Does my husband automatically qualify for EDD extension after benefits end? How to know?
Hi everyone, my husband's regular unemployment benefits just ran out last week. When he checked his UI Online account, there was a message saying he 'may qualify for an extension' and that 'it would be automatic' if he does qualify. It's been 5 days now and we haven't seen any updates or new certifications appear in his account. How do we know if he actually qualified for this extension? Will EDD send a specific notification or does a new certification week just suddenly appear? We're getting nervous because rent is due next week and we were counting on this extension. Has anyone gone through this process recently in 2025? Thanks in advance for any help!
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Mei Lin
same thing happned to me in January. took almost 2 weeks before i saw anything in my account. just wait a bit longer theyre always slow
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Jamal Wilson
•Thanks for sharing your experience! 2 weeks seems like forever when you're worried about bills. Did they backdate the payments when it finally came through?
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Liam Fitzgerald
The extensions aren't truly automatic - the system reviews your claim to determine if you qualify. Right now, the Fed-ED extension requires that your base period earnings exceed 40x your weekly benefit amount AND you have earnings in at least 2 quarters of your base period. If your husband meets those criteria, you should see an extension notification appear in UI Online and receive a letter in the mail. If it's been more than 10 days with no update, he should contact EDD directly to check his status. The notification timing varies widely in 2025 due to their current workload.
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Jamal Wilson
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! My husband definitely meets those earnings requirements, so that's reassuring. I guess we'll wait a few more days before panicking.
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GalacticGuru
I'm in the EXACT same situation!!! My benefits ended 3 weeks ago and I still haven't heard ANYTHING about an extension!!! I've been trying to call EDD every single day and either get disconnected or told the call volume is too high!!! What happens if we never get the extension?? Will they backpay us once it's approved?? I've applied for 19 jobs and nothing! This is so stressful I can't sleep!!
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Amara Nnamani
•Yes, they do backpay from when your regular benefits ended, so you won't lose any weeks you're eligible for. For calling EDD, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it helped me get through to an agent in about 20 minutes when I was dealing with a similar extension issue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The agent I spoke with told me extensions can take up to 3 weeks to process automatically, but calling can expedite things if there's a specific issue with your claim.
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Giovanni Mancini
My cousin got the extension no problem but his wife didnt even tho they both worked the same amount of time. EDD is weird sometimes.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•That's because extensions aren't just about how long you worked! There are specific earnings requirements and they look at different quarters for the base period calculations. It's actually a pretty complex formula.
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Dylan Cooper
I went through this earlier this year. After your regular UI runs out, EDD's system automatically evaluates your claim for extension eligibility. The two main extensions currently available in 2025 are Fed-ED and PEUC (though the names sometimes change). Here's what you need to know: 1. The "automatic" part means you don't need to submit a new application, but the review process itself takes time. 2. You should receive a notice titled "Extension Filed" in your UI Online inbox AND a letter in the mail within 5-10 business days if approved. 3. If you don't see anything after 10 business days, there might be an issue with your claim. 4. During this waiting period, continue to certify for benefits if the system allows it (though it often doesn't until the extension is processed). 5. If approved, you'll be able to certify for all weeks since your regular benefits ended. Based on current processing times, I'd wait until the full 10 business days have passed before taking further action.
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Jamal Wilson
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I didn't realize we'd get notifications both online and through mail. We'll keep checking his UI Online inbox daily. He's been certifying for the weeks even though it shows $0 available, just in case.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
Wait, is PEUC still a thing in 2025? I thought that was just a pandemic program that ended years ago...
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Dylan Cooper
•You're right - I apologize for the confusion. The current extension program is Fed-ED, and there's also the Training Extension (TE) if you're enrolled in approved training. PEUC was indeed a pandemic-era program that ended. Thanks for the correction.
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Mei Lin
what everyone forgets to mention is that the extension is usually a lower amount than ur regular benefits. mine went from $387 to $320 per week so plan for that.
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Jamal Wilson
•Oh wow, I had no idea the amount could change! That's really good to know so we can budget appropriately. Thank you for sharing this!
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Giovanni Mancini
i just check my ui online acct everyday. one day it was empty then next day BOOM new money and weeks to certify lol
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GalacticGuru
Does anyone know if you have to do more work search activities for the extension? I've been doing the regular 3 job applications per week, but I heard someone say it increases to 5 for extensions?
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Liam Fitzgerald
•The work search requirements remain the same for extensions as they were for your regular claim. In California, you typically need to perform and document at least 3 work search activities per week, unless you have a Union hiring hall or return-to-work date. There's no increase in requirements specifically for extensions.
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Ashley Simian
Just wanted to add that if your husband doesn't automatically qualify for Fed-ED, he might still be eligible for the Training Extension (TE) if he enrolls in an approved training program. The TE can provide up to 26 additional weeks of benefits while you're in training. You can find approved programs through the ETPL (Eligible Training Provider List) on CalJOBS. This could be a good backup option if the automatic extension doesn't come through. Also, some people have had luck contacting their local workforce development office for help navigating the extension process - they sometimes have direct lines to EDD that can help speed things up.
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