EDD benefit year renewal confusion - waiting week with no payment despite timely renewal
Has anyone dealt with this benefit year renewal issue? I filed my renewal application 2 weeks before my benefit year ended (tried to be responsible and avoid gaps). Got approved for the new claim since I had enough wages from a 6-month contract job I worked last year. Here's the weird part - I certified for what should have been my final week on the old claim, but instead of getting paid, my UI Online account shows "no payment due - waiting period week" even though I already served a waiting week when I first applied over a year ago! My renewal letter specifically stated to file early to "avoid interruption in benefits" but now I'm out a week's worth of money ($520). Is this normal procedure or did something get messed up? Feeling frustrated since I did everything they told me to do.
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Freya Andersen
same thing happened to me in January when my benefit year ended!! its stupid but yeah thats how they do it
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Ravi Patel
•So there's nothing I can do about it? They just take away a week even though they tell us to renew early to avoid gaps? That seems so unfair.
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Omar Zaki
Unfortunately, this is normal EDD procedure. When you start a new benefit year, you need to serve a new waiting period week regardless of whether you filed your renewal application early. The "avoid interruption" part means your claim processing won't be delayed, but it doesn't eliminate the waiting week requirement. Each benefit year requires its own waiting week - it's in the fine print of the renewal notice. The good news is that your payments should resume normally for your next certification.
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CosmicCrusader
•I HAD EXACT SAME SITUATION last month and was SO MAD!! My bills don't take a waiting period!!! EDD should make this CLEAR in their stupid letters instead of saying "avoid interruption" which is a LIE!!
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Chloe Robinson
I think you can call and ask them about this? Maybe they made a mistake because I renewed my claim last year and don't remember losing a week. Just call the EDD tomorrow morning right when they open.
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Diego Flores
•Calling EDD isn't that simple - you'll likely get the "maximum callers reached" message and be disconnected. I had this exact issue with my benefit year renewal and spent days trying to reach someone. When I finally did, they confirmed what others are saying - each new benefit year requires a new waiting week regardless of when you file the renewal. However, I'd still recommend trying to verify your specific situation. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through on my 2nd try instead of calling for days. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km - basically they hold your place in line and call you when they have an EDD agent. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Anastasia Kozlov
Sorry to jump in, but I'm confused about something similar... I just filed a new claim after exhausting my benefits (not a renewal). Do I still have to serve a waiting week? My certification says "pending" for the first week but shows a payment amount.
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Omar Zaki
•Yes, any new claim requires a waiting week, but a "pending" status with a payment amount is different from the "waiting period week" notification the original poster mentioned. Your situation sounds like it might be a standard processing delay rather than a waiting week. The system shows "pending" until the claim is fully processed, while a waiting week specifically shows as "waiting period week" with no payment due.
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Sean Flanagan
This is completely normal and happens to everyone when they renew. You always have to serve a waiting week for each new benefit year - it's in California unemployment law. The system doesn't recognize that you already served a waiting week previously because as far as it's concerned, this is a brand new claim with its own rules. The problem is that EDD's communications are misleading. When they say "avoid interruption," they're talking about avoiding delays in processing your new claim, NOT avoiding the waiting week. Everyone gets tripped up by this. After your waiting week, your benefits should continue normally with your next certification.
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Ravi Patel
•Thanks for explaining. I guess I'll just have to accept it, but I wish they'd make this clearer in their communications. I budgeted expecting that payment and now I'm short for the month. At least I know what to expect for next time.
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Freya Andersen
wait i'm confused now...is a waiting period the same as the interview thing?? cause i had to do a phone interview when i renewed my claim too
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Sean Flanagan
•No, they're completely different. The waiting week is the first week of any new benefit year where you certify but don't get paid - it's basically a "deductible" in insurance terms. An eligibility interview is when EDD needs to verify something about your claim by speaking with you directly. Not everyone gets interviews, but they're common when there are questions about job separation, availability for work, or other potential eligibility issues. You can have one, both, or neither depending on your specific claim circumstances.
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Zara Mirza
My bf went thru this in April. He was SOOOO angry when he figured out he wasn't getting paid for that week! Like others said tho its just how EDD works with new benefit years. Just keep certifying and you'll get paid for the next weeks. They really should explain this better when they tell people to renew early!!!
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Ravi Patel
Thanks everyone for the explanations. I'm still frustrated that EDD doesn't make this clearer in their communications, but at least now I understand what happened. I certified for my next two weeks yesterday, so hopefully those payments will process normally. I appreciate all the help!
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Omar Zaki
•Glad we could help clarify! Yes, your next payments should process normally. For future reference (and anyone else reading this thread), the waiting week is required by California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 1253(d), so it's not something EDD can waive except in special circumstances like state emergencies. The only time in recent history it was waived was during the early pandemic period.
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