EDD actor claim confusion - how to report multiple jobs paid by same payroll company?

You should list each production as a separate employer. Even though the same payroll company cut the checks, these were different jobs with different employers (the production companies). EDD needs to see your complete work history. If you just combine them, it might look like you worked fewer weeks than you actually did, which could affect your claim. When I filed my claim last year after working on several commercials, I listed each production company separately with dates, and then put the payroll company name in parentheses after each one. Make sure you have your start/end dates for each job and the correct EIN numbers from your pay stubs.

just put the payroll company one time. thats what shows up on ur w2 anyway and thats what EDD will check against. i did background work for 5 diffrent shows but all thru same payroll and i just did it once, got approved no problem

Omg I had this EXACT same issue last year with my claim!! So annoying how the system isn't designed for gig workers in entertainment industry. I ended up calling EDD after I couldn't figure it out and waiting like 4 hours to talk to someone. 😩

I work in HR for a production company, and I can tell you that you MUST list each production separately. The payroll company (like ABS Payroll, Cast & Crew, etc.) is just a payment processor - they are not your actual employer. When EDD reviews your claim, they'll be matching your work history against employer contributions. Each production company pays into the unemployment insurance fund separately through the payroll service. For each job entry: 1. List the production company name as employer 2. Use the payroll company's address and EIN (since that's what's on your paystub) 3. Enter the specific dates you worked on each production 4. Report the exact wages from each individual job This ensures EDD has your complete work history and all wages are counted correctly toward your benefit calculation.

Yes, select "Job ended" or "Assignment ended" for each production. That's the standard for project-based entertainment work. One other tip: keep copies of ALL your paystubs from these jobs. EDD might contact you for verification of wages during the claim process, especially with multiple short-term employers. Having documentation ready will speed things up if they need to verify anything.

Can I just say how RIDICULOUS it is that EDD makes this so complicated?? The whole system is designed for people who work regular 9-5 jobs at ONE company for years. Not for those of us in entertainment/gig work. Like why can't they just have a special section for industry-specific situations?? Just venting lol

I just wanted to update this thread in case someone else has the same question in the future. I ended up listing each production company separately with their unique info (name, address, dates worked) but used the same payroll company EIN for both since that's what was on my pay stubs. I spoke with an EDD rep who confirmed this was the correct approach. She said they need to see the actual employment periods for each job, and that using only the payroll company could result in an incorrect benefit calculation. Thanks everyone for your help!

This thread is so helpful! I'm a freelance writer who sometimes works through content agencies that handle payroll for multiple clients. I've been wondering about this exact same issue - whether to list the actual client companies I wrote for or just the agency that paid me. Sounds like the same principle applies - list each actual employer separately even if they all went through the same payment processor. The entertainment industry and freelance work have so many similar complications with EDD claims!