EDD base period confusion - can I delay filing to get higher UI benefits from recent steady employment?
I've been working sporadically with different companies throughout most of 2024, just picking up shifts when I could. Then around July, I finally landed a steady position with decent pay that lasted through September before they laid everyone off. I heard EDD looks at your earnings from specific quarters to calculate benefits. My question is - can I strategically time when I file for unemployment to make sure they use my July-September earnings (when I had consistent income) instead of the earlier quarters when I barely worked? I know there's something about a base period but I'm confused about how it works. My previous UI claim expired in September 2022, if that matters. Any advice on maximizing my benefit amount would be super helpful!
0 comments
Join the conversation
Zainab Ali
EDD uses what's called a Standard Base Period to calculate your benefits - this is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So it depends on WHEN you file. If you file in October-December 2024: Your base period would be July 2023-June 2024 (wouldn't include your recent steady work) If you wait to file in January-March 2025: Your base period would include July-September 2024 when you had steady work So yes, waiting until January could potentially give you better benefits IF your earnings were significantly higher in that July-Sept quarter. Just be aware you can't claim benefits retroactively for weeks you didn't file, so there's a tradeoff.
0 coins
Miguel Herrera
•Thank you so much! This makes sense now. So basically I need to decide whether it's better to file now and get lower benefits right away, or wait until January to potentially get a higher weekly amount but miss out on payments for October-December. That's a tough decision...
0 coins
Connor Murphy
i was in this EXACT situation last yr!! waited till january to file and got $100 more per week than i wudve if i filed in november. totaly worth it for me but depends on ur $ situation
0 coins
Miguel Herrera
•That's really helpful to know! An extra $100/week would definitely make a huge difference. Did you have any issues with the EDD questioning the gap between your last day of work and when you filed?
0 coins
Yara Nassar
Just to add a bit more detail on how the base period works: Standard Base Period = first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing The quarters are: Q1: January-March Q2: April-June Q3: July-September Q4: October-December So if you file in October-December 2024, your base period is July 2023 through June 2024. If you wait until January 2025 to file, your base period shifts to October 2023 through September 2024 - which would include your recent steady employment in the last quarter of your base period. The EDD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest-earning quarter in the base period. So if July-September 2024 was your highest-earning quarter, waiting until January 2025 to file could result in a higher weekly benefit amount. Hope this helps!
0 coins
StarGazer101
•Hold on, I'm a little confused. I thought EDD uses the ALTERNATE base period now, which is the last 4 completed quarters? Did they change it back to the standard? When I filed in 2023 they used my most recent earnings...
0 coins
Yara Nassar
To clarify about the Alternate Base Period (ABP): EDD only uses the ABP if you don't qualify for a valid claim using the Standard Base Period. They don't give you a choice between the two. The ABP uses the last 4 completed quarters before you file (instead of the first 4 of the last 5). So if you had enough earnings in the Standard Base Period to qualify for a claim, that's what they'll use. If not, then they'll check if you qualify using the ABP.
0 coins
StarGazer101
•Thanks for explaining! I must have qualified under ABP because I didn't have much work in the standard period. Makes sense now.
0 coins
Keisha Jackson
u can also try calling EDD directly and ask them to calculate what ur benefits would be if u filed now vs. january. good luck getting through tho lol. i spent 2 weeks trying before i gave up!!
0 coins
Paolo Romano
•I had the same problem trying to reach EDD recently! After getting nowhere with regular calls, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an EDD representative in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km They basically navigate the phone system for you and call you back when they've got an agent on the line. Saved me days of frustration. The agent I spoke with was able to run different scenarios for me about when to file.
0 coins
Amina Diop
Be careful with the timing thing! I waited to file for similar reasons but then found out I couldn't get any benefits for the weeks I didn't certify. No backpay. So I basically lost 2 months of payments trying to be clever about it. Just something to consider.
0 coins
Miguel Herrera
•That's exactly what I'm worried about! I need to figure out if the higher weekly amount would eventually make up for the lost months of payments. Thanks for the warning about no backpay - that's a really important point.
0 coins
StarGazer101
Is anyone else COMPLETELY FRUSTRATED with how complicated they make all this?! Why can't EDD just use our most recent work history?? It's ridiculous that we have to strategize filing dates just to get fair benefits based on our actual recent income! THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!
0 coins
Connor Murphy
•for real!! my friend in nevada gets benefits based on her last 6 months of work, way more logical. california system is from like the 1980s or something
0 coins
Zainab Ali
One last thing to consider: even if you wait until January to file, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements during the week you actually file. You need to be able and available for work, actively seeking work, etc. Just because you were laid off in September doesn't automatically qualify you if you file months later. Also, calculate whether the higher weekly benefit amount (if you wait) would eventually exceed what you'd get by filing earlier at a lower amount. For example, if waiting gives you $80 more per week but you miss out on 8 weeks of benefits, you'd need to collect the higher amount for at least 8 weeks to break even.
0 coins
Miguel Herrera
•That's a great point about still needing to meet eligibility requirements when I file. I'll definitely be looking for work in the meantime, so that should be fine. And thanks for the calculation example - that's exactly the kind of math I need to do to figure out what makes the most sense for my situation.
0 coins
Yuki Tanaka
Just wanted to add that you should also check if you have enough earnings to qualify for a claim at all. EDD requires minimum earnings in your base period - I think it's something like $1,300 in your highest quarter and total base period wages of at least 1.25 times your highest quarter earnings. If your sporadic work earlier in 2024 was really minimal, waiting until January might actually be necessary just to qualify, not just to get higher benefits. You can find the exact wage requirements on the EDD website under benefit calculator.
0 coins
Kristian Bishop
•This is such a crucial point that I think a lot of people overlook! I almost made the mistake of filing too early without checking if I even had enough earnings to qualify. The minimum wage requirements can definitely be a factor, especially if you had inconsistent work like I did. It's worth running those numbers first before deciding on timing. Thanks for mentioning the benefit calculator - that tool is really helpful for figuring out if you'll qualify under different scenarios.
0 coins
Ava Martinez
Another thing to keep in mind - if you do decide to wait until January to file, make sure you're documenting your job search activities during the gap period. Even though you won't be certifying for benefits during October-December, EDD sometimes asks about what you were doing to find work during any gaps between your last day of employment and when you filed your claim. Keep records of applications, interviews, networking, etc. just in case they ask. Also, double-check that your employer reported your July-September wages correctly to EDD - sometimes there are delays or errors in wage reporting that could affect your base period calculations.
0 coins