming into this thread I thought I might already be in trouble and now I feel like I have a clear picture of what I actually need to do.

the part about networking counting was huge for me. I've been networking constantly but not logging it because i didn't think it counted

If you're applying to the same position you already applied to, generally that's considered one application. But if they posted a NEW position or it's been several months and the role reopened, applying again would count as a separate activity. Use your judgment - if a reasonable person would see it as a genuine new application it probably counts.

okay so like if i applied to a company in january and they posted a new different role in march and i applied again that's two separate activities

Correct, two separate activities. Different role, different posting, genuine new application - that's a legitimate separate entry in your log.

That's a genius way to think about the first week. I'm registering today and now I know I can spread it out into multiple logged activities.

Exactly. And once you're registered employers can actually find you on there so it's not even just a checkbox thing - it's a real tool if your field uses it.

Government and nonprofit jobs in California often specifically recruit through CalJOBS so depending on your industry it can be genuinely useful beyond just satisfying the requirement.

The 30 day deadline is good to know. I hope I never need it but I'm filing that away.

And if you need to talk to an EDD agent to understand why you were disqualified before filing your appeal, getting through by phone can be brutal. I've heard good things about Claimyr (claimyr.com) for actually connecting with an agent - there's a walkthrough video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10. Understanding the specific reason for a disqualification before you write your appeal statement can make a huge difference in how you frame your response.

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful. I went from being totally confused about job search requirements to feeling like I have a solid system. Thank you everyone.

Good luck with your claim! Remember - document everything, register on CalJOBS, and don't stress too much. Most claimants who follow the basic requirements and keep decent records have no issues at all.