EDD Alternative Base Period calculation gave us tiny weekly benefits - Appeal advice needed!
Just received our EDD award letters and completely shocked at how low the weekly benefit amounts are. My partner and I both got laid off from our restaurant jobs last month, and I was expecting we'd both qualify for something close to the max benefit ($600/week in 2025). Instead, I'm getting $193/week and my partner only $116/week! The problem is they used our standard base period (Oct 2023-Sep 2024) when we were mostly part-time, but we both went full-time with much higher wages in Q4 of 2023. I thought EDD would automatically use the Alternative Base Period if it would result in a higher benefit amount? We desperately need the higher calculation - our rent alone is $2,300/month. Has anyone successfully appealed to request the Alternative Base Period calculation instead? What documentation did you need to provide? How long did the appeal process take? Any advice would be lifesaving right now because we're absolutely panicking about making ends meet with these tiny benefit amounts.
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Giovanni Gallo
Yes, you can absolutely appeal this! EDD doesn't automatically use the Alternative Base Period (ABP) - you have to specifically request it. I went through this exact situation in January. Here's what you need to do: 1. File an appeal using the DE 1000M form (available on the EDD website) 2. Clearly write that you're requesting recalculation using the Alternative Base Period 3. Include copies of your wage statements from Q4 2023 showing your higher earnings 4. Be very clear that using the ABP would result in a higher weekly benefit amount My appeal took about 3 weeks to process, and my benefit amount increased from $187 to $512 weekly. Don't worry, they'll backdate any difference once approved.
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Amara Adeyemi
•Thank you SO MUCH for this detailed info! I had no idea we needed to specifically request the ABP - I thought it was automatic if it would benefit us. I'll download that DE 1000M form right now. Do you remember if you had to mail it or could you upload it through your UI Online account?
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
The EDD system is designed to save money, not help people. They deliberately use the standard base period first hoping you won't notice or bother to appeal. I went through this EXACT thing last summer and it took me FIVE appeals and two months to get it fixed!!! Their "mistake" cost me over $2000 in benefits I should have been getting all along. And guess what? They tried to tell me I didn't qualify for backpay at first! Had to fight for that too. The whole system is broken.
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Dylan Wright
•omg thats terrible!! did u eventually get all ur backpay? im in a similar situation rn
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NebulaKnight
I think I'm going through this same thing but didn't know what it was called! My benefit is only $98/week even though I worked full time the last 3 months of 2023. How do I check if I would qualify for more with this alternative method?
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Giovanni Gallo
•You would need to add up your highest quarter earnings from the Alternative Base Period (which would include Q4 2023 in your case). If your highest quarter in the ABP is substantially higher than what EDD used, you should absolutely appeal. You can call EDD to ask what quarters they used for your calculation, but good luck getting through their phone system.
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Sofia Ramirez
Alternative Base Period saved me during my claim last year! But nobody told me about it - I only found out through a Reddit post. My regular base period gave me $205/week, but after recalculation with ABP I got $537/week. Quick tip - when you file the appeal, be SUPER clear about why you're appealing. Write "REQUESTING ALTERNATIVE BASE PERIOD CALCULATION" in big letters at the top of your explanation. Also calculate exactly what your highest quarter earnings were in Q4 2023 and include that amount. Also while you're waiting for the appeal, KEEP CERTIFYING every two weeks! Don't miss any certifications thinking your claim is messed up.
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Amara Adeyemi
•Thank you! Great tip about highlighting the appeal reason. We definitely don't want this getting lost in bureaucratic shuffling. We have our Q4 paystubs ready to go. And yes, we'll absolutely keep certifying while waiting!
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Dmitry Popov
whats alternative base period? i just filed for unemploymnet yesterday and got approved for $320 a week but thats way less than i was making
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Giovanni Gallo
•The Alternative Base Period uses your most recent 4 completed quarters of earnings to calculate your benefit amount, instead of the Standard Base Period which leaves out your most recent completed quarter. So if you filed in early 2025, Standard Base Period would use Oct 2023-Sep 2024, while Alternative Base Period would use Jan 2024-Dec 2024. If you earned more in the more recent quarters, ABP could get you a higher weekly benefit.
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Dylan Wright
my friend had this same problem and he just waited and did nothing cuz he thought it would take too long to appeal. Don't be like him lol. He regretted it soooo much. File that appeal asap!! Every week u wait is money lost
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Amara Adeyemi
•Thanks for the encouragement! We're definitely going to appeal right away. Can't afford to leave that money on the table.
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Ava Rodriguez
I went through the appeal process for ABP recalculation last spring. Make sure you include very specific documentation: 1. Copies of ALL paystubs from Q4 2023 2. A signed letter explaining exactly why you qualify for ABP 3. A spreadsheet or clear calculation showing your highest quarter earnings 4. Any W-2s or tax documents supporting your earnings claim My appeal was approved in 4 weeks and my weekly benefit amount increased from $178 to $492. They also paid me the difference for all the weeks I had already certified for. One crucial tip: After you submit your appeal, call EDD and get a confirmation that they received it. Appeals can get lost in their system, and you want to make sure yours is in the queue.
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Amara Adeyemi
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I didn't think about creating a separate spreadsheet showing the calculations - that's a great idea. We'll definitely follow up by phone too once we submit. Did you mail your appeal or were you able to submit it electronically?
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
Just a warning - even if you win your appeal (which you should), EDD is TERRIBLE about implementing the change quickly. Mine took 6 weeks after the appeal was approved before they actually updated my payment amount. Keep calling them every few days to check on status. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these people!
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Sofia Ramirez
•This! I had to call THREE TIMES after my appeal was approved to get them to actually process my increased payments. Each time they told me "it's in process" until finally someone actually did it while I was on the phone.
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NebulaKnight
wait i'm confused about something... will this affect how many weeks u can claim benefits? like if u get more money per week does that mean fewer total weeks?
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Giovanni Gallo
•No, that's a common misconception. Your maximum benefit amount (MBA) is calculated as 26 times your weekly benefit amount (WBA). So if your weekly amount increases through an ABP appeal, your total benefit amount increases proportionally. You'll still qualify for the same number of weeks (up to 26 in California), but each week's payment will be higher.
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Sofia Ramirez
BTW if both you and your partner are filing appeals, do them separately! Don't combine them or mention each other's cases. Each claim is handled individually, even for married couples. I made that mistake and it caused confusion and delays.
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Amara Adeyemi
•That's a really good point - we hadn't thought about that. We'll definitely submit separate appeals and keep all our documentation separate too. Thanks for the tip!
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