EDD approved claim starting 1/14 after only 10 months work - am I actually eligible?

The rep telling you your claim starts on the 14th actually means your claim was approved! If you weren't eligible, they would have told you directly or sent you a disqualification notice. The 18-month thing you heard probably refers to the base period calculation, not a strict work requirement. EDD looks at your earnings in specific quarters to determine eligibility, not just total months worked. Check your UI Online account in a day or two - your claim details should show up there with your weekly benefit amount. Congrats on getting through on the phone! That's the hardest part sometimes.

i went thru almost EXACT same situation last year!!! worked 9 months after previous claim, got laid off again. rep was super rude to me 2, just said 'your claim starts feb 3' and hung up on me!!! but guess what - money showed up after i certified. dont stress too much, if they gave u a start date ur probably fine

There's a lot of confusion about eligibility requirements. The 18-month reference is probably about your base period, which is the 12-month timeframe EDD uses to calculate your benefits. It's divided into quarters, and they look at the earliest 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before your claim. For a January 2025 claim, they'd look at October 2023 through September 2024. So even if you only worked 10 months at your most recent job, your previous employment before your first layoff might still count in your base period calculation. The fact that the representative gave you a claim start date is generally a good sign. If you were ineligible, they would typically explain why or send you a notice of disqualification. Have you created your UI Online account yet? You'll be able to see your claim details and weekly benefit amount there.

I don't think most people realize how TERRIBLE the training is for EDD phone reps. My cousin works there and says some new hires get like 2 WEEKS of training before taking calls on a system that takes months to understand! So they just stick to the script & don't explain anything because they literally CAN'T answer questions they don't understand themselves!! Not making excuses for rudeness but explains why they're so robotic and unhelpful sometimes.

After trying for days to get through to EDD about a similar situation, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. The rep I spoke with was actually helpful and explained my eligibility clearly. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Regarding your situation though - if they gave you a start date, you're almost certainly approved. The base period calculation is what matters, not just your most recent job. You'll be certifying for benefits starting the 14th, and as long as there aren't any other issues (like voluntarily quitting), you should receive payments after certifying.

sometimes i think they're just mean on purpose lol. i had one claim where the first guy was SUPER nice and explained everything, then next time i called got a lady who acted like i was bothering her just by existing.

The 18 month thing is NOT an eligibility requirement!!!! EDD looks at your BASE PERIOD which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you filed in January 2025, they look at October 2023 through September 2024 earnings. You need earnings in at least ONE of those quarters. Sounds like you would have earnings from both jobs in that period which is GOOD. Also if the rep said your claim starts Jan 14th that DOES mean you've been approved! They wouldn't give you a start date otherwise!!!! They would have said you're disqualified if you weren't eligible! They never explain things properly and the phone reps are notoriously bad communicators. Just wait for your first certification period which will probably be around Jan 28 (they come every 2 weeks).

wait u can work for only 10 months and still qualify? they denied me last july saying i didnt work enough but maybe i misunderstod? now i wonder if i should of appealed...

LOL at how EDD reps just expect us to understand their weird code language! "Your claim starts the 14th" apparently means "Yes you're approved" but heaven forbid they just SAY THAT when you ask directly! 🤦‍♀️

Since you mentioned you worked in tech, just a heads-up to prepare for the possibility of an eligibility interview. They sometimes schedule these for people in tech/professional fields to verify you were laid off and didn't quit or get fired for misconduct. Make sure you have your termination letter or any documentation showing it was a layoff. Most likely everything will go smoothly since they've already approved your claim, but having documentation ready will help if they do contact you for an interview.