EDD benefit year confusion - Do 26 weeks start from application date? Can I continue benefits with part-time work?

The 26 weeks start from when your benefit year begins, which is typically the Sunday of the week you filed your claim. But those weeks aren't necessarily consecutive - they're only counted when you actually receive benefits. So if you don't certify or don't qualify for a particular week, that week doesn't count toward your 26-week total. As for your part-time work, you can absolutely receive partial unemployment benefits as long as you're earning less than your weekly benefit amount (or sometimes even a bit more, thanks to the earned income disregard). You'll need to report your part-time earnings when you certify every two weeks, and EDD will reduce your benefit accordingly. Once you've exhausted your regular 26 weeks of UI, you normally wouldn't be eligible for an extension unless there's a federal extension program in place (which there isn't currently). However, if your benefit year ends and you're still underemployed, you might be able to file a new claim if you've earned enough in the base period.

ur partial benefits still count toward ur 26 weeks. i did this last yr, worked 15hrs a week and got small ui payments but it used up my weeks just like if i wasnt working at all. sucks but thats how they do it

To add some clarity here: Your 26 weeks of benefits are measured in terms of the amount you're eligible to receive, not just a calendar timeframe. EDD calculates your maximum benefit amount (MBA) when you file your claim. Each week you claim benefits (whether full or partial) reduces that total amount. For example, if your weekly benefit amount (WBA) is $450, your MBA would be $11,700 (26 weeks × $450). If you're working part-time and only collecting $200 in partial benefits each week, you'd technically be using your benefits at a slower rate, potentially extending beyond 26 calendar weeks until you reach your MBA. However, regardless of how you use it, your claim expires at the end of your benefit year (12 months from when you filed), even if you haven't used all available benefits. At that point, you'd need to qualify for a new claim based on wages earned during your most recent base period.

when i got laid off they told me id get 6 months and thats it, doesnt matter if ur working or not. EDD is always changing the rules tho so who knows

This is EXACTLY why the EDD system is so frustrating! They make everything confusing on purpose!! I went through this same thing back in December - had my hours cut to 25/week and was getting partial benefits. The customer service people gave me THREE different answers about how long my benefits would last. One thing I learned the HARD WAY is that you HAVE TO keep certifying every two weeks and report your part-time income ACCURATELY. If you make a mistake, they'll hit you with an overpayment notice months later and then you're really screwed!!! And don't bother trying to call EDD to ask questions - you'll never get through!!!

Just wanted to share my experience - I was in almost the exact same situation last year. Got laid off, then found part-time work after about a month. I was able to collect partial unemployment for about 8 months (which was longer than the standard 26 weeks) because I was only collecting a portion of my weekly benefit amount each week. One thing that really helped me was using Claimyr to actually get through to an EDD rep when I had questions about my specific situation. It's at claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km It was super helpful because I had some weeks where my hours varied a lot, and I needed clarity on how to report everything correctly. The EDD rep I spoke with explained everything about my benefit calculation and how long I could expect payments to continue with my part-time work.

My sister works at an Amazon warehouse part time and gets unemployment too. She said it depends on how much you make each week. If you make too much money in a week you don't get benefits for that week but it doesn't count against your 26 weeks. You can still claim the next week if you make less money. I think theres a calculator on the EDD website.

To clarify a few points from the conversation: 1) Yes, each week you receive ANY benefits (full or partial) counts toward your 26-week maximum. 2) However, your claim balance is based on your maximum benefit amount. If you're receiving reduced payments due to part-time work, your benefits will last longer in calendar time (potentially beyond 26 calendar weeks) until you exhaust your maximum benefit amount. 3) Your benefit year lasts for 12 months from when you filed. Once that year ends, any remaining balance disappears even if you haven't used all 26 weeks worth. 4) When reporting part-time wages, always report gross earnings (before taxes) for the week in which you worked, not when you get paid. 5) The formula for partial benefits is: If you earn less than $100, EDD will disregard the first $25. If you earn $100 or more, EDD disregards the first 25% of your earnings. The remainder is subtracted from your weekly benefit amount.

Just wanted to add something that might be helpful - make sure you keep detailed records of all your part-time work hours and earnings! I learned this the hard way when EDD did an audit of my claim about 6 months after I started working part-time. They wanted to see pay stubs, work schedules, everything. Also, if your part-time job offers you more hours that would put you over the earnings limit for benefits, you might want to calculate whether it's worth taking those extra hours or staying under the limit to keep your partial benefits going. Sometimes the math works out better to stay part-time until you can find full-time work that pays closer to your previous salary. One last tip - download the EDD mobile app if you haven't already. It makes certifying way easier than trying to do it on their website, especially when you're reporting varying weekly earnings from part-time work.

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're worried about running out of benefits before finding full-time work, look into whether you qualify for any job training programs through EDD. They have programs that can extend your benefits while you're in approved training or education that leads to better employment prospects. Also, since your company closed suddenly without warning, you might want to check if you're owed any additional compensation like severance or unused vacation pay. That money could affect your unemployment eligibility for certain weeks, but it's still money you're entitled to. The fact that you found part-time work so quickly is actually great for your future claim eligibility too - those wages will count toward your base period if you need to file a new claim next year. Keep track of all your earnings because EDD uses your highest-earning quarter to calculate future benefits.

One thing I want to emphasize that might help you feel more confident about your situation - the combination of part-time work + partial unemployment can actually be a really good bridge while you're looking for full-time employment. You're maintaining work skills, building new connections, and still getting financial support. Since you mentioned your part-time job is only paying about 40% of your previous salary, you'll likely qualify for substantial partial benefits for quite a while. Just make sure when you're job searching that you're still meeting the work search requirements - EDD typically wants to see that you're actively looking for full-time work even while employed part-time. Also, don't stress too much about the 26-week thing. Based on what others have shared here, with partial benefits you'll probably have coverage for 8+ months, which should give you plenty of time to find something better. The key is just staying on top of your certifications and reporting everything accurately. You've got this!

Just want to add my experience as someone who went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago. I was laid off when my startup folded and took a part-time retail job while job hunting. One thing that really helped me was setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my weekly hours and gross pay from the part-time job. Made certification so much easier and gave me peace of mind that I was reporting everything correctly. I also calculated my "break-even" point - basically how many hours I could work before it wouldn't be worth it to keep certifying. The good news is that with partial benefits, you'll likely have coverage for much longer than 26 calendar weeks. I ended up getting benefits for about 10 months because I was only collecting partial amounts each week. Just make sure you keep looking for full-time work and document your job search activities - EDD can ask for proof that you're still actively seeking employment even while working part-time. Also, don't forget to update your CalJOBS profile and keep it active. It's one of the work search requirements and actually led to a couple interviews for me. The whole situation ended up working out - I found a great full-time position about 9 months in that paid even better than my previous job. Sometimes these setbacks end up being opportunities in disguise. Hang in there!

I went through something really similar when my company downsized last year. One thing that saved me a lot of stress was calling EDD early on to get clarity about my specific situation rather than trying to guess from their website. The key insight I got from speaking with a rep was understanding the difference between "weeks claimed" vs "benefit amount used." Even though you're using one of your 26 available weeks each time you certify and receive partial benefits, you're not using your full weekly benefit amount - so your total benefit balance lasts longer. Also, since you mentioned your part-time job is only 20 hours at 40% of your previous salary, you'll almost certainly qualify for partial benefits for quite a while. Just make sure when you certify every two weeks that you report your gross earnings for the weeks you actually worked (not when you got paid). One practical tip: I found it helpful to screenshot my certification confirmations each time, just in case there were ever any questions about what I reported. The EDD system can be glitchy and having that backup documentation gave me peace of mind. You're in a much better position than you might think - partial unemployment while working part-time is actually a pretty decent safety net while you're looking for something better!

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you! Got laid off in February when my company went under and just started a part-time gig two weeks ago. The timing confusion was driving me crazy too. From what I've learned (and confirmed with an EDD rep), your benefit year starts the Sunday of the week you filed, but you only "use" weeks when you actually receive benefits. So if you have a week where you earn too much and don't get any UI payment, that week doesn't count against your 26. The partial benefits thing is actually pretty generous - I'm working about 25 hours a week making roughly half my old salary, and I'm still getting about $180/week in partial UI. The key is reporting your GROSS earnings for the week you worked (not when you get paid), and EDD does the calculation automatically. One thing that's been super helpful is keeping a simple log of my hours and earnings each week. Makes certification way less stressful when I have everything written down already. Also seconding the recommendation about Claimyr if you need to talk to someone - I used it last month and actually got through to a helpful rep who walked me through exactly how my partial benefits would work. Honestly, this setup has been way less terrible than I expected. Having some income from work plus partial UI is giving me breathing room to be picky about my next full-time job instead of just taking the first thing that comes along.